Mr. George Maskin

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Mr. George Maskin, 90, died on 06 April 2007.

The Funeral was held at IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL on Sunday, 08 April 2007 at 11:30 AM.

Rabbi David Castiglione officiated.

Interment at Beth El Memorial Park, 28120 6 Mile Road, Livonia MI 48152.

The family of Mr. George Maskin will be gathering through the evening of Monday, April 09 at the residence of Douglas and Marie Maskin, 87 Boulder Lane, Bloomfield Hills Mi 48304 . The phone number is 248-644-1781.

Religious Services will be held at 7:30 P.M. Monday Evening.

Family members include:

Beloved Husband of 60 years of Elaine Maskin; Dear Father of Richard(Dorothy)Maskin, Douglas(Marie)Maskin and Julie(David)Rollins; Loving Grandfather of Tricia Maskin(Dale Kortes), Bridget(Matthew)Genette, Genevieve(Claudio)Caffeli, Colleen(Todd)Preheim, Robert Maskin, Joshua Rollins and Sarah Rollins; Proud Great Grandfather of Thomas, Aiden and Sydney Genette, Alyssa Kortes, Derek and Katherine Preheim; Brother of the Late Rosalyn Reder, The Late Philip Maskin and the Late Dr. Meyer Maskin; Brother in Law of Robert and Sonny Barnett and Dr. Benjamin and Jeanette Reder. Son of the Late Louis Maskin and the Late Jennie Maskin.

George Maskin officiated sporting events in 8 decades (the 1930's to the 2000's). Elected to the Baseball Writers of America Association in 1948-the oldest living member in the Detroit chapter. A member of the Michigan High School Sports Hall of Fame, Elected to the Catholic League Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame(2003). 

A graduate of Northern High School, he worked on the school newspaper and interned at the Detroit Times. He attended Michigan State College (now Michigan State University)-earned a scholarship by sending a story he had written. 

He became the Sports Editor of the Michigan State Journal, where he worked with the Late Hal Schram. 

He began his sports officiating career at Michigan State College. Directly out of college in 1939, he went to work for the Detroit Times, then owned by the Hearst Corporation.

He began by covering high school and college sports. George was the first journalist to establish ratings for high school and college football and basketball, a practice that is still being used today. 

He joined the Army in 1940 and became a sports writer for the Stars and Stripes. He also officiated baseball and softball games for the Armed Forces in England, Ireland and Scotland. 

After the war, he returned to the Detroit Times writing about college and high school sports. Annually, he took local baseball players to New York City to play in the Hearst All-Star Game. Among those included several former major league players such as Bill Freehan. 

In 1960, the Detroit Times was purchased by The Detroit News. 

As a member of the Baseball Writers of America Association, he has voted for every member of the Hall of Fame since 1948. George officiated at sporting events in every level, middle school, high school and college and included football, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. 

George umpired collegiate baseball games for the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the University of Detroit. He also umpired the sandlot leagues of Detroit, where many future stars went on to become major league ballplayers, including Willie Horton and Bill Freehan.

He continued to officiate baseball, softball and volleyball until 2003.

He was selected to umpire in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. While covering the Detroit Pistons for the Detroit Times in the 1950's, the Commissioner of the NBA asked him to referee a game whem the regular official became ill. He refereed and then wrote the story for the newspaper afterwards. 

George Maskin served as the Public Relations Director and Assistant Executive Manager of the Detroit Pistons from 1960-1974. His job included scheduling all games, travel, game announcers as well as attending league functions.

He also wrote stories for the Detroit Free Press AND the Detroit News after each game. He worked in the sports department for the Detroit Free Press and became the Sports Editor and covered all high school sports for the Observer Eccentric Newspapers. 

He was the Public Relations Director for the Michigan Stags Hockey in 1974. Public Relations Director for Hazel Park and Detroit Race Tracks from 1974-1984. His sports influence in the Detroit sports scene spanned over 6 decades. A long time member of Temple Beth El, George traveled the world, including a trip to Israel tp celebrate his grandson's Bar Mitzvah in 1993.

It is suggested that those who wish to further honor the memory of Mr. George Maskin may do so by making a contribution to:

Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation

The George Maskin Memorial Fund

2000 Oakley Park Road Suite 104

Walled Lake, MI 48390

248-592-9323

http://www.michiganjewishsports.org