They call him “Big Daddy,” and pretty much everybody around Montana knows who they are talking about.

For a half a century, Russ Hansen has been running up and a down high school and college basketball courts, officiating the games. He has also been in the ring officiating boxing, mixed martial arts, bare-knuckle fights and any other kind of sanctioned fighting.

Before that, the Vietnam veteran grew up in the Mining City. He was a self-described “hood” who learned how to fight on the mean streets of Butte.

Hansen was the son of a miner who moved to Deer Lodge during the strike of 1959, and Russ excelled as an athlete at Powell County High School.

After two years in the Army, Hansen worked at the Job Corps, where he trained fighters and got his first experience refereeing basketball. Eventually, he went to barber school and moved to Missoula, where he still cuts hair today, even though he is in his late 70s.

Hansen is retiring as a high school basketball referee. His first high school game was on Dec. 12, 1974 — a date he has good reason to remember — and his last one will be this Saturday. Hansen is refereeing his final tournament this weekend in Deer Lodge.

Then, he will head to the fights Saturday night in Anaconda to referee in the ring. He has no plans of stopping that anytime soon.

Yesterday, I braved the horrible roads to meet with Hansen at the 6B District tournament, where he is officiating the girls’ action. We sat down in a table outside the gym for a fun conversation.

Listen in to this podcast as Hansen talks about growing up in Butte and moving to Deer Lodge. Listen as he talks about some of the games and athletes he has officiated in the ring and on the court.

Listen in as he talks about meeting his wife and how going to Vietnam ended up being a good thing for him. Listen to hear how he got the great nickname, ‘Big Daddy.”

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.