Walter J. West
West as a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Panthers in 1942 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 26, 1917 Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | September 13, 1984 (aged 66) Carlsbad, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1941–1942 | Pittsburgh |
| 1943 | Randolph Field |
| 1944 | Cleveland Rams |
| Position(s) | Quarterback, fullback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1946–1948 | Geneva (assistant) |
| 1949–1952 | Geneva |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 18–14–2 |
Walter James West (October 26, 1917 – September 13, 1984) was an American football player and coach.
Playing career
[edit]West played quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh for the Panthers during the 1941 and 1942 seasons, graduating from the university with a bachelor of science from the School of Education in 1943.[1] Thereafter entering the Army, West played fullback for the intercollegiate football team fielded by the Army Air Forces' Randolph Field base in 1943. That season the Randolph Field Ramblers achieved a 9–1 record and appeared in the 1944 Cotton Bowl Classic.[2]
Cleveland Rams
[edit]West played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Rams in 1944 and was the leading rusher for the team that year.[3] He played in nine games that year and carried the ball 66 times for a total of 220 yards and scored one touchdown.[4] He also pulled in 9 receptions for an additional 64 yards and played some on defense, recording two interceptions.[5]
Coaching career
[edit]High school
[edit]Prior to coaching in college, West coached high school football and basketball at Leechburg High School.[2]
Geneva College
[edit]West was named the 21st head football coach at the Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He held that position for four years, from 1949 until 1952. His coaching record at Geneva was 18–14–2.[6] Geneva College fans generally consider him among the best coaches the school has had.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ University of Pittsburgh Commencement 1943. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. June 2, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- ^ a b Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "West named Geneva Coach" May 7, 1949
- ^ Pro Football Reference 1944 Cleveland Rams Statistics
- ^ Database Football Archived February 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Walt West
- ^ Database Football Archived January 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine 1944 Cleveland Rams
- ^ "Geneva College coaching records". Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
- ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "The Geneva Story: A Winning Fairy Tale" by Marino Parascenzo November 3, 1971
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
- 1917 births
- 1984 deaths
- American football fullbacks
- American football quarterbacks
- Cleveland Rams players
- Geneva Golden Tornadoes football coaches
- Pittsburgh Panthers football players
- Randolph Field Ramblers football players
- High school basketball coaches in Pennsylvania
- High school football coaches in Pennsylvania
- Players of American football from Washington County, Pennsylvania
- Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania