Farr, Roger

 

Roger Farr – (1993)

 

Roger Farr

Roger Farr began his athletic career in the mid 1950’s at Hawthorne Junior High. As a 150 lb. fullback he was an inside-outside runner with good acceleration and speed that helped Hawthorne capture the Junior High Football Championship three straight years. He was captain his final year. The same speed brought numerous track victories in the dashes and the relays and, as he added weight and power, he threw the shot.

By the time he reached Lorain High in 1956, Roger had grown to 185 lbs. and with 10.2 speed he was the leading scorer on the Junior Varsity squad. As a junior, Roger moved into varsity competition at offensive fullback and defensive guard, winding up with an honorable mention on the Buckeye Conference All-Star Team. Switching to halfback and linebacker in his senior year, Roger was the Steelers leading ground gainer and was named to the All-Buckeye Conference second team. One of the big surprises during Roger’s varsity competition was a solid 16-6 win over the state ranked Warren High Tigers led by future NFL Hall of Famer, Paul Warfield.

Farr’s participation in varsity track continued until his 1959 graduation. He remained prominent in the 100 and 220 dashes and the relay events.

By graduation, Roger had been contacted by a number of universities seeking his football talents. Iowa, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Marquette, Toledo and Ohio U led the parade. He was very keen on Iowa. His older brother had attended the school and he had visited Iowa twice, his junior year and three times his senior year to talk with all the coaches, except head coach Forrest Evasheski. Somewhat piqued at that scenario, Roger decided to play for Ohio University under coach Bill Hess, whom he immediately respected. It was a decision he never regretted. He enjoyed the school, the coach and graduated with a Sun Bowl ring and a National Small College Championship ring.

Sharing the fullback slot in his sophomore season of 1960, Roger was a member of Ohio’s Mid-American Conference Champions and played against Bowling Green in Ohio’s post season victory that brought the National College Championship to Athens, Ohio. Graduation losses depleted the 1961 squad and the season record fell to 5-4-1, even though, Roger now a punishing 215 lb. starting fullback had a commendable season. Rebounding the following year the team went 8-3 with Roger leading the team in scoring and yards gained and winding up 3rd in rushing in the conference race for the rushing title. Again, in post season play, Ohio was invited to the Sun Bowl and lost a 15-14 heartbreaker to West Texas State.

Inquiries then arrived from the San Diego Chargers and New York Titans of the NFL and Toronto and Hamilton of the CFL. Just married and holding a contract to teach in the Lorain City schools, Roger declined all try-out offers to settle into his duties at Lorain High.

During the 1963-1973 period, Farr tutored the offensive and defensive backs. He left that position from 1973-1976 to coach Lorain’s first Girls Cross-Country squad. He became Lorain track coach and organized and inaugurated the Lorain County Relays where over 1200 athletes performed.

Although he had a 24-1 Lorain County Class “G” Champion baseball aggregation, Roger’s favorite team was the Lorain High Girls Softball nine which established diamond domination from 1983 thru 1988. Roger forged over 100 wins on the team’s way to six straight City High School titles and four Buckeye Conference crowns in 1983-’85-’86-’87. Through these years over 15 girls made All-Conference. Deanna Dzambik was first team All-Ohio shortstop in 1986 and Roger was conference “Coach of the Year” in 1986 and 1987. In 1988 the club made the states “Sweet Sixteen”, only to be eliminated by Springfield Local, the 1988 state champions.