New Britain herald., 1928-05-07

tOHlllls lTOHl d DldCk ltldH more than if q white player had protested. It was characteristic of hNn to rid himself of any such feeling. He never allows conventional prejudice to overshadow his sense of fair play.
 Dillon is a picturesque figure on the courts. He does his work clad in white knickers. He donned them for comforts sake and took lot of kidding at first. After his pioneer ing in pants. the uniform was adopt ed by the college referees and is now quite generally used.
 What about professional basket ball?
 "1 am not a roller. polo nor a football referee so I let the profess s1onal game a!one-it's a rough house aud not scientific Dick an- swered. The senai-pro game is diff ferent That is played under ana- teur rules. but still I like the games best as 1t Is played in the Y. NJ. C. A. leagues. It is just as fast and more satisfactory all around.'
 Probably no single individual In the last 20 years has cxerted a greater or better influence over the game in New England than he. He has been up against all the tricks from the inside and he now watches for them from the outside.
 When he entered the rank Of professional referees. a man who called all the fouls was charged with slowing up the game. He wasn't liable to get return dates. Dick knew that and he also knew from experience, how rough the game be- came when the officials let fouls slip by without noticing them. He determined 10 call them all.
 Tt was an idealistic and thank less job Dillon cut out for himself. Frequently he got the razz. But. to the credit of the newspapermen. be 1t said that they recognized that he was right and. with a unanimity that is remarkable, they backed up this official who had the courage to regulate the game according to the rules.
 Tn one game he called c fouls on the high school team of a near by city. The home team lost and Dick was hooted. but the newspa per account gave the official credit for fairness and called him 'Connect- cuts most popular referee
 That Is recognition Of high rank. When reporter writes his stuff he Is hard-boiled and plays no favorites. Its sheer merit that oycrcomes his antipathy for the arbiters of sport.
 Long before Thanksgiving each year the managers of several teams contract with him to referee their basketball games. They know the early bird catches the referee so they apply before the autumn leaves turn crimson. His regular custom- CTS include Trinity. Wesleyan and Connecticut Aggies among the col leges, with Holy Cross and Spring field transient trade. especially if there |, a deciding contest between these rivals. Six high school de- Inand his afternoons. New Britain, three in Hartford. Manchester and Bristol. The " mems and women's industrial leagues of New Britain and the amateur league of Hartford claim hts attention for five or six games \ week. Tn his spare time Dillon handles the semi-pro games. All in all he is busy enough with basketball. but that is only his avo- cation.
 He wouldn't walk . mile for a steed of the desert cocktails don't mix with basketball and he dosn't have to confess profanity as one of his sins. He is married and has kids of his own.
 T asked him to recall some of those theatrical occasions; what was the most exciting climax of any game he had refereed?
 Perhaps I have forgotten other moments as dramatic as that of a games played in Hartford a short time ago. But the situation in this contest furnished plenty of thrills and it was won by the longest shot I ever saw.
 The losing team would he elim- mated from the tournament. The court was of maximum length, 90 feet. There was points difference in the score and only 20 second to go. A player with the score against him got the ball under his oppo- nent's basket. He dribbled three or four steps and then shot. His ef- fort to send the ball the needed dis tance of almost so feet. left him sprawlirg on the floor as the ball hit the hoop sauare'y and went through the net Of course that won the game