Paul David Kamanski dies at age 75

Paul David Kamanski, who won numerous track and field titles as a

coach at the high school and community college level, as well as a

longtime football official who helped pioneer “instant replay” in the

National Football League, died Saturday night from a cancer-related

illness in his home. He was 75.

Funeral services will be today at 1 p.m. at the Fairhaven Memorial

Park and Mortuary, in the Waverley Church, at 1702 Fairhaven Ave. in

Santa Ana.

Mr. Kamanski was born on August 6, 1924 and was a football and track

and field athlete at Eagle Rock High, as well at Newport Harbor High for

one year.

After winning three CIF championships as a track and field coach at

Bellflower High in the 1950s, Mr. Kamanski was head coach at Cerritos

College, where he received the California Coach’s Association Community

College Track and Field Coach of the Year Award in 1983.

Mr. Kamanski also was a football official for many years, starting

with the Orange County Football Association.

From there, Mr. Kamanski joined the Pac 8 Football Official’s

Association and eventually became one of the first referees in the United

States Football League.

While in the USFL, Mr. Kamanski helped to develop the concept of

“instant replay” in officiating, and when the NFL began using the system,

they asked him to be an NFL Replay Official, a position he held for

several years.