All in the Football Family- longtime prep football officials, Emmett Robinson (front left) and George Shuford (front right) are retiring after a combined 106 years ... their sons (back row) are also football officials; Gary Robinson (left) and Randy Shuford
photo by Dennis Norwood
Two of the best TSSAA high school football officials in the state announced their retirement earlier this season and now two more, a generation younger, are going out on top as well.
A pair of legends – George Shuford (50 years) and Emmett Robinson (56 years) – representing the Southeast Tennessee Football Officials Association (SETFOA) have a combined 106 years as officials, assigners and/or supervisors and feel it’s time to step aside.
“The sport has been good to George and I and it’s been rewarding for us to give back to high school football for all these years, “said Robinson who along with Shuford are Chattanooga Central High School alums.
“Being an official and an assigner of officials for various games has been rewarding for me, but it does take a good deal of time and I feel this is a good time to retire and give more responsibilities to some of the younger officials.”
And two of the “younger officials” Robinson’s son Gary, who is an official, and umpire Wayne Carter will also retire after working next Thursday’s TSSAA D-II AA final between Ensworth and MBA.
“Wayne and I talked earlier this season that if we are ever selected to work a state championship game then it will be a good time to retire,’ said Gary Robinson who also worked a state championship final in 1993 and is closing out his 34th year.
Robinson and Carter and their crew received a 99 out of 100 score for their work at this year’s McCallie-Baylor game which helped them receive an invitation by the TSSAA to work a state championship game.
While the elder Robinson has focused his half century plus years at the prep level, Shuford spent 23 years in the Southeastern Conference as an official observing first hand some of college game’s legends including Bo Jackson, Hershel Walker and Reggie White and worked nine college bowl games, including the Sugar, Cotton, Orange and Gator.
A member of the Chattanooga Central and Greater Chattanooga Sports Halls of Fame, Shuford not only officiated in the SEC, but starred in football and baseball for Tennessee in the early 1960s.
“George is one of the best officials we have had come out of this area and you would be hard pressed to find someone who knows the rule book better than he does,” said Emmett Robinson who worked the largest attended state playoff game between Jefferson County and Knox.
Halls in a semifinal game played in Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium before 28,000 fans.
Shuford once held the record for the longest field goal for Tennessee (1962), is a member of the UT all century baseball team as he was a two-time captain (1962, ’63) and played two years in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Shuford has the thrill of knowing his son, Randy and grandson, Christopher, make a three generation family in the sport.
Randy is also a high school official for the past 34 years, is the SETFOA treasurer and worked a state championship game in 2013 and Christopher dons the striped shirt and whistle for the first time next fall.
George Shuford … 50 years as an official … retires after state championships next week … Chattanooga Central (football and baseball) … Tennessee (football and baseball – school’s all-century baseball team) … kicked a then school record 53 yard field goal against Alabama in 1961 .... played two years in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system … state high school official, assigner and supervisor … also was a prep basketball official … credits Pat McHugh and Cooper Dyer for helping him in his early years as an official … Halls of Fame: Chattanooga Central (charter member, 2013), Greater Chattanooga Sports
Emmett Robinson … 56 years as an official … (Chattanooga Central) … U. of Chattanooga … 56 years … retires after state championships next week … prep official and assigner … also was a prep basketball official in the 1960s working with Cooper Dyer… worked the state semis game with Jefferson County and Knox Halls before the largest crowd (28,000) to watch a state playoff game.
Gary Robinson … 34 years as an official … is on a short list of student-athletes to play football at three high schools; freshman at South Side (Jackson, Tenn,) Soph. and Jr. at Knox. Bearden (city champs in 1975) and Sr. and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe graduating in 1977 …Dalton State … will retire after working D-II AA finals next week … also officiated the 5A state finals in 1993.
Randy Shuford … 34 years (and counting) as an official… (Baylor School; football and baseball) … UTC … is treasurer for the Southeast Tennessee Football Officials Association … worked the state 6A championship game in 2013 … his son, Christopher, will start his football officiating career next fall.
Some of the top officials from this area:
SEC: The SETFOA has had the privilege of sending officials to the Southeastern Conference including Nate Anderson, Lee Dyer, Butch Hannah, Kirk Lewis, Pat McHugh, George Shuford, Toby Silberman, Ted and Lane Thomas … Jeff Flanagan has worked in the ACC
NFL: Pat McHugh, Butch Hannah, Lee Dyer
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net