Matthew Swerdloff, who worked in real estate and was a lacrosse referee, died Saturday at Anne Arundel Medical Center after suffering a heart attack while refereeing a scrimmage at Anne Arundel Community College. He was 64.
"He was the Charley Eckman of lacrosse," said Joe "Spanky" Reppert, a lacrosse referee. "His colorful and flamboyant style, which always played to the crowd, never held him back from making the big call.
"The game has been his life since the 1950s. He lived lacrosse," Mr. Reppert said.
"He was interested in lacrosse promotion and development and was active in the creation of a national lacrosse officials association, and helped found the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Association, of which he was secretary at his death," said Steve Stenersen, executive director of the Lacrosse Foundation.
Mr. Swerdloff started his refereeing career in 1953, retired in 1973 and returned in 1986.
He also had been president of the Southern Lacrosse Officials Association and toured the nation arranging and teaching at clinics for officials.
"He was a hard worker who implemented summer lacrosse leagues when he founded Heroes in 1965, which also provided scholarships for players," said Scott Frederick, a lacrosse official for 37 years.
Mr. Swerdloff, a Mount Washington resident, was once general manager of the old Baltimore Bullets and head coach of the Maryland Lacrosse Club.
He was reared in Forest Park, where he played lacrosse for the Forest Park Cubs. In 1944, he graduated from City College, where he was an attackman on the lacrosse team.
He earned a bachelor's degree in 1952 and a law degree in 1955, both from the University of Baltimore.
He played lacrosse at UB and participated in the 1952 North-South Game at New York's Polo Grounds, earning an All-American honorable mention.
In recent years, Mr. Swerdloff worked in real estate.
Services were private.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, the former Arlene Baylin; two sons, Jon D. Swerdloff of Davidsonville and Matthew K. Swerdloff of New Carrollton; a brother, Arthur L. Swerdloff of Los Angeles; and three grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 17025, Baltimore 21203.