Fritz Graf

Frederick "Fritz" Graf (December 28, 1922 – November 29, 2017) was a National Football League (NFL) official. He officiated for twenty three years including four Super Bowls (V, VIII, XV & XVIII). He was involved in playoff games in 21 out of 23 years as an official. The most memorable game that he officiated was the "Ice Bowl" in 1967, which was the championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys to determine who was going to the Super Bowl. The weather was so cold that Fritz's whistle froze to his lips. The whistle can now be found in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. He wore the uniform number 34 (except from 1979 to 1981, when officials were numbered by position, he wore number 7), later worn by referees Gerald Austin and Clete Blakeman.

Early life

Graf was born and grew up in Akron, Ohio, graduating from St. Vincent High School in 1940. He then graduated from Midshipmen School NW University in Chicago, IL as an officer in the Navy. He eventually ended up in Hawaii where he was the officer in charge of recreation in Waikiki Beach, HI. He married his high school sweetheart, Rita, August 10, 1946, at Sacred Heart Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Together they had ten children.