J. Dallas Shirley

Known around the world as an authority on basketball rules, J. Dallas Shirley ranks among the most popular officials of all time. An outgoing personality with a staunch work ethic, Shirley traveled the world recruiting, training, and improving officials. Shirley’s 33-year career included more than 2,000 games and numerous clinics, as well as articles on the game. A member of the Southern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and Mason Dixon Conference officiating staffs, Shirley’s officiating legacy spanned numerous NIT and NCAA Tournament games, as well as the international circuit. He was a member of the Basketball Association of America’s first officiating crew in 1946, and president of every major officiating organization. Shirley devoted his entire professional life to the improvement and development of a thankless job and the game is better for his efforts.