By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Earlier this spring the Kansas State High School Activities Association presented a 60-year service award to an official for the first time in the long history of the organization.
Topekan John "Big Dawg'' Deedrick was honored by the KSHSAA for 60 years of service as an official last month in Manhattan. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Of course there's never been an official quite like the "Big Dawg,'' John Deedrick.
KSHSAA honored Deedrick, who retired at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year, on May 30 in Manhattan during the Class 3A state baseball tournament, recognizing the Topeka legend for his six decades of service as a registered official in baseball, basketball, football and volleyball.
"Sixty sounded like a good number and I was kind of shooting for that after I got my 50 year plaque,'' the 81-year-old Deedrick told TopSports.news. "But I did not know at the time that I would be the only official in the state of Kansas that's ever got a 60-year plaque.
"They've never made one before, so I feel like the Lone Ranger.''
The numbers that Deedrick put together in his high school officiating career are mind-boggling.
• Worked KSHSAA regular-season baseball games for more than 50 seasons, regular-season basketball for just under 50 years and football and volleyball for just under three decades.
• 39 state baseball tournaments.
• 22 state basketball tournaments.
• 7 state football championships.
• 1 state volleyball tournament.
Deedrick, who also officiated at the collegiate level for multiple decades, including 15 years as the MIAA commissioner of officials, has fond memories of his time in each sport.
"I retired from basketball in 2013 and my last state tournament was down in Emporia,'' Deedrick said. "That's kind of a neat story there because the very first state basketbll tournament that I worked was I think in 1977 and it was White Auditorium in Emporia and we dressed upstairs in some little crow's nest, no shower, just a meeting room and we had to walk down a hallway get into some rinkydink shower.
"That was my first state tournament and when I worked my last state tournament I was at White Auditorium in the same locker room upstairs with no shower and all that kind of stuff, so you might say it was like a storybook finish. I worked my first state tournament and my last state tournament in the same building with the same dressing room. Now what kind of a story is that?''
Deedrick also cherishes the memory of working a Class 6A state basketball title game between Danny Manning-led Lawrence and powerhouse Kansas City-Wyandotte and a 6A football championship between powerhouses Manhattan and Lawrence.
Dawg is also proud of the fact that he got the opportunity to work one state volleyball tournament during his career.
"One year I was free of no football playoffs, so I said, 'Hey, why don't I put in for a volleyball state because I could never do that before?'' Deedrick said. "I put in for a state and got a 1A at Fort Hays. I couldn't believe it. I put in for one and got one.''
Although he is a fan of all sports, baseball is probably Deedrick's favorite.
"The reason I like baseball is I get a chance to be with coaches and kids at home plate and you can talk to them during the game,'' he said. "Football and basketball you just work the games and you don't really communicate because the game is so intense. I tell people, 'I'm here for the kids.' I was taught by Dennis Walker, who got me started in college baseball, 'The game is for the kids. We're just part of it.' The coaches are part of it, the fans are part of it. Our job is the kids on the field.
"My goal was to have fun with the kids and I let them know that during the game. I would tell them at home plate what my intentions were, 'We're here to have fun.' And I always said to myself, 'When I can't have fun with the kids I'm walking away.' ''
Deedrick, who will turn 82 on July 30, never reached that point, but does feel like it's time to step back.
"I'm still having fun with the kids,'' Deedrick said. "I love the fans, I like the coaches who have been so respectful to me. I tell the coaches before the game, "I'm here for the kids and I want you coaches to have fun and I want the kids to have fun.'
"Sixty years just seemed like a good time to walk away because every year you get a little bit older. These last few years that I worked I noticed that when I come home from games I just felt like I was a little more tired. But everyone would tell me, 'You're 81.' ''
Deedrick was able to continue his officiating career after surviving a serious car accident while returning home from officiating a game in 1987 and continues to play slow-pitch softball.
In retirement Deedrick wants to help recruit and develop new officials.
"You hear all the time about how we're short on officials in football and basketball and baseball,'' he said. "I still want to work with young kids. I want to help the state and I want to help the supervisors in trying to find young officials. I want to stay in the program. I just didn't want to work a 50-game schedule because I just felt like age was creeping up on me.
"You've got to be lucky, just to survive 60 years. I don't know how I lasted that long. I just thank God for that. I've enjoyed my career and there's just so many nice people out there that have been good to me and I hope I shared a little fun with them and smiled and had a good time. I think that's what sports should be all about.''
