NYTimes: NBA Ref, St. Pius X Alum Joe Crawford Talks About 35 Years On The Court

NEWTOWN SQUARE–The New York Times recently featured local sports celebrity Joe Crawford for his years on the basketball court for the NBA.

This year Crawford, whose notable connections to the Marple Newtown area include being a Newtown Square resident and a alumni, marks his 35th year with the NBA.

Crawford made an appearance at his old stomping grounds of St. Pius X last August for the school's annual basketball camp. .

Crawford has officiated in the NBA since 1977, during which time he's worked more playoff games than any active referee, called every finals between 1986 and 2006, and never missed a day of work.

Crawford freely talks to New York Times reporter Sam Borden about seeing a sports psychologist for his anger management issues that can be seen at times on the court.

Another secret he shares in the New York Times: Crawford keeps an extra whistle in his pocket during games because "I have a tendency to break through them with my tooth."

Crawford also talks about his earlier years as a postman in Wayne while reffing about a dozen local league games on the weekends. Now 60 and a veteran on the court, Crawford is well known by NBA fans as the excitable ref with the shaved head and expressive hand signals in the #17 jersey.

Read the full New York Times article on Joe Crawford here.