Westfall's Induction Recalls 1940s Glory

Westfall's induction recalls 1940s glory

By RICK BYRNE
NEWS SPECIAL WRITER

When it was announced that Bob Westfall had been named to the State-of Michigan Sports Hail of Fame, you could visualize a lot of old Michigan football fans with smiles on their faces.

They have fond memories of “Bullet Bob,” the All-America “spinning fullback” for Coach Fritz Crisler in the early 1940s.

Westfall and Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, a triple-threat halfback, made up a devastating one-two offensive punch.

Their sleight-of-hand in the back-field at the start of a play left opponents confused and weak at the point of attack.

A defensive player elected to tackle Bob Westfall one-on-one at the risk of being laid out cold. His sheer force added yards after he was hit.

Westfall was a concensus All-America fullback in 1941.

Freshmen were ineligible in 1938, but in ’39, ’40 and ’41, Westfall started all 24 games in the annual eight-game schedule. He was captain in his senior year and also played defensive halfback.

Heralded as the best spinning fullback ever in the single wing, Westfall placed second in rushing to Harmon in 1940, and in three years earned a 4.36 yard rushing average.

Don Lund, a freshman in West-fall’s senior year, and now associate athletic director at U-M, said Westfall would take the snap and spin with his back to the line, then would have the option of giving to the tailback, giving to the wing-back, or faking to either one and running a keeper.

Westfall was born in Detroit and raised in Ann Arbor. He won nine letters in foursports at old Ann Arbor High and was president of his high school graduating class.

Named concensus All-America in 1941, Westfall’s additional laurels included: captain of the East team in the 1942 Shrine game at San Francisco, starting fullback on the Chicago Tribune’s 1942 All-Star team, and a three-year stint with the Detroit Lions during which he was named All-Pro in 1945.

Between his college and pro careers, Westfall served 18 months in the Army Air Corps.

In 1982, he was named to the University of Michigan’s Hall of Honors.

From the time he was nine years old, Westfall suffered from bronchial asthma and died Oct. 23, 1980 at the age of 61. He had been in the steel business in Adrian where his widow, Susie, and three children continue to reside.

Others to be inducted this year into Michigan Sports Hall of Fame are Dick McAuliffe, All-Star Tiger infielder in 1965 and ’66; halfback Jack Christiansen, defensive specialist on three Detroit Lions’ championship teams in the 1950s; and Bill Gadsby, Detroit Red Wings’ All-Star defenseman and former coach.

Hall of Fame Commissioner Nick Kerbawy said the four will be honored May 19 at the sport shrine’s 32nd annual induction dinner in Cobo Hall.

Photo caption: Bob Westfall was called best spinning fullback ever.