Referee attacked by coach in summer rec league game

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - It started with a summer rec league basketball game at the 48th and Woodland playground. Surveillance video shows 12 to 14-year-old boys competing on the court and 56-year-old Perry Ivory refereeing the game. That's when one of the coaches got angry over an out of bounds call.

"He started losing, He was down by like 14, so he said to me he was upset about a call," said Ivory.

Ivory and police say the coach called a time out and continued to argue, then out of nowhere the he punched Ivory in the face and knocked him out.

"Next thing I know I was waking up off the ground," said Ivory.

"The referee has his hands down, knocks him to the ground, he hits his head on the ground," said Southwest Detectives Lieutenant John Walker.

Ivory was unconscious for over five minutes. The coach just walked away and the players came to Ivory's assistance. He was hospitalized with a concussion for four days.

"I suffered a seizure while I was getting a scan on my brain. I was in the machine when I suffered a seizure," said Ivory.

Police now say the coach who threw the hay maker punch was 26-year-old Antjuan Hart. There's a warrant for his arrest for aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and a newer state charge, assault against a sports official.

"Sets a bad example. He wasn't doing good at all coaching cause he was yelling at other kids, the other team's kids. He was calling them names," said Ivory.

"Not only did the male commit this act, but as the commissioner was trying to talk to him as he was leaving he threatened to beat him up also," said Lieutenant Walker.

"Guys like that shouldn't even be in the league," said Ivory.