How The Gold Whistle Award Began
And The Selection Criteria Used

Click here to nominate a Gold Whistle Award candidate

Early in 1988, the NASO Board of Directors moved to fill a void in the officiating world. The members recognized the need to salute the achievements of referees and umpires around the world, but not just for their officiating-career accomplishments. Instead, NASO decided to reward one official each year for a long-term commitment to mankind. Thus was born the NASO Gold Whistle Award.

The Board first established an 11-member Gold Whistle Jury to select the annual award winner. Board members invited Ralph Horton, St. Louis, Mo., one of the men who helped the Rawlings Company establish professional baseball's Gold Glove Award, to head the jury. Today, the NASO board of directors and the Gold Whistle Award committee select an annual winner.

The Gold Whistle Award winner must meet the following criteria:
  • Have a minimum of 10 years of experience as an active official, but does not have to be currently active to receive the award. The award can be made posthumously.
  • The jury, at its discretion, and in lieu of the above provision, can select an award winner based on the candidate's significant contribution to the betterment of officiating.
  • Exhibit a "service above self" attitude demonstrated by a record of community involvement, public service or other engagements which clearly have had a positive, motivating effect on others.
  • Be regarded as a person with high integrity and ethics and possessing the qualities held in high regard by the "community" of sports officials.
  • Have a consistent record of presenting officiating in a positive light to the sports world in general.

The Gold Whistle Award is among the most coveted awards in the world of sports officiating. The reason is simple: The award recognizes an individual who has made tremendous contributions to his or her community and has experienced a successful officiating career. Clearly, the emphasis is on contribution to the community.

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