Photo courtesy of the Belleville News-Democrat


The man in the white hat.

For 40 of his 55 years as a football official, Rich Herndon has been that guy — the referee and crew chief — working on high school gridirons all over Southern Illinois.

But following Civic Memorial’s 46-12 loss to Taylorville in a rather inconsequential game Friday night in Bethalto, Herndon pocketed his yellow flag and took off his whistle.

“It will just be another Friday night,” said the 75-year-old Herndon a few days before his final game, “except this time when I walk off the field, I won’t walk back.”

After the contest, Herndon’s concern wasn’t that it was his final game it was what had occurred on the field.

To read the rest of the Belleville News-Democrat story, click here.