Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 4, 1995 TAG: 9510040099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
An official who has called the ACC Tournament final 14 times and worked six Final Fours, including the 1970 and 1979 NCAA title games, is retiring.
Lenny Wirtz, a fixture in college basketball officiating for 40 years, is hanging up his whistle. Wirtz, who has declined to reveal his age, said health was not a factor in his decision.
``I'm going to miss the people, the fans,'' Wirtz said. ``I hope I left some of them with a good taste in their mouths. I'm sure I left some unhappy. But it's like I told my sons who tried officiating, `You're not out there to win friends or influence people. You're out there to call that game the way it's played.'
``That's what I tried to do.''
Wirtz has seen everything from the growth of television to the advent of the shot clock and the 3-pointer.
Fred Barakat, associate commissioner of the ACC and the league's supervisor of officials, had penciled in Wirtz's name for 33 games during the 1995-96 season. Barakat said he was stunned when Wirtz called him Saturday to inform him of his decision.
``It's a big loss,'' he said. ``Lenny was perhaps the most-organized, best-prepared official we've had in this league. He had his share of controversies, but that was because he was willing to make the big call. The bigger the game, the better he liked it.''
by CNB