Dick Jorgensen

{{Short description|American football official (1934–1990)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Dick Jorgensen | birth_name = Richard M. Jorgensen | birth_date = {{birth date|1934|4|12}} | birth_place = Neenah, Wisconsin, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1990|10|10|1934|4|12}} | death_place = Urbana, Illinois, U.S. | alma_mater = University of Wisconsin, 1956<br>Neenah High School, 1952 | party = | other_names = | occupation = Bank president,<br>NFL referee | boards = United Way,<br>chamber of commerce,<br>country club | title = | spouse = Adlon Dohme Jorgensen (m.1959–1990, his death)<ref name=rjadtw>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22675541/ |newspaper=Appleton Post-Crescent |location=Wisconsin |title=Richard Jorgensen, Adlon Dohme to wed |date=April 4, 1959 |page=17}}</ref> | children = 3 daughters | resting_place = Bailey Memorial Cemetery, Tolono, Illinois | known_for = NFL referee, civic leader | module = {{Infobox military person |embed = yes |allegiance = {{USA}} |branch = 15px U.S. Navy |service_years = 1956–1958 |battles = Cold War }} }} '''Richard M. Jorgensen''' (April 12, 1934 – October 10, 1990) was an American football official in the National Football League (NFL) for 22 years, through the 1989 season, the last 19 years as a referee.<ref name=jwquim>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E58aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HiwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6162%2C1973401 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |title=NFL referee Jorgensen was quietly impressive |date=October 11, 1990 |page=C2}}</ref>

Jorgensen's officiating career was highlighted by being selected to referee Super Bowl XXIV in January 1990. He was an alternate official for Super Bowl VIII in 1974 and Super Bowl XV in 1981.

==Early life== Born and raised in Neenah, Wisconsin, southwest of Green Bay, Jorgensen was a three-sport athlete at Neenah High School, where he starred in football and tennis.<ref name=jwquim/> His primary sport was basketball, played under longtime head coach Ole Jorgensen (1904–1988), his father.<ref name=nstsast>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TQodAAAAIBAJ&sjid=myMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7185%2C2803614 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal|title=New stars to shine at state tourney |last=Letwin |first=Bill |date=March 20, 1952 |page=9, part 2}}</ref> His mother Edith also worked at the school, as a physical education teacher. In Jorgensen's senior year in 1952, Neenah advanced to the state semifinals in basketball.<ref name=jwquim/> and he was selected for the all-state team.<ref name=med5455>{{cite web |url=http://images.library.wisc.edu/UW/EFacs/UWAthletics/Basketball/BBall1954/reference/uw.bball1954.i0001.pdf |publisher=University of Wisconsin Athletics |year=1954 |title=Wisconsin Badger basketball, 1954-55 |pages=2–9}}</ref>

A {{convert|6|ft|2|adj=on}} shooting guard, Jorgensen played college basketball in the Big Ten Conference at the University of Wisconsin in Madison under hall of fame head coach Bud Foster.<ref name=med5455/><ref name=tbdgr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qm1QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=chAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1652%2C4003727 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=3 Badgers get Schreiner awards |date=May 29, 1955 |page=2B }}</ref> He was captain of the Badgers his senior year in 1956,<ref name=bfhp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WnUfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WSUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6220%2C3303578 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |title=Badger five honors pair |date=March 6, 1956 |page=14, part 2 }}</ref><ref name=wbrb12>{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/record-book.pdf#page=173 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Athletics |title=Wisconsin Badgers basketball, 2012-13 record book: Captains |page=171 |access-date=2015-10-07 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131119/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/record-book.pdf#page=173 |url-status=dead }}</ref> graduated and served two years in the U.S. Navy,<ref name=upiobit>{{cite news |url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/10/10/NFL-referee-Jorgensen-dies/7328655531200/ |publisher=UPI |agency=(archives) |title=NFL referee Jorgensen dies |date=October 10, 1990 |accessdate=October 5, 2015}}</ref> and married Adlon Dohme in 1959.<ref name=rjadtw/>

==NFL official== After five seasons officiating high school and small college football,<ref name=vojdms>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JIlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5RIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3225%2C3248273 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=Veteran NFL official Jorgensen dies at 65 (56) |date=October 11, 1990 |page=2, part 2 }}</ref> Jorgensen began his NFL career in 1968 as a line judge. He was promoted to referee three years later in 1971 when his crew chief from 1970, George Rennix, retired.

In the NFL, Jorgensen was assigned to 12 post-season games, including four conference championship games and Super Bowl XXIV (he was the alternate referee for Super Bowl XV).<ref name=vojdms/> On the field, Jorgensen wore uniform number 60 for the majority of his career (he wore number 6 from 1979–81, when officials were numbered separately by position).

Known for his poise as a referee in the 1970s and 1980s, one incident summarized his presence and is often replayed in highlights.<ref name=jwquim/> While approaching a fourth quarter scuffle during a Monday night game in November 1983, Jorgensen was inadvertently struck in the mouth by an elbow from Detroit Lions guard Larry Lee, who swung at New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. The blow caused a cut which required a stitch, but Jorgensen proceeded with the game after calling a penalty and ejecting Lee.<ref name=jwquim/><ref name=lemahr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4J4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lWgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6673%2C7541477 |newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |location=Florida |agency=Associated Press |title=Lee embarrassed after hitting referee |date=November 9, 1983 |page=14B }}</ref><ref name=nytlip>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/09/sports/a-lion-faces-fine-for-hitting-referee.html |newspaper=New York Times |title=A Lion faces fine for hitting referee |date=November 9, 1983 |accessdate=October 7, 2015 }}</ref>

==Bank president== Off the field, Jorgensen served as President of Marine Bank of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.<ref name=upiobit/> Active in the community as a civic leader, he was also president of the local chapter of the United Way, the chamber of commerce, and his country club.<ref name=jwquim/>

==Death== Super Bowl XXIV in January 1990 was Jorgensen's final game as a game official;<ref name=vojdms/> that May, he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder.<ref name=jwquim/><ref name=ilshcr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-H0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MaMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3486%2C4537523 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=Pennsylvania |title=Illness-shortened careers |date=November 12, 1991 |page=D12}}</ref> He died five months later at age 56 on October 10 in Urbana, Illinois.<ref name=upiobit/> For the remainder of the 1990 season, NFL officials wore a black armband on their left sleeve with the white number 60 to honor Jorgensen.<ref name=grundb>{{cite web|url=http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/research5.shtml |publisher=Gridiron Uniform Database |title=NFL game officials uniforms: 1990 |last=Brulia |first=Tim |accessdate=October 7, 2015}}</ref>

He and his wife Adlon had three daughters.<ref name=jwquim/> Jorgensen was buried at Bailey Memorial Cemetery in Tolono.

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== *{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4DF1230F931A25753C1A966958260 | title=Dick Jorgensen, Football Official, 56 | newspaper=The New York Times | date=1990-10-12 | accessdate=2006-09-09}} *{{Find a Grave|74438437}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jorgensen, Dick}} Category:1934 births Category:1990 deaths Category:College football officials Category:NFL officials Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball players Category:Sportspeople from Neenah, Wisconsin Category:American people of Danish descent Category:Deaths from blood disease Category:American men's basketball players Category:Shooting guards Category:20th-century American sportsmen