Chuck Heberling

{{Short description|American football official (1925–2019)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Charles Heberling | image =  | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|04|28}} | birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|12|09|1925|04|28}} | death_place = McCandless, Pennsylvania, U.S. | alma_mater = Washington & Jefferson College | occupation = Football official Scholastic sports administrator | spouse = Jane (deceased)<ref name="WPIAL" /> | children = 4 (1 deceased) | parents = | relatives = | awards = WPIAL Hall of Fame (2007)<ref name="wpialhof" /> W&J Hall of Fame (2007)<ref name="washjeffhof" /> }} '''Charles Heberling''' (April 28, 1925 – December 9, 2019) was an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) and Western Pennsylvania sports administrator. He was the referee for both the Hail Mary Game and The Drive. He was an alternate for the officiating crew for Super Bowl XXI. Heberling wore the number 46 for the major part of his NFL career.<ref name="WPIAL" />

Upon his inauguration into the Washington & Jefferson College Hall of Fame, his alma mater described him as "the man who has had the greatest impact on high school athletics in western Pennsylvania in the 100-year history."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charles "Ace" Heberling |url=https://gopresidents.com/hof.aspx?hof=72 |access-date=December 4, 2019 |website=gopresidents.com |publisher=Washington and Jefferson College Athletics}}</ref>

== Early life and education == A native of Pittsburgh, Heberling attended Perry High School in the North Side neighborhood.<ref name="WPIAL">{{Cite web |title=Charles Heberling - 2002 - Football |url=http://www.wash-greenesportshall.org/2002/Heberling.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429222350/http://www.wash-greenesportshall.org/2002/Heberling.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |publisher=Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame}}</ref> He attended Washington & Jefferson College, graduating in 1949.<ref name="washjeffhof">{{Cite web |title=Athletic Hall of Fame - Class of 2007 |url=http://www.washjeff.edu/athletics/athletic-hall-fame/class-2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303065340/http://www.washjeff.edu/athletics/athletic-hall-fame/class-2007 |archive-date=March 3, 2012 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |publisher=Washington & Jefferson College}}</ref> There, he was a multi-sport athlete, letting three times in football, where he was a played running back alongside Melvin Bassi, Walter Cooper and "Deacon" Dan Towler, and three times in baseball, where he was a top starting pitcher.<ref name="washjeffhof" /> During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the United States Navy; it was there that he earned the nickname "Ace."<ref name="WPIAL" /> Later, he worked as a teacher and coach of the football and basketball at East Washington High School.<ref name="WPIAL" /><ref name="deal">{{Cite news |last=Bechtel |first=Sam |date=June 29, 1976 |title=WPIAL Deals Itself an Ace |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zx0vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cNsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3301%2C6111748 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |work=Beaver County Times}}</ref> He also worked as a salesman for General Electric in Pittsburgh.<ref name="white">{{Cite news |last=White |first=Mike |date=August 27, 2006 |title=From humble beginnings, the WPIAL moves into its 100th year |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06239/716739-49.stm |access-date=February 19, 2012 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref>

During the 1970s, Heberling was a school board member for the North Allegheny School District.<ref name="deal" />

==Career== ===Officiating=== Heberling worked as a football official in high school and college football for 15 years and basketball for 25 years.<ref name="WPIAL" /> He spent 23 years as an official in the National Football League, 15 years of which (1972-86) he spent as a crew chief. He was promoted from line judge to referee in June 1972 following the death of Jack Vest in a motorcycle accident in South Carolina, and kept Vest's crew (umpire Frank Sinkovitz, head linesman Leo Miles, line judge Bruce Alford Sr., back judge John Steffen and field judge Tony Skover) together in 1972 and '73. Red Cashion was hired as Heberling's replacement at line judge.<ref name="WPIAL" /> He spent another 14 years as an NFL observer.<ref name="WPIAL" />

He was the referee for two of the most famous events in professional football: The Hail Mary in 1975, and The Drive in 1987. <ref name="ed">{{Cite news |last=Bouchette |first=Ed |date=January 23, 1987 |title=Greene Thumb May Get New Ring |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wc9RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9m0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6822,5628524 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref> Later, he was an alternate on the officiating crew for Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XXI.<ref name="ed" /> He was the replay official for Super Bowl XXIII.<ref name="tuma">{{Cite news |last=Tuma |first=Gary |date=February 2, 1989 |title=Super Bowl Calls Put Heberling and Bergman of the Spot |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hq5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=220DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3303%2C664941 |access-date=February 19, 2010 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Several sources indicate that Heberling was an official for three Super Bowls.<ref name="WPIAL" /><ref name="wpialhof">{{Cite news |last=Lafferty |first=Tricia |date=May 2, 2007 |title=WPIAL Hall of Fame highlights league's heritage |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_505639.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131084406/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_505639.html |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=February 20, 2012 |work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review}}</ref><ref name="washjeffhof" /> It is not clear whether his above-referenced work on Super Bowl XIII, Super Bowl XXI, and Super Bowl XXIII represent the three Super Bowls referenced in these sources.|group="nb"}}

===Leadership of WPIAL=== In 1976, Heberling took over as executive director of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL), which held supervisory control over scholastic sports in Western Pennsylvania.<ref name="white" /> Under his leadership WPIAL grew from an organization being run from a basement into a well-respected and fiscally solvent sports organization, with a permanent headquarters, equality among the male and female sports, and a lucrative contract bringing the WPIAL high school football championship to cable television.<ref name="WPIAL" /> He was a capable and headstrong executive, leading the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' to say that he "...took a hard stand on many WPIAL issues and ran the league with a certain boldness that infuriated some school officials, coaches and members of the media."<ref name="white" /> In 1986, he successfully secured the use of Three Rivers Stadium, and later Heinz Field, as the site of the WPIAL championships for all classes of WPIAL football.<ref name="washjeffhof" /> He retired from the WPIAL on June 30, 1998, after 22 years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tuscano |first=Joe |date=June 17, 1998 |title=Saying Goodbye to Ace |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=siZdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y1oNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1734,3161175 |access-date=February 19, 2012 |work=Observer-Reporter |page=C1}}</ref>

== Personal life == Heberling and his wife Jane had four children, three sons and a daughter.<ref name="WPIAL" /> He died at his home in McCandless, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2019, at the age of 94.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Influential WPIAL director Charles 'Ace' Heberling dies |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/highschool/2019/12/09/charles-ace-heberling-wpial-high-school-sports-pennsylvania/stories/201912090098 |publisher=Post-Gazette}}</ref> Heberling was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Jane, and his son Daniel. He is survived by two sons, a daughter, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

== Notes == {{Reflist|group="nb"}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heberling, Chuck}} Category:1925 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Basketball referees Category:College football officials Category:NFL officials Category:Washington & Jefferson Presidents football players Category:Washington & Jefferson Presidents baseball players Category:United States Navy pilots of World War II Category:Military personnel from Pittsburgh Category:Schoolteachers from Pennsylvania Category:Baseball players from Pittsburgh Category:Players of American football from Pittsburgh Category:School board members in Pennsylvania Category:Businesspeople from Pittsburgh Category:20th-century American businesspeople