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Having
seen only one basketball game in his life,
Gibson tried out for the Orphans his
Sophomore year (1945) at Centralia High
School. Assistant Coach Evers, advised him
to go see Mr. Cooksey at the community
center and practice his basketball skills.
Gibson took the advice and had some fun
learning the game and Cooksey also provided
him with the opportunity to officiate
independent basketball, softball, and
baseball games for the recreation
department.
In
1952, while continuing to coach grade school
basketball at Young and then Hoyleton, he
began his officiating career by joining the
IHSA. Early in his officiating days, Coach
Evers offered Gibson the opportunity to
referee the Centralia Holiday Tournament.
Shortly after his first CHT, his mailbox was
filled with offers to officiate throughout
the state.
From
that point on, his officiating date book was
always filled three years in advance until
he retired from calling games in 1975 to
become principal at Centralia High School.
He held that position until retiring in
1992. During this time, he also served
as president of the South Seven Conference
for several years. Prior to accepting the
principal’s position, Gibson was Dean of
Students at CHS for six years.
In
his 24 years as an official, Gibson worked
everything from junior high state tourney
games to high school and all the junior
colleges in the Southern Illinois area. He
even worked several games at SIUC
(basketball and football), Murray State
University, Arkansas State University, and
McKendree College.
At
the high school level, he called basketball
games at such tournaments as: Centralia,
Carbondale, Salem, Olney, Belleville East,
Collinsville, Edwardsville, Quincy,
Eldorado, and Effingham. He worked IHSA
tournament games for 21 years including 16
Sectionals, and State finals in 1962, 1963,
1964, and the state championship game in
1968.
In
1977, Gibson was inducted into the IBCA Hall
of Fame in the Officials category.
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