Scholastic Roundup: Hank Lam is still blowing his whistle

August 21, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Scholastic Roundup logo

Share this:

Hank Lam started officiating basketball in 1973 and he’s still blowing the whistle.

“I usually referee in New York during November and December,” he said, “and head down South to Florida for the winter.”

He was featured in the National High School Referee publication, Sportorials in the Spring 2016 edition.

He says he officiated high school basketball with former Lafayette High basketball coach, Gil Fershtman. “Gil got into officiating on a regular basis after he stopped coaching both baseball and basketball at Lafayette,” he said. “He became a fine referee during the years he blew the whistle. We officiated many PSAL games together as well as many outside leagues and tournaments.”

Lam says one memorable game he officiated with Fershtman was in 1981. “That was the year Alexander Hamilton won the PSAL City Basketball Championship,” he said. “They had two great First Team All-City players – Jerry “Ice” Reynolds and “Beetle” Washington.”

During the same season Lam and Fershtman refereed the game between Sheepshead Bay High School and Hamilton. Hamilton set a PSAL scoring record for the most points scored in a game – 179. “I’m certain it’s still a record,” he said.

* * *

Lam told Sportorials that Brooklyn’s Dick Bavetta is his officiating hero. “We worked some early games together,” Lam said, “and he was very forthcoming with advice.”
Bavetta eventually ended up in the NBA as an official.

As for his toughest call, Lam says the block-charge. “You must see whether the defense is in position before the offensive player goes airborne. You have to look at whether the defender is facing the offensive player, in legal guarding position, with both feet on the ground.”

Lam officiated the 2000 New York City PSAL Championship in Madison Square Garden between Lincoln High School and John F. Kennedy High School. “The game was televised with about 14,000 in attendance,” he said.

After graduating Pace College (1967) Lam took a junior varsity track coaching position at Canarsie High School for one season and then was elevated to head coach.
“I juggled officiating with teaching and coaching, officiating night games in Staten Island and Brooklyn on selected days and usually on Fridays when he gave his runners a day-off due to track meets on the weekends.

In 2000 Lam gave up coaching track at Canarsie and went to full-time officiating. Prior to his basketball career at Pace, he played Junior College basketball at Staten Island Community College (1963-65). He was an all-Knickerbocker Conference performer at Pace.

* * *

Former Tilden High School basketball coach, Jeff Schrier reminds that the 1965-66 Staten Island Community College varsity basketball team was captained by former Lafayette High basketballer – and later baseball coach – Joe Gambuzza. Schrier, too, was a member of that team.

Steven Lane, the Brooklynite who has a love-affair with the New York Yankees informs he’s added a baseball signed by George Costanza; Jason Alexander, as assistant to the Yankees raveling secretary –and an oil painting commissioned by Mickey Mantle and signed by him.

Lane, who attended PS 199 and Cunningham Junior High School, now practices law in New Orleans, La.

The James Madison High School graduate – he lived at 1580 East 13th Street – is the proud possessor of the 1972 architect’s drawings of new Yankee Stadium from the stadium bullpen – which he sold at auction for $350,000.

“I have the first studio photo (1943) taken when Mantle was 12,” he told the Eagle, “and the first baseball he signed in 1949 when he was in the minor leagues.”

Lane has Mantle’s 535th career home-run ball – the shot that pitcher Denny McLean grooved to him and pushed Mantle’s record past Jimmy Foxx.

Add to that a ball signed by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Mantle.

* * *

Dan Lynch Jr. – his dad is the all-time winningest basketball coach at St. Francis College – chimes in with this:

“When I was seven-years-old on,” said the former Terriers’ baseball coach, “I was at 90 percent of college games at Madison Square Garden. I sat with my father, courtside, along with the local coaches. At the St. Francis games,” he continued, “I’d listen to my father and Les (Yellin, former Assistant Coach) talk about the games.”

Lynch Jr. spent years coaching the Absolute Top college players in the Empire State Games. “I had to give reports to their college coaches three-to-four-times-a-week.
“I threw Sam Worthen (Marquette) off the team,” he said, “Hank Raymond (Marquette coach at the time) called me, he started with, ‘What did he do now? Any chance of reinstating him?’” Lynch: “Sorry coach.”

As for former Jefferson star, Sidney Green, Lynch had this story:

“I spoke to Tark (Jerry Tarkanian) about him,” he said.
“I’m trusting you with him,” Tark told Lynch. “You know I have friends in Vegas that can make you disappear.”
Tarkanian was the UNLV coach at the time.

Lynch came back with: “Yeah, I know. Most of them made their bones right here on Court Street. I’m sure I had a veal pam hero or two with them when they were here.”

Kim Nuxhall responded after reading the story on the Nuxhall Miracle League and his buddy, Larry Tischler.

“Tisch and I are attached at our Miracle League hips,” he said. I can’t imagine this ride without any other.”

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected]. Twitter: @AndyFurmanFSR