Inductees

Don Claxton knew Jerry Mallonee needed something to do. Mallonee had recently started his own business and had gone through a divorce. A way to spend some time outdoors and make some extra money seemed perfect.

Claxton had already been officiating high school and college football games for more than a decade and had been prodding Mallonee to get involved for several years. Mallonee finally gave in.

The result? The duo of Claxton and Mallonee have since accumulated a combined 90 years of officiating Missouri high school and college football games – and teaching other officials.

For those years of work and dedication, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted them into the Class of 2025.

Claxton is a 1963 graduate of Parkview High School, where he played baseball. He later attended Missouri State and Drury University before a co-worker talked him into trying officiating.

“He took me to a game he was working and I started from there,” Claxton said.

He worked for MSHSAA and with the MIAA on the collegiate level. He has officiated more than 60 playoff games combined between the two levels, including six state championship games.

Claxton has earned awards from the Southwest Missouri Football Coaches Association, has been inducted into the Southwest Missouri Officials Association, and was given Distinguished Service Awards from MSHSAA and the SMOA.

“The best part of it all has been giving back and helping new officials and watching them improve and go to higher levels,” Claxton said. “Officiating six championship games is also memorable, and a semifinal game that went to four overtimes.”

Mallonee is a 1962 graduate of Central High School. He first began officiating in 1987, working all levels from junior high to freshman to junior varsity to varsity. He worked the Class 6 state championship in 2013 in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis – one of numerous playoff games he’s officiated over the years, including four state semifinals.

“That Class 6 championship game at the Jones Dome was a dream come true,” Mallonee said. “I also had a game at Stockton with a score of 20-0 at the half, 20-0 at the end of the third quarter, still 20-0 with about five minutes left, and then the final score was 21-20, Catholic.”

Mallonee says he loved games like that, where the tension was high and he had to be at the peak of his game, using his experience to help provide the best, most competitive experience for the players and coaches.

“You have to know the rules, inside and out,” he said. “You can read the rule book, but you have to see it on the field to understand it.”

Mallonee and Claxton would talk weekly, if not daily, about football and the games they were working. Different plays, different scenarios, rules, how to handle different situations.

Constant self-improvement like that has kept both Mallonee and Claxton involved in officiating even after they’re no longer calling games.

Claxton became a mechanics interpreter for MSHSAA after retiring. After 28 years, Mallonee had to stop calling games because of knee issues. He still works for MSHAA and observes football officiating crews.

“I try to help with the mechanics of the game and how to work together as a crew,” he said. “My past experience with officiating is giving back to the game and new officials. I enjoyed my years on the football field and would do it again if I could. I met several fine coaches and school administrators in my career. Being fair and honest with the kids and the coaches was important to me. And now, I’m still able to stay close to the game that I love.”

A big influence for both was referee Emry Dilday (MSHOF 2019), who officiated for more than 40 years in Missouri and was a charter member of the Officials Association of the National Federation of High Schools. Dilday passed away earlier this year.

“He was the rules interpreter for Southwest Missouri then,” Mallonee said. “He was a legend in football and known not only in Missouri, but across the United States because of the National Federation and he was always there to help out.”

Mallonee said Mark Nelson also helped him get started in officiating.

“We had our schedule for the year and our referee quit,” he said. “It was decided that I would be the referee, and Mark would help me. This was only my third or fourth year to officiate. He was one of the first who really helped me get going.”