Norm Schachter
Encyclopedia
Dr. Norm Schachter in Brooklyn, New York was an American football official in the National Football League
(NFL) for 22 years from 1954 to 1975. Over his career in the NFL, he worked three Super Bowls (I
, V
, X
), 11 conference championship games, and was the referee for the first Monday Night Football
game in 1970. He wore the uniform number 56.
from Alfred University
in New York
and was a high school
coach
and English teacher when he began officiating local games in 1941 in Redlands, California
.
After earning his degree from Alfred in 1937, Schachter served in the Marines during World War II
. Following service in the Marines, he went back to teaching and coaching. In his other career, Schachter wrote a dozen English and vocabulary textbooks, a high school principal, and was a former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
.
His NFL career began in 1954 when then-Commissioner Bert Bell
hired him at $100 a game with a guarantee of seven games.
Schachter retired from officiating after Super Bowl X
in 1976, but continued to work with the NFL. He edited the league rule book, helped write the officials' manual and wrote weekly exams for officiating crews. He also worked as an observer and mentor to new officials. He served as an instant replay
official for two years.
Schachter died at the age of 90 in San Pedro, California.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for 22 years from 1954 to 1975. Over his career in the NFL, he worked three Super Bowls (I
Super Bowl I
The First AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later known as Super Bowl I and referred to in some contemporary reports as the Supergame, was played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.The National Football League ...
, V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
, X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
), 11 conference championship games, and was the referee for the first Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game in 1970. He wore the uniform number 56.
Biography
Schachter held a doctorateDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and was a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and English teacher when he began officiating local games in 1941 in Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
.
After earning his degree from Alfred in 1937, Schachter served in the Marines during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Following service in the Marines, he went back to teaching and coaching. In his other career, Schachter wrote a dozen English and vocabulary textbooks, a high school principal, and was a former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
.
His NFL career began in 1954 when then-Commissioner Bert Bell
Bert Bell
De Benneville "Bert" Bell was the National Football League commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959. As commissioner, he helped chart a path for the NFL to facilitate its rise in becoming the most popular sports attraction in the United States...
hired him at $100 a game with a guarantee of seven games.
Schachter retired from officiating after Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
in 1976, but continued to work with the NFL. He edited the league rule book, helped write the officials' manual and wrote weekly exams for officiating crews. He also worked as an observer and mentor to new officials. He served as an instant replay
Instant replay
Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident very soon after it has occurred. In television broadcasting of sports events, instant replay is often used during live broadcast, to show a passage of play which was important or remarkable, or which was unclear on first...
official for two years.
Schachter died at the age of 90 in San Pedro, California.
Quotes
- "Don't waste time second-guessing yourself - there will be millions who will do it for you."
Memorable Games
- Was the referee in the 1967 NFL Championship GameNFL Championship Game, 1967The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
between the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
at Lambeau FieldLambeau FieldLambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
in Green Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, which would later become known in NFL lore as "The Ice Bowl". The game-time air temperature was -13°F (-25°C), with a wind chill around -48°F (-44°C). Schachter said in a NFL FilmsNFL FilmsNFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
presentation of this event that he and members of his officiating crew had to buy cold weather apparel from a sporting goods store in Green Bay before the game in hopes of staying warm.