John Vanak was a referee in the American Basketball Association

American Basketball Association

The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...

 and the National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

.

In 1969, when the upstart American Basketball Association was raiding the NBA for talent, Vanak, along with three other top NBA "lead" referees — Joe Gushue

Joe Gushue

Joe Gushue was a highly respected referee in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association.In 1969, when the upstart American Basketball Association was raiding the NBA for talent, Gushue, along with three other top NBA "lead" referees—John Vanak, Earl Strom, and Norm...

, Earl Strom

Earl Strom

Earl "Yogi" Strom was a professional basketball referee for 29 years in the National Basketball Association and for three years in the American Basketball Association . Strom is credited as the greatest referee in the history of the NBA and was known for his flamboyant style and ability to...

 and Norm Drucker

Norm Drucker

Norm Drucker was a major influence in professional basketball officiating for over thirty-five years.He refereed in the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1969...

 - jumped to the ABA with multi-year contracts paying much higher salaries than NBA officials received. As a result, professional officiating salaries dramatically increased.

Vanak officiated in the 1966 NBA All-Star Game

1966 NBA All-Star Game

GAME 16: at Cincinnati, Jan. 11, 1966MVP: Adrian SmithCoaches: East: Red Auerbach, West: Fred Schaus.-Eastern Conference: -Western Conference: -Score by Periods: *Halftime— East, 63-36*Third Quarter— East, 101-68*Officials: Norm Drucker and John Vanak...

, 1970 ABA All-Star Game

1970 ABA All-Star Game

GAME 3: at Indiana State Fair Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana, January 24, 1970MVP: Spencer Haywood, Denver RocketsCoaches:* East: Bob Leonard, Indiana Pacers* West: Babe McCarthy, New Orleans Buccaneers-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference:...

, 1972 ABA All-Star Game

1972 ABA All-Star Game

GAME 5: at Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky, January 29, 1972MVP: Dan Issel, Kentucky ColonelsCoaches:* East: Joe Mullaney, Kentucky Colonels* West: LaDell Andersen, Utah Stars-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods:...

, 1974 ABA All-Star Game

1974 ABA All-Star Game

GAME 7: at Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, Virginia, January 30, 1974MVP: Artis Gilmore, Kentucky ColonelsCoaches:* East: Babe McCarthy, Kentucky Colonels* West: Joe Mullaney, Utah Stars-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods:...

, 1977 NBA Finals

1977 NBA Finals

The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1976-77 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference played against the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their 4 regular season meetings had been...

, 1979 NBA All-Star Game

1979 NBA All-Star Game

GAME 29: at Detroit, Feb. 4, 1979MVP: David ThompsonCoaches: East: Dick Motta, West: Lenny Wilkens.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 80-58*Third Quarter— West, 104-98...

, 1980 NBA Finals

1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979–80 NBA season.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP. But midway through Game 5, the Laker center suffered a severely sprained ankle. He managed to come back in the game in the 4th quarter to lead the Lakers to victory...

, 1981 NBA Finals

1981 NBA Finals

The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season, pitting the Boston Celtics against the Houston Rockets.-Houston Rockets:...

, 1983 NBA Finals

1983 NBA Finals

The 1983 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1982–83 NBA season.-Overview:The final piece of the Philadelphia 76ers' championship puzzle was completed before the 1982-83 season when they acquired center Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets...

, 1984 NBA All-Star Game

1984 NBA All-Star Game

-Rosters:-Score by Periods: *Halftime— West, 76-62*Third Quarter— East, 107-99...

 and 1985 NBA Finals

1985 NBA Finals

The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season.The Boston Celtics were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19...