Jon Bible began his officiating career at the age of 17, working Little League baseball games.

Something that started out as a part-time way to earn a little money has turned into nearly 40 years of enjoyable labor.

Bible, 55, is an example of the quintessential NCAA official who has worked baseball and football at both the intercollegiate and professional levels. After his professional baseball career ended after three years at Class AA in the Minnesota Twins organization, he found time to be an assistant attorney general for the state of Texas and a professor of undergraduate law at Texas State University-San Marcos.

Bible also served as the national coordinator for NCAA baseball umpires from 1990 to 1996.

No matter what direction his non-sports profession headed, Bible also has incorporated time to be an official.

"I enjoyed it and was successful at it," said Bible, who has two undergraduate degrees and a master's and law degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. "I had some good breaks. I've always gotten along with coaches and players. I never had much trouble. It's one of those deals where if I had trouble I probably wouldn't have stuck with it. But I never really did have trouble. I've been fortunate."

He also has been very good at his work. From 1970 to 1973, he worked as a minor league umpire and had a good chance to become an American League umpire, but he decided against that lifestyle after he got married.

He began umpiring college baseball in 1974 and gained respect from coaches, particularly in the former Southwest Conference. They recommended him to work NCAA regionals, and eventually he earned his first College World Series assignment in 1979.

"Back then there wasn't an umpiring program like there is now," Bible said. "It was totally (by recommendation of) coaches. You could go to the College World Series two years in a row, then you'd have to sit two out. I ended up doing 25 Division I regionals and seven trips to Omaha."

He started refereeing Southwest Conference football games in 1987 and continued until 1996, when he made the jump to NFL side judge. There were unique differences between his days of being in charge at the NCAA football level compared to being a side judge in pro football.

"Until I went to the NFL I never saw a tape of myself or videos of what to call and what not to call," Bible said. "We have so many camps and clinics in all sports. If somebody is starting out, they can go to a classroom-type of things where they can learn things that took me 10 years on the field to figure out. The training is so much better than it used to be."

After three seasons in the NFL, Bible returned to intercollegiate sports to referee in the Big 12 Conference, where he has worked that league's last three championship games.

The college game fit his schedule better, too. He teaches business law and employment law on Monday nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Through the years, he also has had to master the nuances of each sport.

"Baseball is weird because you have to call something all the time," Bible said. "In football and basketball, you can have a no-call. In baseball you always have to call ball, strike, safe or out. It's a different creature. I did basketball for 15 years. Like football, you have to have a good feel for what matters and what should be called and what should be ignored. One thing that hurt me in the NFL is that I never had that kind of training, particularly as a side judge.''

Since 1980, Bible has written regularly for Referee Magazine. His articles typically center on practical matters such as communication and philosophical topics involved in officiating.

"You have to understand the game," Bible said. "I don't think you have to have played it, but I think it helps. I know some people who are really good officials who never played a game in their lives. But they are the exception and not the rule. You have to have good communication skills and be willing to listen."