Page 16-Friday, October 31, 1980-The Michigan Daily
1941 ALL-AMERICAN
All-time great
West all
remembered
By MARK FISCHER
There aren't any 5-7, 178 lb. All-
American fullbacks in the Big: Ten
anymore. Not many big time athletes
play with asthma, either. Then again,
it's no longer 1941. But most importan-
tly, the last man who fit that description
isi't around anymore.
Bob Westfall, Michigan's captain and
a unanimous All-American in 1941, died
a week ago at the age of 61, from lunf
disease and heart failure.
ALTHOUGH IT was only in the last
couple years that they became critical,
respiratory ailments plagued the
chronically asthmatic Westfall his
whole life. Yet, as his friends and for-
mer teammates will tell you, the stocky
gridder was a tough man to bring
down-on and off the field.
In fact, according to Fritz Crisler, his
former coach, Westfall was "successful
at everything he attempted-except he
began having some serious medical dif-
ficulties two or three years ago."
Westfall, who was certainly suc-
cessful as the founder and president of
the Adrian Steel Corporation, had to cut
short much of his activities there at that
time. Several weeks ago, though, he
refused one last time to be kept down,
and he returned to the business.
"WE WERE ALL very much
delighted to have him back," said
Crisler, who served on the company's
board of directors. "Misfortune just
caught up with him again."
Westfall never let the misfortune of
his asthma catch up to him when he was
at Michigan, however, for he played on
in spite of it.
"Bob was real tough," said Forest
Evashevski, who, along with Tom
Harmon and Paul Kromer, played
beside Westfall to form one of the best
backfields in the country. "He (West-
fall used to carry a vile with him and
had to take medication at halftime and
Collegiate Institute for Values and Science
announces
THE WARNER- LAMBERT SCIENCE
t
AND PUBLIC COLLOQUIUM
t
during practice."
TED KENNEDY, who played center
in front of Westfall for the four years
. (1938-41) they were at Michigan
together, recalled that the fullback
"had asthmaattacks so bad he could
hardly breathe," but that "he was a
very courageous player."
"I remember," said Kennedy, "one
night before a big Minnesota game-it
was for the national champion-
ship-Bob had an attack, and they
wouldn't let him into health service-he
didn't have the right cards or
something like that. He had to crawl
home on his hands and knees that night.
but he played the next day."
Westfall played what was known as
the "spinner fullback" position. In
Michigan's "spinner series," said Ken-
nedy, the ball would be snapped direc-
tly to Westfall, who then had the options
of handing it off to the tailback or the
wingback, or keeping it himself.
APPARENTLY, the Ann Arbor
native knew what to do with the ball.
when he did keep it, for in his senior
year he led the Wolverines' ground at-
tack with 688 yards. Four years later,
after a stint in the Air Force, he led the
1945 Detroit Lions in rushing and
scoring as well.
Although he wasn't big-especially
by today's standards-Westfall was
"stocky and physically constituted to
play the position," noted Kennedy. "He
was the premier spinning fullback in
the country."
William Melzow, who was a lineman
on the same teams as Westfall,
elaborated on this point: "We used to
call him 'Bullet Bob'-he was built solid
to the ground, no neck-he was a good
inside man to Harmon's outside game."
EVASHEVSKI agreed: "Bob had one
of the best running bases in football.
One man didn't knock him down. He
had a lot to do with Harmon's success."
Westfall's character was no less solid
than his physique.
"He was a sincere person," said
Evashevski. "He spoke out, and was
very direct-you always knew where he
stood."
"HE WAS a person of substantial
loyalties," added Kennedy, who also
noted that Westfall was a man of
"singular purpose during football-he
didn't party around during the season."
Crisler, as a former Michigan
athletic director, coach, and close
friend, thought of Westfall from both a
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
November 1-2,1980
Amphitheatre, Horace H. Rackham Building
915 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor
This public Colloquium is funded by a gift of the Warner-Lambert Company to the Col-
legiate Institute for Values and Science in honor of the inauguration of Harold T. Shapiro
as the tenth President of the University of Michigan.
SATURDAY
rMorning: 9:00-11:00
(Moderator: William Kerr, Director of Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project).
Richard L. Garwin, Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
"SCIENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY DECISIONS-THE MX MISSILE
BASING PROGRAM"
Henry W. Kendall, Department of Physics, Mqssachusetts Institute of Technology
"CONTROLLING THE IMPACTS OF DANGEROUS TECHNOLOGIES"
Dorothy Nelkin, Program on Science/Technology and Society, Cornell University
"CONFLICTING VALUES IN THE NUCLEAR DEBATE: THE CASE OF
NATIVE AMERICANS AND URANIUM."
Everett Rogers, Department of Communication Sciences, Stanford University
"EXTENDING THE AGRICULTURE EXTENSION MODEL: LESSONS
LEARNED FROM RESEARCH UTILIZATION SYSTEMS"
11:00 a.m-12:00 noon-Public Debate
BOB WESTFALL, former Michigan starting fullback from 1939 to 1941, died
last week at the age of 61. The 1941 All-American played in the same backfield
as Tom Harmon, Michigan's only Heisman trophy winner. During'his three year span
at Michigan, the Wolverines compiled a 194-1 record in the Big Ten as Westfall
attained the twelfth spot on the all-time Michigan rushing list.
somewhat fatherly perspective ,and
from the perspective of the 'U': "The
university helpedhim and he helped the
university-he was always loyal to
Michigan .. . He was a great American,
a wonderful citizen, and a wonderful
person-the kind of person you're proud
of."
No, you don't find many athletes like
Bob Westfall around anymore.
..
There's, no MAGIC
to it:
Read THE DAIL, Y
<4
Afternoon: 2:00-4:00 (Moderator: Bobbi Low, Professor of Natural Resources)
Stanley A. Cain, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz
"ECOLOGY'S ROLE-IN NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY"
.:. ,U
Samuel Epstoin, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Medical Center
"THE POLITICS OF CANCER: THE COSTS OF FAILURE TO REGULATE"
Stephan L. Chorover, Department of Psychology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
"THE UNIVERSITY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD"
Christopher D. Stone, Law Center, University of Southern California
"THE LAW AS A VALUES GATEWAY"
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.-Public Debate
SUNDAY
Morning: 9:00-10:00 (Moderator: Eric S. Rabkin, Director of CIVS)
Responses to issues:
Nicholas H. Steneck, Professor of History, University of Michigan
James V. Neel, Chairman of Humdn Genetics/internal Medicine, University of Michigan
Henry Gomberg, President of KMS Fusion
10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon-Public Debate
1
v _, ..
rJ I;.
SATURDAY, NOV. 1st
Michigan Theater-668-8480
Showtimes:
12:15, 2:30,7:15,9:30, midnight
TICKET PRICES:°
Matinees: Adults 1.50, Students 1.00
12 and under 75 ,
Even ing: Adults 2.00, Students 1 .50
12 and under 1.00
edpse RAY
CHARLES
THE RAELETTS
and the
RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA
Special Guest:
Ernie Krivda Quartet
November 12
Wed. 8:00 p.m.
Hill Auditorium
Tickets
on Sale
Box Office
Michigan Union
$8.50 7.50 6.50
reserved seats
Tickets
on Sale
in Ann Arbor
Discount Records
Schoolkids Records
in psilanti:
Wherehouse Riecords
in E. Lansing:
Discount Records
and all CTC outlets.
For information
Call: (313) 763-2071
Management: Joe Adams
Direction: Smada Artist
Management International
L.A. Calit. (213) 734-3113
design by/Jane Goldfarb
~ . _
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RECRUITMENT FOR
SHELL COMPANIES OVERSEAS'
A service furnished to overseas Shell companies
by SCALLOP CORPORATION (a Shell company)
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATIONALS OF WEST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND ARGENTINA,
BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, INDONESIA, NIGERIA, THAILAND AND VENEZUELA WHO WISH TO
RETURN TO THEIR AREAS OF ORIGIN.
SCALLOP CORPORATION represented by PETER C. VAN KEEKEM will be on campus to
interview graduates of above nationalities in the following disciplines:
WESTERN EUROPE:
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INDONESIA:
M.S. or Ph.D. level Petroleum, Chemical, Mechanical,
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M.S. or Ph.D.-level Petroleum, Mechanical and Mining
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