George H. Hoyt enshrined as a referee in 1961

George H. Hoyt

Enshrined 1961
Born: August 9, 1883
South Boston, MA
Died: November 11, 1962

George Hoyt was famous for saying, "Basketball is a game of science, not brute strength." A champion in developing a uniform set of rules and procedures, "Mr. Basketball" was known as New England's foremost basketball referee. For 34 years, Hoyt's talents were in demand. A tireless worker, he would often officiate two games a day at both the high school and college level. His style allowed a more open kind of play to develop; this prevented defensive holding and allowed more offensive flow. Hoyt authored The Theory and Practice of Basketball Officiating, a classic textbook that discussed many officiating distinctions, including the difference between Eastern and Western referees.