Members
Inductee
WELCH, SR., WILLIAM RALPH “PEST”
WELCH, SR., WILLIAM RALPH “PEST”
Born on January 13, 1907
Collinsville, TX
September 15, 1974 in Seattle, Washington.
Inducted On
August 1, 1975
Location Inducted
Bloomington, IN
Region Number
4
Purdue
Coach
Sherman
1924
3-year letterman in football, basketball, baseball, and track; "Pest" nickname earned in high school when called "Pest" by older boys on wrestling team of which he tried to become a member.
Purdue University
1930
All-Conference and consensus All-American Halfback 1929; played on last unbeaten and untied team in Boilermaker history with an 8-0-0 record.
After his football career ended, he opened an insurance agency in Seattle, then retired to Hansville, Washington.
"Pest" was married to his wife Frances.
Coaching Experience: Assistant football coach at University of Washington 12 years under his former head coach at Purdue, Jim Phelan; then head coach at UW 1942-1947, with a record of 27-20-3. When Washington Athletic Director Ray Eckmann removed Phelan after the 1941 season, he selected Welch to replace him. Popular with the players, he had a reputation as a great scout of talent. Eckmann retained Welch on a year-to-year basis with an annual salary of $9,000 per season.
Coaching Honors: 1943 team played Southern California in Rose Bowl, which was the first Rose Bowl radio broadcast abroad to American servicemen.