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: 1/26/18

January 26, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Today's Top 10 

1. Wrestling: Division 1 No. 3 Brighton clinched the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship with a 38-25 win over No. 2 Westland John Glenn – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Boys Skiing: Reigning Division 1 runner-up Traverse City Central and Division 2 seven-time reigning champion Petoskey dominated the Big North Conference opener, with Petoskey winning by half a point – Petoskey News-Review

3. Girls Basketball: A big fourth quarter pushed Detroit Mumford past Detroit Renaissance in a matchup for first place in the Detroit Public School League West Division 1 – Detroit News

4. Girls Basketball: Manton downed McBain Northern Michigan Christian in a matchup of teams that entered tied for first in the Highland Conference – Cadillac News

5. Boys Swimming & Diving: Lower Peninsula Division 1 top-ranked Holland Christian got past No. 7 Grand Rapids Christian 114-63 to claim the Legacy Trophy, named in honor of the late Riley Hoeksema – Holland Sentinel

6. Boys Swimming & Diving: LPD1 honorable mention Grand Haven relied on superior depth to edge Hudsonville 158-156 – Grand Haven Tribune

7. Boys Basketball: Saginaw Swan Valley hung on for a 60-54 win over Ovid-Elsie in a Tri-Valley Conference crossover featuring the first-place teams in the Central and West, respectively – Saginaw News

8. Boys Basketball: Clarkston got past West Bloomfield 61-48 in a matchup of Oakland Activities Association Red powers that also met in the Class A Semifinals last season – Oakland Press

9. Boys Basketball: Scottville Mason County Central, third in the West Michigan Conference, connected on three free throws to force overtime, but second-place Whitehall emerged with a 54-47 victory – Local State Journal

10. Project Unified: The Kensington Lakes Activities Association has partnered with Michigan Special Olympics to form a Project Unified basketball schedule this season, and member school Hartland is featured in this report; the MHSAA provides support and promotes Unified Sports, with teams frequently playing games as part of the March Magic Hoopfest also supported by the Greater Lansing Sports Authority – WHMI

Also of note …

Boys Basketball: From Tuesday, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley downed Macomb L’Anse Creuse North to give coach Kevin Voss his 500th win – Macomb Daily