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Bruce Weinstock’s message will be very simple when he delivers the eulogy of his mentor and best friend today.
Everyone should have a Harvey Miller in their life.
Miller, a well-respected athlete, basketball official and businessman who received a heart transplant 12 years ago, passed away Tuesday following a lengthy illness at the age of 72. The Kingston resident was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Jewish Community Center Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
“Harvey Miller was my mentor,” said Weinstock, a longtime basketball official and former standout player at GAR High School and Wilkes College. “I loved him dearly. He had the strength to overcome physical obstacles, even when people counted him out. He had strength of character, a special charisma, and a magnetic smile.
“Everyone should have the joy of having a Harvey Miller in their life.”
Miller earned three letters each in basketball and baseball during his days at Kingston High School, where he graduated in 1954. Although he enjoyed playing sports, Miller had a desire to participate in basketball in another capacity – as an official.
Miller began officiating youth basketball games in 1952 at the Jewish Community Center on River Street in Wilkes-Barre when he was 16 years old. He advanced to the high school level – becoming a PIAA official as a 21-year-old – before becoming a professional referee in the semi-pro and professional level.
“He was an excellent basketball official and a very, very fine person,” said longtime local basketball coach Jim Atherton, who knew Miller for more than 60 years. “As an official, he certainly knew the rules. But he also had the right demeanor toward the coaches. He had knowledge of the game, but I think his personality was a big factor in his success.
“I enjoyed my friendship with Harvey through the years. I’m so saddened (by his passing).”
Miller began his career as a professional basketball official in 1959. He spent several years as a referee in the former Eastern Professional Basketball League and got his big break when he attended a training camp for prospective NBA referees in 1963.
The camp led to an officiating position in the former American Basketball Association. Miller was an official in the ABA for six years during the height of the league’s popularity, officiating games that featured some of the best-known players in the game – including Julius Erving, Rick Berry, Artis Gilmore and David Thompson.
A heart problem cut short Miller’s officiating career in 1972 at the age of 32. He had open heart surgery four years later, the first of many medical procedures he endured. On March 21, 1996, Miller underwent a heart transplant operation at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia.
“If it wasn’t for the heart illness, Harvey would have gone on to become of the best officials in the NBA,” Weinstock said. “No doubt about it. He commanded a game like no other. People loved him. Fans in the stands would cheer for him. Who cheers for a basketball official? That’s how well-respected he was.”
Following his basketball officiating days, Miller operated Globe Furniture and Carpet Center in Wilkes-Barre. He stayed active in basketball, working as a scorekeeper at Luzerne County Community College and, more recently, at King’s College.
“He loved the game,” Weinstock said. “He loved talking with me about the game. We had some very special times together. There’s a major void in my life.”
Funeral services for Miller will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Rosenberg Funeral Chapel, 348 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre. Interment will be in Temple Israel Cemetery, Swoyersville. Shiva will be observed from 7-9 p.m. today and 2-4 p.m. Friday at the Woodlands Inn & Resort in Plains Township.