Don Orr

Don Orr
Vanderbilt Commodores – No. 10
Position	Quarterback
Class	Graduate
Career history
College	Vanderbilt (1955)
Bowl games	Gator Bowl (1955);
Career highlights and awards
	Vanderbilt's first bowl victory;

Donald C. Orr was an American football player and official.^[1] He was born in Miami, Florida.^[2]

Vanderbilt University

Orr was a prominent quarterback for the Vanderbilt Commodores football teams of Vanderbilt University.^[1]

1955

Orr led Vanderbilt to its first bowl victory by defeating Auburn 25 to 13 in the 1955 Gator Bowl. He was selected Vanderbilt's MVP of the game, and received a standing ovation upon getting the award.^[3]^[4] Vandy's first two scores were a pass Orr to Joe Stephenson and a run by Orr respectively.^[5]

NFL draft

He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 26th round of the 1956 NFL draft; but he never talked to the team.^[1]

Official

Orr was a prominent National Football League (NFL) official for 25 seasons, from 1971 through 1995,^[4] and a field judge in three Super Bowls.^[1] He wore uniform number 77 for the majority of his NFL career. As a side judge in the 1979 AFC Championship Game between the Houston Oilers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Orr made a controversial incomplete pass call denying Oilers receiver Mike Renfro an apparent game-tying touchdown late in the third quarter.^[6] The Oilers subsequently settled for a field goal and went on to lose 27–13.^[6] The controversy prompted calls for the NFL to institute replay review.^[7]

Contracting

Though officially retired in 2006, Orr is chairman of the board of Nashville Machine Co., a mechanical contracting company.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Traughber, Bill (November 9, 2011). "Don Orr: Vandy QB to NFL official". Vanderbilt University Athletics. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
^ "Don Orr: Vandy QB to NFL official". Vanderbilt University Commodores. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
^ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records: Most Valuable Players in Former Major Bowls" (PDF). 2011 NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA.org. p. 96. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
^ ^a ^b Bill Traughber (2011). Vanderbilt Football:Tales Of Commodore Gridiron History. p. 128. ISBN 9781609494230.
^ "December 31st, 1955" (PDF).
^ ^a ^b Grimsley, Will (January 8, 1980). "NFL backing official". The Daily Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. Associated Press. p. 11.
^ Wolf, Mark (January 11, 1980). "An NFL Coverup on Renfro Call? Refs' Mistakes Part of Game". The Charlotte Observer. p. 3B.
^ "Where Are They Now?".

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[donorr-1] Traughber, Bill (November 9, 2011). "Don Orr: Vandy QB to NFL official". Vanderbilt University Athletics. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

[2] "Don Orr: Vandy QB to NFL official". Vanderbilt University Commodores. Retrieved February 28, 2023.

[MVP-3] National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Bowl/All-Star Game Records: Most Valuable Players in Former Major Bowls" (PDF). 2011 NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA.org. p. 96. Retrieved October 3, 2011.

[grid-4] Bill Traughber (2011). Vanderbilt Football:Tales Of Commodore Gridiron History. p. 128. ISBN 9781609494230.

[5] "December 31st, 1955" (PDF).

[Grimsley-6] Grimsley, Will (January 8, 1980). "NFL backing official". The Daily Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. Associated Press. p. 11.

[7] Wolf, Mark (January 11, 1980). "An NFL Coverup on Renfro Call? Refs' Mistakes Part of Game". The Charlotte Observer. p. 3B.

[8] "Where Are They Now?".

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