Before 1878, a referee trying to get players’ attention was left to waive a white handkerchief in the air. It was an imperfect practice, asking an infractor to be self-aware enough to look for a doffed doily after hard contact. The game forever changed when Joseph Hudson, a Birmingham-bred tool maker who founded Acme Whistles, showed up to an FA Cup match in 1878 with his signature product in tow.
On Tuesday, nearly 150 years after Hudson’s innovation, referee Steven Madrigal paid the architect a hearty tribute.
