First all-black officiating crew for South Gulf officials

Black history is being made every day, even on the football field. There has never been an all-Black officiating crew for the South Gulf officials.

However, that all changed under the Friday Night Lights.

Wink News sports reporter Zach Oliveri captured the moment for us and talked to the refs about their spot in history.

When the Ida Baker Bulldogs and Fort Myers Green Wave took the field for their preseason classic, they were a part of history.

Even though the game didn’t count for their record, it meant everything for the officials working the game.

“If I didn’t do any games last year and this would be the only game they said look, you’re able to do, that would have been fine with me,” said referee Jamal Crawford.

That’s because Crawford knew the significance of it.

This was the first time in the 51-year history of the South Gulf Officials Association that there was an all-Black officiating crew for a football game, an idea that Crawford and referee Edward B. Young came up with.

“It was basically something that was a long time coming. If you look out on the field, you see a vast majority of minorities out there, and it’s good for them to see a reflection of themselves in game officials that, you know, they can relate to,” Crawford said.

“We don’t have a lot of minorities in our association. I can almost count them all on two hands, and we wanted to see that. We want the young Black people to see, hey, you know, we’re out here. You can do it too. Why not come and be a part of us?” Young said.

“I had been through 29 years, and I hadn’t seen anything like that,” said referee Buddy Thomas. “Maybe one or two on a crew, but never a full Black crew.”

Besides making history, this was an extra special night for Young.

“I had family come down from Tampa to actually see me officiate. My dad saw me officiate that night for the first time,” he said.

On this night, the highlight of the night was made by the ones blowing the whistle.

“That’s something that no one or time can erase and/or take away from being a part of: the first all-African American crew to do a game for this association,” Crawford said.

This is the list of the crew that worked the game back in August:

• R – Ed Young
• U – Robinson Tisme
• HL – Jamal Crawford
• Line judge – Buddy Thomas
• Back judge – Sam Edwards
• Game Clock – Martin Decembe

These refs hope they have set the example for the next generation.