Don Porter is semi-retired now. He’s no longer the official president of the International Softball Federation but, as honorary president, he still keeps an office in the building.
But, one of the first things someone will see when they walk in is the little bookshelf with the glass-encased football and, resting on that, Porter’s old, yellow challenge flag.
“Once an official, always an official,” he says.
They’re just a couple of the things that he’s held onto from his four seasons as an NFL official, having worked from 1976 to 1979 before leaving to focus on the ISF.
Porter also has a plaque, given to him by the league, and a few pictures hanging on the wall above the shelf. There he is, working the sideline in a Cincinnati Bengals-Cleveland Browns game. And, below that are several game programs — plenty from Tampa Bay Buccaneers games.
Football was Porter’s first passion, from his playing days in high school through the semi-pros to working the NCAA and NFL sidelines as an official.
“My involvement with softball was just one side of what I did,” he says. “The other side was that I played football — in high school, college, and semi-pro football — and I always enjoyed being able to play the game.”
FIRST-TIME OFFICIAL
After high school, Porter served in the military during the Korean War and was stationed in Japan. It was there that he got his first experience as an official, with a little bit of a wake-up call.
“I had no idea about officiating,” Porter says. “I had played the game but had never officiated, at that point. At that time, I was a corporal. I went up to the field where they were having the game, and the other officials were there. One was a captain, another was a major, and the other was a colonel. We officiated this game, and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was great. I’m throwing yellow flags all over the place.
“We got down to the last quarter of the game, and it was kind of dragging on because we had a lot of penalties,” he says. “I remember this colonel, he came over to me and said, ‘Corporal … keep that yellow flag in your pants! We want to get out of here, we want to get to the P.X. before they close it!’
“So, I said, ‘OK, Colonel. Certainly, sir,’” Porter says. “And, I never threw any more flags.”
After returning to America, Porter decided to get back on the field as a player. He played quarterback at East Los Angeles College, and then in the now-defunct Southern California Semi-Professional League with the San Fernando Lions.
“I played one time with a broken leg and a broken arm,” he says. “I took a beating. I remember, during the course of that game, I got hit two or three times, got my arm and leg broken, and continued to play. It didn’t get worse until after the game. After the game, my wife wanted to go with the rest of the players to a party, where they had a dance. I went to that and couldn’t even move. I couldn’t even get up. My wife asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ I said, ‘I think I’ve got some problems.’
“She drove me to the hospital,” Porter says. “She was pregnant at the time, and they’re wheeling me in to the hospital. The doctor asks, ‘Who’s the patient?’ He saw my wife, who was pregnant, and me. They got my leg in a cast, and my arm in a cast, and my wife said, ‘Don’t you think it’s time you give this up?’ And, that was the end of it.”
It was also the start of his career as an official.
MOVING AROUND
When Porter’s softball duties called him to New Jersey, he spent his free time working football games. When the ISF decided to move to Oklahoma, wanting to build the Hall of Fame and Museum, Porter went, too. It was there that he moved up in the ranks, working NCAA football games for the Big Eight (now the Big 12) Conference.
His several years in the college ranks drew the interest of both the NFL and the emerging United States Football League in 1976, and both entities offered him jobs.
“(The USFL) offered a job to me, and they made several offers to me that sounded very attractive,” Porter says. “Thing is, I didn’t know how stable the USFL was going to be.”
So, he chose the NFL. A “good decision,” he calls it to this day.
It did mean that he’d have a rigorous travel schedule, though —the closest game for Porter would have been in Dallas, but he often had to go as far north as Seattle and Buffalo. Every weekend, he was in a different part of the country.
But, it came with some memorable outings. Porter worked Joe Namath’s final game, as well as O.J. Simpson’s, and was also on the crew for the final game of the Buccaneers’ infamous winless season. He’s dealt with his fair share of notable coaches, specifically naming John Madden as the one guy who always was a lock to scream his head off at the crew. No. 2, he says, would probably have been Don Shula.
His fondest memory, though, was coming full circle on a Monday night. An L.A. Rams fan as a boy, Porter was thrilled when he got the chance to work one of their nationally televised night games.
“One of the games I recall, back in the NFL, is that I worked a Monday night game at the Los Angeles Coliseum with the Rams and the 49ers,” Porter says. “I was from Los Angeles, of course, and I remember my high school days — we used to go to the Coliseum and watch games. We were awestruck, not only by the college games but also by the professional games. I remember going there and, sometimes, we would even sneak in. Climb over a fence. Go to these games.
“I find myself there, years later, on the field in a Monday night NFL game,” he says. “It was just the idea, you know, of looking back to when I was younger, in high school, playing football and loving the game. There I am, on the field in a game that’s being seen all over the country.”
THE RIGHT CALL
That travel schedule created a huge conflict when Porter’s softball duties grew. He’d have to work Redskins-Giants in D.C. on one night, then fly to Europe for a few days in the morning, and then travel to New York on the weekend to work a Bills game.
“I had this NFL thing I loved to do, but I wanted to do this thing for the Olympic quest,” he says. “I think that was the thing that sent me off — I had to make a decision as to what was more important.”
He walked off the gridiron in 1979 and went straight into a long, successful career with the ISF. He left the NFL with plenty of fond memories, and enough money from his paychecks to send his kids to college. He had some difficulty watching football for some time, though, because he couldn’t always keep track of the players.
“When I first stopped, it was very difficult to watch or go to a game — I was very critical of the officials, and I’d watch them more than the players,” Porter says. “It took me a while to get off of that.”
He’s gotten better about it, but isn’t an avid a fan as he once was. Still, though — he’s proud enough of his NFL memories to display them prominently in his office, and has plenty of stories to share.
Like he says: Once an official, always an official.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
WHO’S WHO?
The most common term for an official is “referee.” Although it’s widely used as a universal descriptor, there’s much more to a crew than just that. What do all of those guys do out there?
Referee: The official with the final say in all decisions. Look for the white hat.
Umpire: The official lined up with the defense, five yards off of the line of scrimmage. He or she is responsible for making calls at the line, recording timeouts and scores and drying off the ball, among other things.
Head Linesman: The official on the sideline, directly lined up with the line of scrimmage. He or she is the one checking for illegal motions, marking forward progress and eligible receivers, and keeping tabs on the chain gang.
Line Judge: Lines up opposite the head linesman, and assists on many of the same calls. Also keeps an eye on the timing of the game and any substitutions.
Back Judge: The official lined up 20 yards past the line of scrimmage, on the defensive side. He or she is mainly responsible for ruling on the legality of catches, pass interferences, and made or missed field goals.
Field Judge: This official is lined up 25 yards past the line of scrimmage, on the defensive side. He or she also rules on passing plays, but also rules on scoring plays and keeps track of the game and play clocks.
Side Judge: Has the same duties and positioning as the back judge, but stands near the other sideline.