1. Norm Drucker was a major influence in professional basketball officiating for over 35 years.
16 Facts About Norm Drucker
1. 2.
Norm Drucker grew up in Brooklyn, and learned the game from the first generation of basketball superstars.
3.
Norm Drucker has been called a legend of Brooklyn basketball.
4.
Norm Drucker played varsity ball under future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Nat Holman.
5.
One of Norm Drucker's teammates was Red Holtzman another future hall of fame coach, who would go on to lead the New York Knicks.
6.
In 1949, Norm Drucker began his officiating career refereeing AAU, high school, collegiate, and American Basketball League.
7.
Norm Drucker was hired as a referee by the National Basketball Association in 1953.
8.
The New York Times reports that it was fellow referee Earl Strom giving Chamberlain the first technical, and then Norm Drucker came in with a second technical and an ejection because Chamberlain said Strom must be betting on the game; and then Norm Drucker added a third for Chamberlain's profane response to the second technical.
9.
Norm Drucker's career gave him a courtside view of key moments of the NBA's first 35 seasons.
10.
Norm Drucker officiated the games when Bob Pettit scored his 15,000th career point and Wilt Chamberlain scored his 25,000th.
11.
Norm Drucker is the link to referees whose careers span the entire history of the NBA.
12.
Norm Drucker worked what remained of the 1977 playoffs and retired.
13.
In 1989, Norm Drucker came out of retirement and joined the World Basketball League, a minor league, as its Supervisor of Officials, a position he held for the four-year life of that league.
14.
Norm Drucker was inducted into the CCNY Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
15.
Norm Drucker retired to East Norriton Township, Pennsylvania, and died on February 6,2015.
16.
Norm Drucker is buried in the Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.