DENVER - John Adams, who served as the Supervisor of Football Officials at the WAC from 1968-95 and as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner from 1995-2008, has died. He was 93.
"John Adams dedicated most of his life to college football and to the WAC," WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd said. "He was a true gentleman and his influence will never be forgotten."
Adams had a lifetime devotion to the game of football beginning with his days as a halfback at Denver East High School, where he was named to the All-City teams in 1940 and 1941. He then played at the University of Denver, twice earning All-Rocky Mountain Conference honors. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from DU, Adams went into teaching. He was a teacher and mathematics counselor for the Denver Public Schools system and coached football, basketball and baseball at West and Lincoln High Schools.
In 1946, Adams began officiating high school football games and worked his way up to the college ranks in 1948. Over the next 20 years, he refereed games in the Skyline Conference, Rocky Mountain Conference, the Big Eight and the WAC.
Adams transitioned into his role as supervisor of officials with the WAC in 1968, assigning officials and conducting clinics for WAC referees. He was a member of the NCAA Rules Committee, serving as chair in 1980 and 1981. Adams was also on the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports and the NCAA Football Rules Editorial Committee.
Adams closed out his career as the NCAA national secretary-rules editor from 1992-2008, serving as a special assistant to former WAC Commissioner Karl Benson from 1995-2008.
Adams was inducted into several Halls of Fame - the Denver Public Schools Hall of Fame (1988), the College Football Hall of Fame (1998), the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2000) and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame (2003). A member of the Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF), he was the 1993 NFF Outstanding Football Official Award recipient.
Donations in Adams' memory can be made to the Denver Teachers' Club, 1617 S. Acoma St., Denver, CO 80223 c/o Assistance Fund.
Funeral services will be held at Olinger Hampden Mortuary, 8600 East Hampden Avenue in Denver at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 30.