Ken Baker has made multi-million dollar decisions. He has been able to be on television and meet people like Steve Young.

Ken Baker was an NFL referee for eleven years.

Ken Baker, Director of the Recreation Center, has been a life-long resident of Charleston.

Baker was a tri-athlete at Charleston High School, playing football, baseball and basketball in high school. While at Eastern, Baker played football.

He graduated from Eastern in the undergraduate program in 1972 and then for his master’s degree in 1973. Baker taught for two years before going back to school to be an optician, a career he kept for 17 years.

“I realized after a few years I was missing sports in my life, which is when the refereeing came in,” Baker said.

This career led him away from Eastern and Charleston for some time.

Baker began officiating, starting at the bottom. He began his work at high school football games. He worked his way up through the ranks of small college and eventually to Big 10.

” I had people following me at all the games, paying attention to what I was doing,” Baker said.

His break came at a Notre Dame/ Purdue game. It was during this game that the NFL was looking at one of Baker’s colleagues. After the game, Baker applied in the NFL and hired not long after. Background checks were a part of the process the entire way.

Baker has a typical schedule when he has a game to officiate. He arrives the day before for every game. On this day, he has five hours of meetings to sit through regarding the games. He must also take a written test regarding the rules of the game.

Baker returned to Eastern in 1994 to teach. In 2000, he became the director of the Recreation Center.

“I just enjoy working with students, they’re so energetic and smart,” Baker said.

Baker’s position in officiating can be stressful.

“Stress is in the eye of the beholder,” Baker said. “Going through the airport is actually most stressful.”

As an NFL employee, Baker is under tight restriction. He cannot go to Las Vegas without bodyguards. If he were to be under the suspicion of driving under the influence, he would be immediately fired.

“I understand it, because there are so many bets placed on the football games,” Baker said.

Baker has not spent much time getting into arguments with the players or coaches.

“It takes two to argue and I’m not one to argue,” Baker said.

Baker now spends his time in the reply booth. He retired from the field in 2001, after the events of September 11 and loss in his family.

“Refereeing is not supposed to be fun, there is a lot riding on it,” Baker said. “It is fulfilling to know that you’ve reached the pinnacle your field.”

Baker considers his family to be of top priority.

“My number one job will always be with Eastern,” Baker said.

Ken Baker, director of the student recreation center updates the apportionment board members on the new recreation equipment ordered for the students of Eastern Illinois University Thrusday night in the Arcola/Tuscola room in the Martin Luther King Jr. st

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