Hogey Holtz

Hogey Holtz attended Michigan Lutheran Seminary High School, where he graduated in 1964 with 11 varsity letters – four in track, three in baseball, two in basketball, and two in football. He was a member of the school’s 1961 Class C state champion track and field team. Holtz, who was supervisor of the Saginaw Recreation Department’s Knothole Program for two years, has been an athletic official of the Michigan High School Athletic Association since 1974. In football, he has officiated four state finals (1987, 1995, 1999, 2003), six semifinals and a number of quarterfinal contests. In baseball, he has umpired two state finals (1990, 2000), four semifinals, five quarterfinals along with numerous regional and district tournaments. Holtz has umpired seven quarterfinal games in softball in addition to regional and district tourneys. He has officiated one quarterfinal for both boys’ and girls’ basketball tournaments, along with a number of regional and district tournament. He has also been affiliated with the Saginaw Athletic Officials Association since 1974, serving as president for 14 years, assigning secretary for 12 years, vice president for six years, softball trainer for eight years, baseball trainer for six years and football trainer for two years. His officiating career has been highlighted by officiated basketball games with four Mr. Basketball winners (Chris Webber, Mark Macon, Brad Redford and Shawn Battier), two Miss Basketball winners (Danielle Kamm and Jenny Ryan) and one Heisman Trophy winner (Mark Ingram). Holtz has also officiated games involving four individual Hall of Fame athletes from the Class of 2019, coach Ralph Munger and both Nouvel Catholic Central state champion football teams, as well as 2012 HOF inductee Ann Lemire. He has enjoyed tremendous success umpiring softball games, working both women’s and girls’ softball tournaments as well as men’s fastpitch and modified softball tournaments. For 12 years he umpired at the Collegiate Spring Training Facility at the Cocoa Expo Softball Center in Cocoa, Florida – one of the premier fastpitch facilities in the country. The complex was designed and created by the staff made up of Division 1 and Division 2 head coaches, former Major League Baseball players and many other baseball and softball professionals. Holtz also worked nine years at the Collegiate Rebel spring games in Kissimmee, Florida. Additionally, he has worked eight Junior College softball Regionals, two GLIAC League tournaments and two MIAA League tournaments. He has worked three American Softball Association National tournaments (1998, 2001, 2004), two National quarterfinals (1989, 1995) and 20 Michigan ASA state tournaments. The Saginaw Officials Association created a Hogey Holtz scholarship fund to assist new officials with clinical fees.