Big ...... dead at 59

Northwestern athletic director Jason Zimmerman has sent out a league-wide e-mail suggesting schools observe a moment of silence at their games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon in honor longtime football official Tom Partridge, who died over the weekend at age 59.

"Many of you remember Tom as one of our outstanding football umpires and Tom also worked our league and District 11 Track & Field Meets," Zimmerman wrote. "I would like to recommend that we hold a moment of silence after the National Anthem at our Varsity Football Games this coming weekend. There is no need to respond, but figure this is the least we could do to honor a man who has dedicated much of his life to high school football. The Lehigh Valley Conference will also be participating in this acknowledgement."

Zim's right on target with this recommendation. People like this who form the fabric of scholastic sports should be recognized when they leave us and to almost the day that he died, Partridge was a very important part of the high school football scene throughout the region.

Sometimes names don't resonate as well as faces. When I saw Partridge's picture in today's paper, his loss hit home even more because while I knew the name, I knew the face much better and this was a guy who enjoyed what he was doing and was always enthusiastic, always happy to be doing his job. I've attended several football officials banquets over the years [always held in November right before Thanksgiving], and remember Partridge at those banquets as being a true character, full of life, full of fun.

It has been said often in the past few days, but we'll say it again: What a sad loss. He will be missed.