MORGANTOWN — Raymond Walsh Jr. of Morgantown, who died last Saturday at the age of 76, was an outstanding defensive player for West Virginia University in the early 1950s.
“He was a tough guy and a super teammate,” recalled Fred Wyant, a teammate of Walsh in 1952-53 and a close friend since then. “I always rated Ray right up there with (fullback) Tommy Allman. He was a great, very dependable lineman.”
While he was born in Pennsylvania, Walsh grew up in Morgantown and succumbed after a short illness at his Point Marion Road home. Wyant remembers playing against him in a high school football game between Morgantown High and Weston.
Walsh lettered in 1951-52-53 after playing a year on the freshman team, as required at that time. He didn’t play much his senior year at MHS because of injury. But Art “Pappy” Lewis, then in his first year as WVU’s head coach, liked what he saw of him in a basketball game.
“He looked more like a football player to us then and, being from Morgantown, he came to us for tuition and books,” recalled Gene Corum, then the Mountaineers’ line coach. “It didn’t take him long to earn a full scholarship.”
It was Lewis who gave Walsh the nickname of “Blade.: The coach explained, “He is the only defensive tackle I ever saw that weighs only 208 pounds.”
No one could have been more appreciative or proud of the opportunity to play football for WVU.
“That was the only thing I ever wanted to do,” Walsh told me a few years ago. “Being from here and playing with so many great guys, it was truly a big, big thrill for me.”
Corum enjoyed working with Walsh back there in the school’s first golden era of football.
“Ray fit in beautifully in our wide-tackle-six defense,” he recalled. “He played a lot of good football for us. He was a tough guy who could slash through offensive lines to make tackles.”
Walsh participated in the first two Mountaineer victories over ranked teams. Old rival Pitt was the victim both times, 16-0 in 1952 and 17-7 in 1953. Both were in underdog roles at old Pitt Stadium.
He also played in WVU’s first major postseason game, the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1954, in New Orleans. Georgia Tech prevailed, 42-19.
Walsh is a member of the all-time WVU team for the 1950-59 period. Twelve other former teammates also are in that group.
As a result, he was considered by some as an unsung hero. He didn’t mind, though. Walsh loved playing alongside such all-time greats as Bruce Bosley, Sam Huff, Ben Dunkerley and Gene “Beef” Lamon.
After graduating from WVU, Walsh spent 32 years in the insurance business here. But he and others remained close to WVU via the Lettermen’s Club, which solicited public support for worthy charities.
That eventually was replaced by the Varsity Club.
Funeral services for Raymond Walsh Jr. will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Richard R. Herod Funeral Home in Point Marion, Pa. Visitations are Wednesday.
Mickey Furfari
COLUMN: WVU standout Raymond Walsh dies at 76
- Mickey Furfari
-
-
FURFARI COLUMN - City council to honor Mountaineers
It seems fitting that Morgantown City Council has decided to honor West Virginia University’s 2011 champion football team.
Mayor Jim Manilla will preside at a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday evening in the council chamber. -
FURFARI COLUMN - Cronin says Kevin Jones is NBA caliber
Kevin Jones, the leader of the surprising West Virginia University men’s basketball team, continues to be No. 1 in the Big East in both scoring (20.7 ppg) and rebounding (11.3).
-
FURFARI COLUMN - Admirers will miss Joe Paterno
I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of Joe Paterno last Sunday at 85 in State College, Pa.
-
FURFARI COLUMN: WVU football captains named for 2011 season
Coach Dana Holgorsen has announced that a junior and three seniors have been named permanent captains of West Virginia University’s 2011 football squad.
They are quarterback Geno Smith, offensive tackle Don Barclay, linebacker Najee Goode and cornerback Keith Tandy. -
FURFARI COLUMN: WVU to receive fourth Lambert Trophy
West Virginia University’s earth-shattering 70-33 victory over favored Clemson was witnessed by football TV viewers from coast to coast.
But the fact that the Mountaineers won another Lambert Trophy in the process hasn’t become as well known. That is symbolic of NCAA Division I supremacy in the East. -
FURFARI COLUMN: Hinds doing ‘great job’ as new WVU point guard
Coach Bob Huggins thinks freshman Jabarie Hinds has done a great job as a point guard for the West Virginia University men’s basketball team this season.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound native of Mount Vernon, N.Y., signed with WVU in November 2010 as a shooting guard. -
FURFARI COLUMN: WVU’s 43-0 win at Syracuse a Nehlen Favorite
West Virginia, ranked No. 11 at the time, smashed Syracuse 43-0 in football on Oct. 30, 1993 in upstate New York in what remains the Orange’s biggest beating in this old and at times, bitter, rivalry.
It has to be one of the most cherished victories in Hall of Famer Don Nehlen’s 21 years as the Mountaineer head coach. -
FURFARI COLUMN: What is Dunlap going to do?
Where will veteran Steve Dunlap end up as West Virginia University puts together a new defensive coaching staff?
That is, if he decides to return to his alma mater through the 2012 football season as stated in his contract. -
FURFARI COLUMN - Cignetti not surprised by Saban’s success
Frank Cignetti, head coach at West Virginia University from 1976-79, has been a longtime admirer of Nick Saban’s football coaching ability.
He gave the Marion County native one of his first jobs, as coach of the Mountaineers’ defensive secondary in 1978-79. -
FURFARI COLUMN - Austin’s return is great news for WVU
I know a guy who couldn’t be happier that Tavon Austin has decided to return for his senior year of West Virginia University football.
- More Mickey Furfari Headlines
-
FURFARI COLUMN - City council to honor Mountaineers
