Pat Haggerty (American football official)
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Pat" Haggerty was an American football official in the National Football League
(NFL) from 1965 to 1992. In his 28 seasons in the NFL, he was selected as the referee in three Super Bowl
s, XIII
in 1979, XVI
in 1982, and XIX
in 1985. He wore the number 40 for most of his career (was number 4 from the 1979 to 1981 NFL seasons when the numbering system for officials was temporarily modified).
Football was always a Haggerty pastime. even with Jim, Pat's brother. Pat's cousin, Donald "Cal" Snyder (1909–1975) was 1935 NIAA All-conference quarterback at Kearney State Teachers College (now called University of Nebraska at Kearney).
Prior to Super Bowl XIX, he supervised the coin toss that was conducted by President Ronald Reagan
from the Oval Office
of the White House
via satellite, with Pro Football Hall of Fame
running back Hugh McElhenny
joining captains from the Miami Dolphins
and San Francisco 49ers
at Stanford Stadium
. Reagan had been sworn in for his second term as president in a private ceremony earlier that day, with the public inauguration held the next day, since January 20, 1985 fell on a Sunday.
He attended Denver North High School in Denver, Colorado and he played basketball
and baseball
at the University of Northern Colorado
in Greeley, Colorado
.
Following college, Haggerty played baseball in the Detroit Tigers
organization, including one year with the Denver Bears in 1953. After deciding that baseball was not going to be his career, he turned to teaching and started Valverde Elementary School in Denver and later as a teacher and coach at Abraham Lincoln High School
in Denver.
His previous officiating experience prior to joining the NFL included football and basketball in the Big Eight Conference
and Western Athletic Conference
.
After retiring from active officiating, he continued to work for the NFL, monitoring how games were called and scouting college officials as potential new NFL officials.
He died from cancer in 1994 at age 67 and was nominated as a 2005 Pro Football Hall of Fame
candidate in Canton, Ohio
as a contributor.
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) from 1965 to 1992. In his 28 seasons in the NFL, he was selected as the referee in three Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
in 1979, XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
in 1982, and XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
in 1985. He wore the number 40 for most of his career (was number 4 from the 1979 to 1981 NFL seasons when the numbering system for officials was temporarily modified).
Football was always a Haggerty pastime. even with Jim, Pat's brother. Pat's cousin, Donald "Cal" Snyder (1909–1975) was 1935 NIAA All-conference quarterback at Kearney State Teachers College (now called University of Nebraska at Kearney).
Prior to Super Bowl XIX, he supervised the coin toss that was conducted by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
from the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
via satellite, with Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
running back Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny
Hugh Edward McElhenny is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played from 1952–1964, for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. He was noted for his explosive, elusive running style and was frequently called "The...
joining captains from the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
at Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the Stanford University campus, the home of Stanford Cardinal college football team. It originally opened in 1921 as a football and track stadium, an earthen horseshoe with wooden bleacher seating and flooring upon a steel frame...
. Reagan had been sworn in for his second term as president in a private ceremony earlier that day, with the public inauguration held the next day, since January 20, 1985 fell on a Sunday.
He attended Denver North High School in Denver, Colorado and he played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
at the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
in Greeley, Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
.
Following college, Haggerty played baseball in the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
organization, including one year with the Denver Bears in 1953. After deciding that baseball was not going to be his career, he turned to teaching and started Valverde Elementary School in Denver and later as a teacher and coach at Abraham Lincoln High School
Abraham Lincoln High School (Denver)
Abraham Lincoln High School is a public high school in Denver, Colorado, United States, and is named after President Abraham Lincoln. Founded in 1959, ALHS currently has 1,900 students, 4 administrators, and 100 teachers. The principal is Josefina Higa...
in Denver.
His previous officiating experience prior to joining the NFL included football and basketball in the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
and Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
.
After retiring from active officiating, he continued to work for the NFL, monitoring how games were called and scouting college officials as potential new NFL officials.
He died from cancer in 1994 at age 67 and was nominated as a 2005 Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
candidate in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
as a contributor.