Whistling While They Work : The Duo With the Orange Whistles
Just call them the Odd Couple of the officiating world.
When the Santiago Holiday Tournament opened for the 19th season last week, referees Larry Arason and Earl Engman were on hand for the 19th consecutive year. They were easy to find. They were the referees with the orange whistles.
The tandem has more than 70 years of officiating experience between them. Arason began working YMCA junior high school games as a 17-year-old in Grand Forks, N.D. He became a member of the Orange County Basketball Officials Assn. in 1956, working lower-level games for $12 an outing.
Engman began officiating as a 19-year-old in Pasco, Wash., in the Navy Air Corps. He joined the county officials’ organization in 1951.
Arason found the orange whistles at a clinic seven years ago and they have become the duo’s trademark. Engman recalls the game when Arason had problems with his whistle.
“His daughter stuffed his whistle with Play-Doh,” Engman said. “We check our whistles every game now.”
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
