This
notice appeared in the 2000/2001 CBOA Yearbook.
CBOA
is saddened by the death of John Nucatola. The 2000/2001 CBOA,
Inc. yearbook was dedicated to John. The information shown below
appeared in the 1978-1979 yearbook and says it all about John.
One of the five founders of CBOA, a CBOA charter member, an
outstanding official, a Board of Directors member for many years,
a CBOA Past President, ECBA Supervisor of Basketball Officials,
NBA Supervisor of Officials - all of these describe John P.
Nucatola's connection with the administration of basketball
officiating on the college and professional level.
CBOA is proud of its honorary member, proud that he is still
one of us, and proud of his induction on May 1, 1978 into the
Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, so proud
that for the first time in our thirty-year history we are dedicating
a Yearbook to an individual - to him.
His credits as an official are imposing. Just to list a few:
NIT, NCAA Tournaments, Army-Navy games, Sugar Bowl, Kentucky
Invitational, Queen City Invitational, East-West All-Star game,
Olympic Tournaments, New York-New Jersey All-Star game, Atlantic
Coast Conference Championships, Carousel Tournament at Charlotte,
North Carolina, and the World Professional Championships for
the NBA.
But over and beyond these, John literally grew up with basketball
as the main course. He played professional ball for ten years,
was a high school basketball coach in New York City for twelve
years, officiated at ECBA for 25 years, and in the NBA from
its inception.
It was as a CBOA member and ECBA Supervisor that most of us
knew John best. His dedication to his job, to the officials,
and to the colleges was unmatched. As a CBOA member, he originated
the Sam Schoenfeld Sportsmanship Award and serves to this day
as Chairman of the Schoenfeld Award Committee, and developed
a technique for three-man officiating and installed it in some
ECBA games many years ago. John was a prolific writer on basketball
officiating subjects. In addition to a book on the subject,
he wrote the bulletin known as the CBOA CLINIC for us. He conducted
clinics at each of our geographical areas each year as ECBA
Supervisor. Not only did he conduct these area clinics but he
also conducted clinics all over the world. He presided over
these in St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, Berkeley, New Orleans,
Albuquerque, Washington, Chicago, Europe, the Far East, Philippines,
Naples, and Hawaii.
It is safe to say that no man has had greater influence on basketball
officiating in our lifetime than John Nucatola. So on your induction
into the Basketball Hall of Fame, John, CBOA members congratulate
you, wish you years of good health, and hope that you continue
your interest in CBOA and basketball officiating.