UNI Black History Month Feature: Mike Allen made his mark as outstanding wrestling referee

Photo of Mike Allen officiating a college wrestling match courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa.

Mike Allen said he was blessed to have two families while making his mark as a young man in Waterloo and then later on during his years as a two-sport athlete at the University of Northern Iowa.

"I had my biological family growing up in Waterloo and then when I came to UNI I had another family of great coaches who gravitated toward me," Allen said. "Betty and Willie Allen were the best parents. They set strong family values. It was very religious and they also set educational values. My mom got her degree from Gates College and it was stressed to us that my three brothers, two sisters and I were to do the same. All of us got our college degrees because of the values set by our parents."
Betty Allen's reach was far and wide. She was very active in the Waterloo Women's Civic Club and started a scholarship (Betty Allen Scholarship) back in 1950 that continues to be handed out today to needy families and local groups. In fact, current UNI softball player Jaclyn Spencer was awarded a $500 gift in 2016.
"I didn't need role models like Charles Barkley once famously was quoted," Allen said. "I had my mom and my dad. I didn't need to look at Willie Mays or Hank Aaron. My dad and mom were the Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta King of our neighborhood."
Allen said his dad went to work every day at 6:36 a.m. at the Rath Packing Co. of Waterloo. Willie would mop floors and use the buffering machine.
"I wasn't ashamed of what we did," Allen said. "We knew what we had to do."
Allen said his own days of mopping were limited though and two assassinations played into that.
"A tear dropped for me when they killed John F. Kennedy," Allen said. "I never mopped another floor when they killed King. Martin Luther King Jr. was our black Moses."
Allen said he never knew of racial tensions growing up in Waterloo because everywhere you turned everyone looked the same to him.
"All the kids in our school were black," Allen said. "Whenever we went to the grocery store all the folks were black. I didn't know of any racial divide even though I only had two black teachers – Mrs. Ferguson in fifth grade and James Jackson was my science teacher."
He wrapped himself in sports and there was plenty of success to keep him going.
"I didn't really have any goals other than to please my mom and dad," Allen said. "I kept playing sports and I kept getting encouraged by coaches to do my best. You have to remember we had a 57-game football winning streak at Waterloo East at that time."
Allen was good enough to extend his playing career to Ellsworth Junior College and that eventually led him to chance to play football and wrestle at the University of Northern Iowa.
He got the opportunity to compete for legendary coaches Stan Sheriff, Don Erusha and Chuck Patten.
"They truly were my second family," Allen said. "Those great coaches gravitated toward me. They didn't want me to miss a class or miss a practice. If I did, somehow they knew right away about it and would seek me out."
Allen said he didn't have a normal college life but not in the way you might think.
"I was married at 18 and we had two kids by the time I got to UNI in 1970," Allen said. "I was either in class, in practice or with my family. I was aware of some of the racial tension on campus at the time but those coaches were always looking after me too. If you played for Don Erusha it didn't matter who you were. He was up in your butt in no matter what you did."
Allen would get his degree from UNI in physical education and health. He would add a master's in elementary school administration.
Allen was serving as an assistant wrestling coach at Waterloo Central for head coach Gene Luttrell when he was presented with another opportunity to make his mark.
"I was coaching with Gene and I was questioning some calls on the mat," Allen said. "Gene said if you think you can do it better, then you should take the officiating test. It was an open book test and I took it and passed. So I began my journey as a wrestling official."
Allen began his officiating career in middle schools in the Cedar Valley and numerous small towns around northeast Iowa. Eventually he worked his way through the ranks.
His first big match came after Bob Siddens had been double booked and he called Allen to see if he would be interested in doing the Oregon State-Iowa State match in Hilton Coliseum on Jan. 19, 1981. Allen jumped at the opportunity.
"I walked into Hilton and ran into the Oregon State coach who said 'I always get screwed when I come to Iowa,' and I told him 'I'll try and do the best I can do,'" Allen said. "When the match was over I went over to sign the book and he came over and told me 'You screwed up both sides but it was fair and if you continue to be fair you'll be absolutely fine."
He was more than fine as Allen became the first African-American to work the state tournament finals in the state of Iowa, the Big Ten finals and the NCAA finals.
"I was different," Allen said. "I was a black guy looking like Hercules with my big afro and fu Manchu beard.
Allen credits former Arizona State and Iowa State wrestling coach Bobby Douglas for toning down his style.
"Bobby pulled me aside once and said you can't come out of the stands and officiate looking like you do with the long black sideburns and afro," Allen said. "I made some changes and it was for the best."
Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum Kyle Klingman said you knew who was in charge of the action when Allen drew the assignment.
"Mike had a huge presence when he was on the mat," Klingman said. "Part of that comes from being physically large in stature. He had arms that popped out of his striped shirt and that physical appearance made Mike appear intimidating. Mike stood out as the best official in the country and the wrestling community recognized him for his work. Tempers can flair, but Mike always had a grasp on the rules and, more important, he had a grasp on how to handle coaches during their most volatile state. He had a remarkable way of explaining his decisions."
Allen would go on to work 23 NCAA Division I championships and be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame before retiring from officiating in 2009.
KIingman said when it came to calling matches in a fair manner – look no further than Allen.
"Mike had a unique ability to officiate wrestling matches in a calm and efficient way," Klingman said. "He knew how to call stalling and to keep action moving, partly because he stalled when he competed and partly because he has exceptional vision for the sport when he was on the mat. More officials should take Mike's lead on how to call a quality wrestling match. His impact on wrestling is that every participant received a fair match when he was an official. That's what every competitor wants. Mike paved the way for officials. Period. His legacy is less about color and more about being the master of his craft."
Klingman said that Allen called some of the most important matches in college wrestling history.
"I always joke with Mike that he's the most famous official in our sport since he is featured on so many posters," Klingman said. "Cael Sanderson went 159-0 as a college wrestler at Iowa State and Mike officiated number 159. That singular achievement shows the high level that Mike attained."
Allen has not strayed far from wrestling since then and he currently serves as the coordinator of wrestling officials for the Big Ten, Big 12 and Mid-American Conference.
"I was able to earn this job based on what I did when I was an official," Allen said. "I was a gentleman. That's the way my mom and dad would have wanted it."