Dale Williams, a 24-year NFL head linesman and College World Series baseball umpire, handed away September 18, 2022, after an extended sickness. He was once 82. Williams had a glowing officiating profession at a top degree in two sports activities. He officiated NFL soccer from 1980-2003, and umpired school baseball for 32 years.
A graduate of California State University, Northridge, Williams performed baseball for the college. He took up officiating and rose briefly in the course of the ranks, officiating within the Pac-8 and becoming a member of the NFL in 1980. He wore quantity 8 for many of his profession. During his NFL tenure, he labored on crews lead via referees Ben Dreith, Red Cashion, Fred Silva, Howard Roe, Ron Blum, Dick Hantak, Mike Carey and Larry Nemmers.
He assisted Ben Dreith in breaking apart the struggle that result in Dreith’s well-known penalty announcement.
During his 24-year NFL profession, Williams labored 348 common season video games and 23 playoff video games: 5 wild card video games, 12 divisional contests, 3 convention championships and Super Bowls XX, XXVI, and XXXVII. His first playoff recreation was once in his 2nd season and it was once a vintage — the Epic in Miami. While he didn’t sign the landing, Williams (dressed in quantity 23 all through the 1979-81 numbering gadget) adopted the signature play down the sideline.
An epic baseball umpiring profession
For 32 years, Williams was once a faculty baseball umpire, advancing to the Division I degree. He labored the College World Series a complete of 8 occasions, and he labored the 1984 Olympic Games. In 2013 he was once venerated with the National Collegiate Umpire Award.
Here is photos of him running the plate within the 1988 College World Series.
After his umpiring profession, Williams persisted to oversee and mentor the following era of umpires, serving as a manager within the Big West, Western Athletic and Pac-10 meetings.
Williams survived his spouse, Valerie, shall be remembered as a chum and mentor to many umpires and fellow soccer officers. Our sympathies to all who knew him and beloved him.
The following remark is from the NFL Referees Association.
We are saddened to proportion that Dale Williams handed away peacefully in Palm Desert, California on September 18, 2022, succumbing to critical breathing and respiring problems that he battled for the final a number of years. He leaves in the back of a daughter, and we ask that you just stay her and all of Dale’s family and friends for your ideas.
Dale was once a head linesman (#8) within the NFL for 23 years, and he labored a lot of postseason assignments.
In addition to his soccer officiating, Dale was once a famend school baseball umpire. He labored a large number of school baseball playoff video games in Omaha and was once decided on to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 2013, the National College Baseball Hall of Fame named Dale its recipient of the National Collegiate Umpire Award, honoring an entire life of excellence in umpiring.
“During my umpiring career, God has blessed me with great friends, experiences and success,” Dale instructed the Hall of Fame’s web page on the time.
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Some pictures for this submit supplied via Mark Evans