Mark Baltz
Encyclopedia
Mark Baltz is an American football official in the National Football League
(NFL) since the 1989 NFL season
. He has worked as a head linesman throughout his entire career in the NFL and has been assigned to 19 post-season games, including five conference championship games (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004). He wears the uniform number 26.
Baltz is a native of Lancaster, Ohio
and a graduate of Ohio University
, where he began his officiating career in 1967, while attending college, working both Ohio
high school
football
and basketball
games until 1970.
In 1971, Mark moved to Indiana
and continued to officiate football and basketball games at the high school level where he worked two state championship games in football before moving to the college level in 1984. He continues to officiate high school basketball, beginning his 44th season in 2010-11. He has worked three state championship games in 1999, 2003 and 2006.
In 1984, Baltz joined the Mid-American Conference
(Division I-A) where he served as referee (crew chief) until moving to the Big Ten Conference
(Division I-A). In the Big Ten, he officiated in three bowl games as head linesman in his five years in the conference before being accepted to the NFL in 1989.
Along with his 19 post-season assignments in the NFL, Mark served as referee in NFL Europe
for three seasons between 1999 and 2001 and has served as Treasurer
on the National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA) board beginning in June 2000.
Mark is married to Nicki, and have with two sons, Brett and Brandon, along with 5 grandchildren. Outside of the NFL, Mark serves on the Indiana Officials Association board, a founding Director of the Indiana Football Officials Association, an Associate Director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and is self-employed as a sales consultant and is a public speaker. He resides in Zionsville, Indiana
.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) since the 1989 NFL season
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
. He has worked as a head linesman throughout his entire career in the NFL and has been assigned to 19 post-season games, including five conference championship games (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004). He wears the uniform number 26.
Baltz is a native of Lancaster, Ohio
Lancaster, Ohio
Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,780. It is located near the Hocking River, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fairfield County...
and a graduate of Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
, where he began his officiating career in 1967, while attending college, working both Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
games until 1970.
In 1971, Mark moved to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and continued to officiate football and basketball games at the high school level where he worked two state championship games in football before moving to the college level in 1984. He continues to officiate high school basketball, beginning his 44th season in 2010-11. He has worked three state championship games in 1999, 2003 and 2006.
In 1984, Baltz joined the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
(Division I-A) where he served as referee (crew chief) until moving to the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
(Division I-A). In the Big Ten, he officiated in three bowl games as head linesman in his five years in the conference before being accepted to the NFL in 1989.
Along with his 19 post-season assignments in the NFL, Mark served as referee in NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
for three seasons between 1999 and 2001 and has served as Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
on the National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA) board beginning in June 2000.
Mark is married to Nicki, and have with two sons, Brett and Brandon, along with 5 grandchildren. Outside of the NFL, Mark serves on the Indiana Officials Association board, a founding Director of the Indiana Football Officials Association, an Associate Director of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and is self-employed as a sales consultant and is a public speaker. He resides in Zionsville, Indiana
Zionsville, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,775 people, 3,063 households, and 2,407 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,512.9 people per square mile . There were 3,169 housing units at an average density of 546.4 per square mile...
.
Awards
- 2005 NFHS Officials Association State Award Winner http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va_Custom/vimdisplays/contentpagedisplay.cfm?content_id=769