Longtime official Joe Wolfe dies at 89
Jun. 9—Few men, if any, did more for officiating in their area than George "Joe" Wolfe did for Western Maryland.
Beyond the accolades and awards — they were numerous — Wolfe, who passed away recently at the age of 89, will be remembered for his no-nonsense approach, sense of humor and knowledge of the game.
Wolfe's career began while he was a student at Fort Hill when he officiated YMCA Sunday School and Catholic Youth League games. He officiated his first high school game in 1956, working sectional, regional and state tournament games in addition to Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament contests.
Wolfe was awarded a lifetime membership to the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials in 1993, an honor bestowed to just 120 officials nationally. Just one other Western Maryland referee, George Geatz, has received that honor.
A decorated official in his own right, Geatz owes much of his success to Wolfe.
"I took his class, I was a coach at Bishop Walsh at the time," Geatz said. "I was young, late 20s, and I took the class to learn the rules better. ... Joe just made it fun. It was entertaining. He was just a great guy.
"He never pulled any punches. If you screwed up, and you thought you were right, he'd let you know that you weren't. He was just a fine man, a whimsical, funny guy that always had a good story to tell.
"He's certainly going to be missed."
Wolfe was instrumental in bringing IAABO to Western Maryland, helping to establish a chapter in Hagerstown during the 1950s that is still alive to this day.
For his efforts, Wolfe received the IAABO 50 Year Award in 2005 for loyalty and dedicated service for his work with Potomac Valley Board 204.
He was given the Chick Snyder Lifetime Award for Refereeing at the 2013 Dapper Dan Awards Banquet, and, in 2018, the Ronnie Cage Lifetime Achievement Award.
During his officiating days, Wolfe moved up to the junior college ranks and began officiating West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Games in 1960.
Wolfe was a rules interpreter and trained officials in excess of 30 years for IAABO Board 204 and was hired as an observer of officials for the NCAA Division I Patriot League, a position he held for 12 years.
His other honors include: the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission Meritorious Award in 1984; the YMCA Sunday School League's Down Through the Years Award in 1985; and an Outstanding Service and Unselfish Devotion award from the National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association in 1989.
Wolfe, born on Sept. 19, 1932, wasn't just an accomplished official. He was a star athlete, playing varsity basketball and baseball at Fort Hill.
Wolfe was a member of both Fort Hill's 1950 and '51 graduating classes. Originally a part of the Class of 1950, Wolfe was struck by a truck while riding a bicycle in 1949 and was hospitalized for four months, delaying his graduation.
The setback, in which he suffered a compound fracture in both legs, didn't derail his athletic career. Wolfe later led Frostburg State, then Frostburg State Teachers College, with a .384 batting average as a freshman in 1953.
Wolfe's playing days ended as a college sophomore in 1954 when he was hit by a comebacker on the pitcher's mound during a practice for the Cumberland Old Germans at Penn Avenue Field.
Wolfe was also a talented golfer, and he was nominated to the Cumberland Hall of Fame for golf in 1960. He hit one hole-in-one during his lifetime, sinking the 164-yard first shot on Hole 14, a Par 3, at Alpine Golf Course in Terra Alta, West Virginia, in 2001.
A New York Yankees fan, Wolfe enjoyed going to his grandsons' sporting events, beginning with Dapper Dan and Hot Stove baseball and later high school basketball and baseball games.
A viewing for Wolfe will be held at the end of the month.
Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal.
