A Home Team Player committed a foul and the Visiting Team Scorekeeper thought it was the 5th on the player. The Home Team Scorekeeper, read that as "The OFFICIAL Scorekeeper," had it as foul #4. When there are discrepancies, we go by the Official Scorebook account by Rule Book Mandate.
That the Visiting Scorekeeper was sitting on their team bench and not at the Official Score Table and was not comparing each score and foul with the Official Scorekeeper made it easy to rely solely on the Home Team Scorebook.
Anyway, while my Referee partner was sorting things out at the Score Table, this crazy fan apparently was in the stands yelling at us Referees and using a few choice words because of the Score Keepers mix up and general discontent about our calls on the evening.
I could hear some ruckus behind me, but having met with the AD and "On Campus" Security before the game (a regular part of our Referee Pre-Game routine) and requesting them to watch the fans and deal with any crowd issues, I just ignored her and let them do their agreed upon job.
As I went to inbound the ball after a number of Fouls mix up was resolved I saw a Police Officer, acting on his own initiative and not by request from either Referee, escort a fan out and could hear that fan making some not kind comments to the Police Officer. By the look on his face he wasn't amused and there was no uncertainty that she was leaving the facility!! Don't know what happened to the fan after the fan was whisked out of the gym but I know that fan never came back in!!
First time in 25 year of officiating basketball I've seen a fan have to be escorted out by the police.....Ejected out by local game management or tossed by myself or my partner, yes. But for a Police Officer to walk from one side of the gym to the stands and take out a fan? First time for that!!
By sheer coincidence, that fan section which had been rather rowdy up until then, was strangely quiet the rest of the game......
Refereeing can be so interesting and entertaining!!
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