Ed Curtin, of Mid-Suburban League basketball dies at 74
One of the driving forces behind the strength of the Mid-Suburban League basketball schedule, a man who earned the respect of coaches, athletic directors and players alike, has died.
Ed Curtin, of Palatine, spent 17 years as the assignment chairman for the league, scheduling referees for all levels of girls and boys basketball, including freshman, sophomore and varsity; as well as some limited feeder and junior high level games.
Assignments spanned games at Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Conant, Elk Grove, Fremd, Hersey, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, and Wheeling high schools.
"We figure he scheduled about 5,000 games a year," says his wife, Diane.
Mr. Curtin passed away on Wednesday. The longtime Palatine resident was 74.
According to his officiating colleagues, Mr. Curtin not only scheduled referees, he held annual clinics to train them, and spent the basketball season observing them.
"On a typical Friday night, he'd watch half of a sophomore game at one school, then go to another one for the second half, and a varsity game at a third school," says Fred Allman of Bloomingdale, an IHSA certified basketball referee. "That way, he'd see seven referees in action, all in one night."
Allman served as one of the clinicians at Mr. Curtin's refereeing camps, held at Schaumburg, Niles West and Buffalo Grove high schools. Mr. Curtin would review rules in a classroom session the first night, before assigning refs to officiate games during a two-day shootout series, where he and his colleagues could observe them.
At the clinics, referees were drilled on judgment, positioning, and the mechanics of making the right signals for their calls.
"He was well respected throughout the league," Allman added, "because everyone knew he cared about the officials and really wanted them to do a good job."
Mr. Curtin played basketball himself, at Fenwick High School and DePaul University, where he captained the 1956 team that earned a berth to the NCAA tournament.
He began his career as an English and religion teacher in the Catholic school system, before going into sales to help support his young family. On the side, he officiated high school basketball and football games, as well as Division I basketball games, before scaling back and turning to assigning refs.
Mr. Curtin actively worked to educate referees, through his role in the Athletic Officials Service (AOS) and Chicago Officials Association (COA), in which he was inducted to their Hall of Fame in 1996.
Besides his wife, Mr. Curtin is survived by his four sons, including Jeffrey, Craig (Connie), Gary (Jennifer), and Sean (Denise); as well as 12 grandchildren.
Visitation will take place from 4-8 p.m. today at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home, 185 E. Northwest Hwy., before a 10 a.m. Mass Monday at St. Theresa Church, 467 N. Benton St., both in Palatine.