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: 9/15/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 15, 2025

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls and Northville boys – ranked No. 1 on their respective Lower Peninsula Division 1 lists – won the Elite races at the Spartan Invitational which also awarded championships to the LPD1 No. 15 Novi, Holland and LPD3 No. 7 Jackson Lumen Christi girls and LPD1 No. 6 Grand Ledge and LPD3 No. 3 Jackson Lumen Christi boys among several – Athletic.net

2. CROSS COUNTRY Holly’s Duane Raffin Festival of Races crowned 10 champions across five divisions: LPD1 No. 7 Ann Arbor Skyline, Midland Dow, LPD2 No. 11 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, Bronson and LPD4 No. 1 Whitmore Lake’s girls; and LPD1 No. 15 Ann Arbor Skyline, LPD2 No. 11 Richland Gull Lake, Flint Powers Catholic, Ann Arbor Greenhills and LPD4 No. 5 Whitmore Lake’s boys – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net

3. BOYS TENNIS LPD2 No. 2 Midland Dow defeated No. 3 Byron Center, No. 6 Portage Central and Grosse Pointe North at the Sunsational Invitational, which included Chargers’ coach Terry Schwartzkopf’s 400th match – Saginaw News

4. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park downed honorable mention Hancock to win its first championship at The Rock Tournament in Gladstone – Escanaba Daily Press

5. GIRLS GOLF LPD4 No. 2 Montague carded a 357 to win its Wildcat Invitational by 10 strokes – Local Sports Journal

6. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Grand Haven went undefeated and downed Zeeland East in the deciding match to win its invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

7. BOYS TENNIS Bay City Western was first and St. Clair second at the Fenton Invitational – Bay City Times

8. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD3 No. 2 Pewamo-Westphalia girls and No. 12 boys swept Don Baese Invitational championships – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun | Athletic.net

9. GIRLS TENNIS Norway won three flights on the way to the Kingsford Invitational title – Escanaba Daily News

10. GIRLS SWIIMMING & DIVING Flint Kearsley finished first among seven contenders at the Ogemaw Heights Falcon Invitational – Flint Journal