John P. ("Jocko") Collins (November 13, 1905 – March 2, 1986) was a professional basketball referee, and a baseball scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Brewers.[1] He was supervisor of officials for the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 years, until he was fired in 1961.[2] As a baseball scout, he was credited with finding and signing players (and future executives) such as Del Ennis,[3] Tommy Lasorda, Dallas Green, Bob Bailor,[4] Dick Allen, and Dave May.[citation needed]
Collins was born in New York City and raised in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia.[citation needed] He attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School and Saint Joseph's College, where he was captain of the baseball and basketball teams and graduated in 1927. He also served as a high school basketball coach and scouted for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. He died in Philadelphia in 1986 at the age of 80.[4]
References
- ^ "Jocko Collins". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
- ^ "Jocko Collins fired as NBA Ref Supervisor", Associated Press in Schenectady Gazette, May 31, 1961.
- ^ Edward Veit, "Del Ennis", Society for American Baseball Research (accessed 2012-10-16).
- ^ a b Jim Nicholson, "Sports Figure 'Jocko' Collins, 80; Coach, Baseball 'super Scout'", Philadelphia Daily News, March 5, 1986.
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