Hugh Light "Shorty" Ray was an American football player and official.
19 Facts About Shorty Ray
2.
Shorty Ray was the first technical advisor on the rules and supervisor of officials for the National Football League from 1938 to 1952.
3.
Shorty Ray was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.
4.
Shorty Ray was the son of John Thompson Ray and Emily S Ray.
5.
Shorty Ray attended the Crane Manual Training High School in Chicago.
6.
Shorty Ray began his college education at Lewis Institute from 1901 to 1903.
7.
Shorty Ray next attended the University of Illinois where he received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering.
8.
Shorty Ray continued teaching mechanical drawing in Chicago high schools for more than 30 years.
9.
Shorty Ray helped organize the Athletic Officials Association and organized rules clinics and written tests that were mandatory for members of the AOA.
10.
In 1947, Shorty Ray was given a five-year contract as Technical Advisor on the Rules and Supervisor of Officials to the NFL and resigned from the Chicago public schools to devote his full efforts to his job with the NFL.
11.
Shorty Ray served as a technical adviser to the NFL and supervisor of officials until his retirement in 1952.
12.
Shorty Ray was responsible for numerous rules changes, including the following:.
13.
Shorty Ray gave them written tests and demanded that they score better than 95 percent every time.
14.
Frustrated with the growing rate of penalties, a group of owners sought to have Shorty Ray fired, but loyalists including George Halas defended Shorty Ray.
15.
Shorty Ray resigned as the NFL's technical adviser in May 1952; he said at the time that he no longer felt he could physically do the job.
16.
Shorty Ray was married to Charlotte Johnson in October 1908.
17.
Shorty Ray moved to Los Angeles after retiring from his position with the NFL.
18.
Shorty Ray died at a sanitarium there in September 1956 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage at age 72.
19.
In March 1966, Shorty Ray was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of its fourth class of inductees.