Induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, is one of basketball’s highest honors. Among the 258 individual and five teams inducted are 12 professional basketball referees whose contributions to the game have earned them a place in basketball history. Starting this month, the NBRA will look back at the life and work of these outstanding officials. We begin with the first referee inducted into the Hall of Fame, Mr. Matthew P. Kennedy.

Matthew P. Kennedy

The first class of the Basketball Hall of Fame was inducted in 1959. The original 17 inductees included two teams, three coaches, seven contributors, four players and one remarkable referee.

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1908, Matthew “Pat” Kennedy later played basketball at the local Demarest High School before attending Montclair State in East Orange, New Jersey. He began his officiating career in 1928 at the age of 20. His officiating career spanned more than three decades and 4,000 games.

Kennedy brought his trademark charisma to all levels of games that he officiated. In his career he called games for the Ivy League, the American Professional League, and the NBA. He also served for several years as the NBA’s Supervisor of Referees and Referee-in-Chief.

It was, in part, his showmanship that helped endear basketball to spectators during the early days of the game. His style was so entertaining that he had the honor of officiating for the ever-exciting Harlem Globetrotters for six seasons from 1950 to 1957. Despite his animated style, Kennedy was always respected for his fairness and control of the game.

When he died in 1977, basketball lost a great friend and pioneer.