Ronald Gibbs

Ronald James Gibbs (June 29, 1900 – March 12, 1985) was an American football player, coach, and referee.

Gibbs was a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He served as the school's head football coach in 1929.

Gibbs served as a college basketball and National Football League official. He officiated 15 NFL Championship games and three NCAA Tournament championship games, including the 1950 National Title game.

Gibbs was a referee in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, a contest commonly called "The Greatest Game ever Played". The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants in sudden death overtime, 23–17.

During the fourth quarter of that game, Giants player Frank Gifford appeared to gain a first down, but Gibbs marked the ball short of the line to gain. For many years, Gifford maintained that Gibbs erred and, in doing so, cost the Giants the game. However, an analysis performed by ESPN in 2008 vindicated Gibbs' spot of the ball.