Pat Morrison - Inducted 2005

A 1944 Mobridge High grad, Morrison's career as an athlete, referee and broadcaster has spanned seven decades. He started refereeing high school basketball in 1951. Pollock at Glenham was his first game. "My God, there were more guys at the scorers table than live there," Morrison recalled. "Got a good start. Called three seconds on a guy at the top of the circle." He went on to referee for 35 years, doing high school and college games, about 2,500 in all. Included in that were about 150 college playoff games and 25 state tournaments (three Class B and 22 Class A). "Yes, and I'll admit it. I made one bad call, back in either November or December of 1953. I can say that because I've outlived most of my critics. They're in a home someplace." Morrison also was an outstanding baseball pitcher. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound right-hander helped Michigan win four Big Ten Conference titles. "The smartest thing I did there was walk (future big-league star) Ted Kluszewski on four pitches when he was playing for Indiana." He played amateur baseball in South Dakota for 20 years, 18 of those with Mobridge. He threw a shutout in the championship game as Mobridge won the 1951 state title. Morrison pitched semi-pro ball for three years (1948-50), one each with International Falls, Minn., in the Arrowhead League, Winner in the Basin League and Storm Lake in the Iowa State League. He was general manager of Mobridge's Basin League team for seven years and was Basin League president for four. He was a starter on Mobridge basketball teams that won state Class B titles in 1943 and '44. He is in his 48th year of doing play-by-play of Mobridge High sports for KOLY radio. He is a member of the South Dakota amateur baseball and amateur basketball halls of fame.

(He is No. 49 in Mobridge HS team photo)