The basketball world lost an absolute gem this past week
Fred Horgan, who held a plethora of basketball titles and was a respected force when it came to international officiating rules and much, much more, died at 84.
A remarkably popular teacher at Saint John’s St. Malachy’s Memorial High School for 30 years, a member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, Maritime Sports Hall of Fame and other awards bestowed upon him, Mr. Horgan made his mark as a leading official, particularly when it came to the FIBA rule book.
As the NB shrine noted, the FIBA rule book contains over 115 rules with 85 sections.
Mr. Horgan was the absolute leader – locally and internationally – when it came to FIBA officiating standards and knowledge.
He played a key role of founding the Canadian official’s association, joined the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials in 1969 and was elected president of that body in 1993. Mr. Horgan was the first Canadian to ever be elected president of the international association.
Mr. Horgan had the reputation as one of basketball’s finest technical experts, his work and knowledge widely available in instructional books, film and evaluation clinics.
Quick Facts From NB Sports Hall of Fame
- Member of International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (NB Branch)
- Founding member of the Canadian association of Basketball Officials (CABO) in 1974
- Appointed in 1992 as one of 12 clinicians worldwide certified to certify/recertify international officials
- First Canadian to serve as IABBO president in 1993
- Has served on FIBA’s world technical commission since 1998
- Has authored five officials’ casebooks for CABO
- Technical commissioner for basketball at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games
- Named Sport New Brunswick Official of the Year for 2003
- Elected into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997
- Created FIBA Rules Casebook; President of the America’s Technical Commission and was Commissioner to two Pan-American games, 27th and 28th Olympics; World Juniors; Caribbean Junior-Senior Championships; World’s Master games and FIBA certification programs in well more than 30 locations (cities/countries) in Canada, USA, Caribbean and Australia for about 20 years.
Mr. Horgan had an outstanding sense of humour to go with a confident yet unassuming disposition, but make no mistake, he could be tough, both on the court and in the classroom.
The sporting world and a basketball community has truly lost an outstanding individual.
