My full-time gig is with Susquehanna Marble and Granite. Yes. There is never a dull moment. I have been with the company for eight great seasons. And I have been involved with every facet of the countertop business. I am not the strongest, and these beautiful rocks are super heavy. My fellow work chums say that I am a liability. They also complain that I spend most of my time talking to customers at job sites. I am no longer allowed to drive the forklift. I now have to stay in the showroom. Sales and scheduling are my new roles. This is much safer for everyone. [Editor’s Note: Want to work with Jamie? Check out the ad below! Susquehanna Marble and Granite is hiring!]
We are truly blessed to work with so many great people. I have met some outstanding folks. Young and old. Stupendous. We treat every project the same regardless of size and materials. When something goes wrong, it is always my fault. No worries. I can handle it. I am a retired high school basketball coach. You wouldn’t believe some of these new builds and remodels. Insane. I am starting to dislike HGTV and PINTEREST. Waterfall edges to faucets coming out of walls. Full height showers and soapstone toilets. It’s incredible.
I told you many stories about my interactions with my bearded brethren. Yes. My Amish guys are my absolute favorite. We also rub elbows with some fascinating individuals who use their smartphones. Brilliant doctors and big-time attorneys.
Just this month, we have had customers with ties to SNL and Breaking Bad. You can’t make it up.
We recently worked for Steve and Nanci Strom, who now live outside of Towanda. What a great couple. We helped them with a new kitchen and vanity for a retirement cabin. Fun project. Everything turned out amazing. We hit it off immediately. This was several months of planning. Steve and I would often talk about hunting and fishing. We also chatted about hoops, and he asked about my son. He knew that we were both obsessed. I remember when he randomly asked if I knew his father. He was a retired NBA official. The name sounded familiar. I did some research. A picture came up, and OMG, YES.
Earl “Yogi” Strom is a Hall of Famer. Many of you have seen him — one of the greatest and most candid refs in basketball history. Yogi officiated for 29 years in the NBA and another three for the ABA. He was well-known for his flamboyant style and his ability to control a game. Folks called him the “Pied Piper,” Strom made calls with his whistle using a “tweet-pause-tweet-tweet.” Yogi was super tough. He was also known for ejecting players with a flair and sometimes supported his calls with physical force.
“If there’s one official who can’t be intimidated or influenced by players, coaches, and fans, it’s Earl Strom. The thing I respect him for, aside from being a very good official, is that you can get with him one night, yet the next time you get him working your game, he is fresh. No grudges. A class act.” Lenny Wilkens, Hall of Fame player and coach.
Strom officiated over 2,400 professional regular season games and 295 playoff games. Yogi called 29 NBA and ABA Finals. An outstanding career with several amazing tales. His son Steve dropped off his book, and I can’t get enough. Unfortunately, Earl Strom passed in 1994 after complications with cancer. But his legacy lives on. He was the man. Strom refereed the first NBA game between Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in 1959. He also called their last and final meeting ten years later. Yogi was on the floor with one of the greatest calls in NBA History. The Celtics trailed the 76ers 110-109 with 5 seconds left in the seventh deciding game of the 1965 Eastern Conference finals. John Havlicek tipped a pass. “HAVLICEK STEALS IT. HAVLICEK STOLE THE BALL.” Yes. Yogi was there. He was in a cast because he had broken his hand the night before for punching a disgruntled fan. I am serious.
“Earl is the one ref who’s never been afraid to make the right call, even if it brought the entire house down. I think we can all learn a lesson from Earl. You can have some fun in your job while you’re still working at it. He loved officiating. He was one of the best.” Pat Riley, Hall of Fame Coach.
Yogi refereed Julius Erving’s first game in the ABA in 1971. He also called Julius’ final game with the 76ers in 1987. Strom ejected Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bull’s mascot, in the third game of the 1974 NBA Playoffs. It is believed to be the first time and only time a mascot was thrown out of an NBA game. The Atlanta Hawks and Bulls had a game in 1988. Strom called a FLAGRANT after a hard foul on Michael Jordan. The Hawks complained and accused Yogi of playing favorites. “DAMN RIGHT I AM PROTECTING HIM. IF WE LOSE THESE GUYS. WE ARE ALL OUT OF JOBS.” Strom officiated Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s last game in 1988. There is so much more sports fans.
“He’s the referee you wanted in those big pressure games. I think Earl, besides being just the greatest referee, is a good man, and that’s what I liked most about him.” Magic Johnson, Hall of Fame player.
Earl “Yogi” Strom was a native of Pottstown, PA. A full-size photo of Strom blowing his whistle is on display at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Sports Halls of Fame. His book is fantastic. I am almost done. What a character. The greatest official ever. I want to thank my new friends, Steve and Nanci Strom, for the introduction. Yogi was a legend. Cheers.
