Dominic Vairo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Calumet, Michigan, U.S.
Calumet, Michigan, U.S.
| No. 35 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | End | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | November 2, 1913 Calumet, Michigan, U.S. | ||||
| Died | July 31, 2002 (aged 88) Calumet, Michigan, U.S. | ||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Listed weight | 203 lb (92 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school | Calumet (MI) | ||||
| College | Notre Dame (1931–1934) | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| |||||
| Career statistics | |||||
| |||||
Dominic Martin Vairo (November 2, 1913 – July 31, 2002) was an American professional football end. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, serving as team captain as a senior in 1934. He then played professionally for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1935, appearing in one game. After briefly playing for other non-NFL teams, he worked as a businessman and local official in his hometown of Calumet, Michigan.
Vairo was born on November 2, 1913, in Calumet, Michigan.[1] His father was an Italian immigrant and a tenant at the Italian Hall when the Italian Hall disaster occurred.[2] Vairo attended Calumet High School where he was a letterman in three sports: football, basketball, and track and field.[3] He also participated in tennis and hockey.[4] He served as team captain in both football and basketball, winning All-Upper Peninsula honors in the former while helping the latter compile an undefeated record in the 1929–30 season.[5][6] He graduated from Calumet in 1931 and enrolled at the University of Notre Dame later that year.[6][7]
College career
As a freshman at Notre Dame in 1931, Vairo "went out for every sport", according to the Associated Press, but received varsity letters in none of them.[5] In football, he was a substitute on the freshman team.[5] However, during the season, his jersey went missing and he was charged to pay for it.[4] Unable to, he was forced to drop the sport.[4] He also competed in almost every event in track and swimming in his attempt to receive a letter, but was unable to.[4] He tried out for football again as a sophomore and made the varsity team as a walk-on.[5][8] He then became a starter for the varsity at left end in the 1933 season.[5] He was named team captain for the 1934 season and served as the starting right end.[5][9] Playing under coach Elmer Layden, he helped Notre Dame compile a record of 6–3 in 1934 and was reportedly named an All-American.[3][5][10] In a game against Army that year, he caught a game-winning touchdown.[3] After the season, he was named the recipient of Notre Dame's Byron Kanaley Award, for "the senior letterman judged the most exemplary student and leader of men".[3] He graduated in 1935 cum laude with a degree in business administration.[6]
