Published: February 24, 2008 11:26 pm         

Retton says Feck ‘worked his tail off’

MORGANTOWN — It was pretty much a strictly business relationship during the many years Jack Feck officiated basketball games at Fairmont State while the legendary Joe Retton was the head coach.  

But he said Sunday that the two became “great friends” when Feck retired as a referee after 41 years at both the high school and collegiate levels. 

“I’ve never seen an official — and we’ve had many — who loved the game like he did and the love of officiating,” Retton remembers. “Being around spectators, the coaches and the players, he just drooled. He loved to be part of it.”   

Feck, 83, died early Saturday morning at his home in Morgantown after an extended illness. He is a member of the West Virginia Hoops Classic Hall of Fame.  

“Throughout the years when he officiated I won’t say we became friends, but since he hung up the whistle he and I have been good, close friends,” Retton said. “I think that occurred because of his effort and his work ethics on the basketball court. He knew I wanted everything I could get. 

“Not negatively, understand, but I mean I wanted a guy to work his tail off just like I did. And he was one who did that because he loved the game so much. It was a thrill to have him on our games because we knew he was going to give you all he had.”

Retton, who retired from coaching in 1982 after 19 years with the Falcons, said Feck always was so concerned about being fair to both teams in every game that he worked.

“When you go to one gym or another, he was a joy to have on a game because you knew you always were going to get a good job. As I say, he loved to call games just like I loved to coach them.”

Retton said he liked Feck’s work because his devotion to basketball officiating was comparable to the Fairmont native’s devotion to coaching. “So it made you feel good, especially on the road, when you saw that Jack was one of the referees,” he stressed.

“Jack was certainly a good official, and more so later a great friend. You could always count on getting a fair shake.”

Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today and again from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday. A funeral service will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.

Burial will follow at the East Oak Grove Cemetery.