Johnston, Harve

Born Aug. 31, 1920 in rural Bradley. 1938 Bradley HS grad. 1940 Mitchell Business School grad. In an officiating career that spanned more than 50 years, Johnston umpired baseball and softball, started track and cross country meets and refereed football and basketball. He officiated football games until he was 76 and started track and cross […]

Kapitan, Colin

One of South Dakota’s most recognizable referees, “Kappy” has been involved in officiating for more than 50 years. The lifelong Yankton resident got his first refereeing job as a 17-year-old USD freshman on Nov. 22, 1958 (Elk Point vs. Wakonda basketball). He worked his first state “B’’ tournament in 1965 at age 24. He officiated […]

Kretchman, Jim

Born in Lebanon, S.D. 1952 Faulkton HS grad. 1956 Northern State grad. Kretchman spent 32 years at Northern State as a coach and athletic director. In 1969 in his first year as NSU’s football coach, he promptly led the Wolves to an unbeaten season. He was 67-46-7 in 12 seasons as football coach. He was […]

Lilevjen, Clar

Born May 3, 1914 in Appleton, Minn. Appleton HS. U of Minnesota. A teacher-coach-administrator in South Dakota for 40 years, Lilevjen always had his students and athletes in mind. He was executive director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association from 1977 until he retired in 1979. Lilevjen first coached and taught at Belle […]

Livingston, Ed

Sioux Falls (Washington High). USD. One of the state’s most famous basketball and football referees, Livingston refereed 15 consecutive state Class A basketball tournaments. In 1959, he became the first supervisor of officials for the North Central Conference. He was one of the state’s pioneer golf enthusiasts and in 1929 became a golf pro. He […]

Lloyd, Vince (Skaff)

Born June 1, 1917, in Beresford. 1935 Beresford HS grad. 1940 Yankton College grad. One of the Midwest’s most well-known sports announcers, primarily at WGN in Chicago. He began his broadcasting career in Sioux City with KTRI before going to WJBC in Bloomington, Ill., and WMBD in Peoria, Ill. After serving in the Marine Corps […]

Christensen, Pal

A lifelong Yankton resident, Christensen refereed high school and college football and basketball games in a career that spanned more than 50 years. He reffed high school boys and girls basketball for 37 years and prep football for 50 years. He reffed his first football game Oct. 23, 1947, six days after his wedding, filling […]

Connors, Howard

Born July 12, 1917 in Jefferson. 1934 Jefferson grad. Went to USD-Springfield and the University of South Dakota, participating in basketball, football and baseball two years each. Connors, a USD math professor for almost 40 years, officiated high school and college football (40 seasons), basketball (36) and track (50). Was the first official elected to […]

Diehl, Wally

Born March 10, 1914, in Mitchell. 1932 Mitchell grad. 1936 SDSU grad. Was a teacher, coach and athletic director in Sioux Falls’ public school system for 35 years. He coached one year in Hawarden, Iowa, before joining the Sioux Falls school system in 1937. For 28 years, he ran the Howard Wood-Dakota Relays. At Washington […]

Dozer, Dick

Born March 12, 1925, in Minneapolis. Sioux Falls (Washington High). 1950 Missouri grad. A nationally respected sportswriter for 30 years, mostly with the Chicago Tribune. In the early 1950s, he worked for KIHO Radio in Sioux Falls and made history in July 1950 by broadcasting the first remote play-by-play of the state amateur golf tournament. […]