Bob Westfall - Biography

Biography

Westfall was born in 1919 in Hamtramck, Michigan. His father abandoned the family when Westfall was two years old which necessitated he and his older sister living in foster homes until his mother was able to move them to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1924. There, Westfall's mother worked 14-hour days in a laundry six days per week and the children worked, too, to make ends meet. At age 10 Westfall started as a caddy and worked other jobs while his sister sewed as they struggled to survive during the Great Depression. They lived in a tiny second-floor apartment on Greene Street "in the shadow of the Michigan Stadium"-a location perhaps affecting the future. Showing leadership at an early age, Westfall was the class president from 8th grade at Tappan Junior High School through the 12th grade at Ann Arbor High School. Demonstrating a remarkable talent for athletics, Westfall starred in football, basketball, baseball and track at Ann Arbor High School. Engaging in sports at all was remarkable due to severe bronchial asthma that affected him from the age of nine throughout his entire life. He was diagnosed by doctors at the University of Michigan Hospital as having one of the worst cases of asthma that they had ever encountered. Ted Kennedy, who played center in front of Westfall for the four years (1938–1941) they were at Michigan together recalled that Westfall "had asthma attacks 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 championship-Bob had an attack,and they wouldn't let him into health services-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 was the first Ann Arbor High School graduate to play for the Wolverines since Hall of Famer John Maulbetsch in 1916. He was the starting fullback in every Michigan football game from 1939-1941. In his sophomore and junior years, he played in a backfield that also included Tom Harmon and Forest Evashevski. Westfall rushed for 1,864 yards on 428 carries (4.36 yards per carry) in 24 games (Michigan only played 8 games per season then and freshmen were not eligible for varsity play). This stood as a Michigan fullback career rushing record for 30 years.