Norman Crawford was a master at getting things started at a track meet ... any track meet.

"I'd have to say our four starters at the track championships are as good as any," said the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association's associate executive director, Robert Lombardi. "And Norm was one of the best."

"One of his famous quotes was, 'The track belongs to the athletes, but the starting line belongs to me,' " said Mark Schwartz, a longtime friend of Mr. Crawford and the USA Track & Field Three Rivers Association's men's and women's open and masters chairman.

Mr. Crawford, who worked as a track official at Olympic Games in 1984 and 1996, and four U.S. Olympic trials along with countless international meets, died Tuesday of complications following surgery. He was 88.

While he worked in a number of capacities at track meets, he was best-known for his ability as a starter. His soothing voice and even commands, especially at the PIAA, Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League or City League championships, would ease runners' tension before a race.

"That was one of the amazing things about him," said University of Pittsburgh track coach Alonzo Webb, who ran at Peabody High School and later coached with Mr. Crawford in the Jesse Owens program in the city. "He just always had a calming influence on the kids."

A Coraopolis resident, Mr. Crawford was a standout sprinter in high school. He carried that ability with him to North Africa in World War II, where he won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump at the U.S. Army West African Track Championship.

He got involved coaching track when he returned home after the war and that led to his becoming an official. He credited his background as a sprinter to helping make him a better starter.

"To be a starter, you should be a sprinter because then you know all the trials and tribulations of starting," he said shortly after working the PIAA championships at Shippensburg University in 2006. Mr. Crawford was a starter at the PIAA meet for more than 30 years.

He was to receive the Distinguished Service Award at the PIAA Officials' convention this weekend in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Mr. Crawford had been a PIAA registered track and field official since 1974.

"As a starter you have to have quick reflexes and his were as quick as they had ever been," Mr. Lombardi said of Mr. Crawford's work at the PIAA championships. "His reflexes were second to none."

What wasn't widely known was that Mr. Crawford, who was a retired civil service worker and served on the Cornell school board, was also an outstanding coach. He coached the Pennsylvania Striders, a girls-only team, and helped out with other area track clubs in Western Pennsylvania for a number of years. In the early 1970s, he pushed to have the WPIAL include girls' track.

Mr. Crawford was honored in 2007 as one of the 16 individuals in the WPIAL's initial Hall of Fame class. He has also been inducted into the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches High School Hall of Fame. In December, he was inducted into the USA Track & Field National Officials Committee Hall of Fame's second class.

Two years ago Mr. Crawford was honored by friends and area track coaches and officials at a luncheon. Afterward, people asked Mr. Schwartz if Mr. Crawford was retiring.

"He's not going to retire," Mr. Schwartz said. "If someone needs him to start the 800 at a middle school meet, he'll do it."

Mr. Crawford is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a daughter, Beverly Henderson, and three grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Copeland Funeral Home in Coraopolis. A funeral will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Mount Oliver Baptist Church, Hiland Ave., Coraopolis.