Linked Up: Generations of Calls

July 9, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Father Ralph Burr recently finished his 50th season as an MHSAA official at 76 years old. His daughter Jackie has worked with him for 20 seasons, and son Jeff has served alongside Dad various times over the last 36 years.

Add in another son and grandson, and the family has officiated a combined 142 years in the Muskegon area. 

Grand Rapids' WZZM tells the story of the Burrs, focusing especially on Ralph and his other contributions including the care-taking of Muskegon's Sheldon Field.

Click for the WZZM story on the Burrs and watch below if your browser allows for Flash playback. Also, see the report done earlier this season by the Muskegon Chronicle.

PHOTO: Members of the Burr family pose during the MHSAA Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet in May including current MHSAA officials Jackie Burr, (to her left) Ralph Burr and (on far right) Jeff Burr.

Today in the MHSAA: 5/17/19

May 17, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Girls Tennis and girls and boys track & field joined the postseason march Thursday with the first of this week’s Regional competitions in their respective sports.  

1. Girls Tennis: No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm edged No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian to claim a Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional title – Oakland Press

2. Track & Field: Ishpeming’s boys and Hancock’s girls won close races to Upper Peninsula Division 2 Regional titles – Iron Mountain Daily News

3. Softball: Division 2 honorable mention Chelsea improved to 26-4, handing No. 3 Eaton Rapids (26-1) its first loss of this season during a quad – Chelsea Sun Times News

4. Baseball: Division 1 top-ranked Brownstown Woodhaven locked up its fifth straight Downriver League title with a big win over Allen Park – Southgate News-Herald

5. Track & Field: Gladstone’s boys won eight of 12 events to claim a UPD1 Regional title, while Marquette’s girls prevailed as well – Escanaba Daily Press

6. Baseball: Marysville claimed the outright Macomb Area Conference Blue title with a sweep of Fraser – Port Huron Times-Herald

7. Softball: Fowlerville swept Haslett to lock up the Capital Area Activities Conference Red championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. Girls Soccer: Division 1 No. 13 Livonia Stevenson claimed the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title with a 3-0 win over Dearborn – Observer & Eccentric

9. Girls Tennis: No. 9 Jackson Lumen Christi won its LPD4 Regional by seven points over runner-up Kalamazoo Christian – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

10. Baseball: No. 6 Portage Northern won big over No. 10 Richland Gull Lake in a matchup of top teams in Division 1 – Kalamazoo Gazette

Also of note …

Football: The Muskegon area is mourning the death of coach Pete Kutches, who led both Muskegon Catholic Central and Reeths-Puffer to MHSAA championships – Muskegon Chronicle

Baseball: From last week, Division 1 No. 2 Birmingham Seaholm claimed its first league title since 2009 – Observer & Eccentric