Lloyd R. Leith

In 1931, disturbed by the quality of the referees he saw on the court, Lloyd Leith, then coach of Balboa Mission High School in San Francisco, California promptly decided to make officiating a career. Leith was all about taking matters into his own hands, a quality that served him well as an official. He was respected for his no-nonsense, unbiased approach to the fast-paced style of college basketball played in the West. Hard-working, dedicated, and single-minded, Leith organized basketball officials in the Bay Area and began to train them. From 1940 to 1965, Leith brought credibility and stature to West Coast referees. Leith officiated in the Pacific Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (later the Pacific Coast Conference) for 25 years and the national AAU tournament for ten years. Leith was the PCC supervisor of officials for seven years.