W. C. Raftery

William Caulfield Raftery (July 28, 1887 – July 2, 1965) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach. He was the 17th head football coach at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) located in Lexington, Virginia. He held that position for ten seasons, from 1927 until 1936. His career coaching record at VMI was 38–55–5. This ranks him fifth at VMI in total wins and 19th at VMI in winning percentage.^[1]

W. C. Raftery

Raftery pictured in Bomb 1937, Virginia Military Institute yearbook
Biographical details
Born	(1887-07-28)July 28, 1887 Worcester, Massachusetts
Died	July 2, 1965(1965-07-02) (aged 78) Ashland, Virginia
Playing career
Football
1912–1913	Washington and Lee
Baseball
c. 1912–1913	Washington and Lee
Position(s)	Quarterback (football) Third baseman (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1914–1916	Washington and Lee (assistant)
1917	Washington and Lee
1919–1921	Washington and Lee
1927–1936	VMI
Basketball
1913–1923	Washington and Lee
1913–1914	VMI
1922–1934	VMI
Baseball
1914	VMI
Head coaching record
Overall	62–55–5 (football) 68–112 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football 1 SAIAA (1921)

Raftery was born in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[2] He studied law at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where played college football as a quarterback in 1912 and 1913.^[3] He entered the pharmaceutical business in Ashland, Virginia in 1948, retiring in 1960. Raftery died on July 2, 1965, at his home in Ashland. He was buried in Lexington, Virginia.^[4]

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Washington and Lee Generals (South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1917)
1917	Washington and Lee	4–3	2–1	2nd
Washington and Lee Generals (South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1919–1921)
1919	Washington and Lee	8–1	2–1	5th
1920	Washington and Lee	5–3	3–0	3rd
1921	Washington and Lee	6–3	2–0	1st
Washington and Lee:		24–10	11–4
VMI Keydets (Southern Conference) (1927–1936)
1927	VMI	6–4	2–4	16th
1928	VMI	5–3–2	2–3–1	15th
1929	VMI	8–2	4–2	7th
1930	VMI	3–6	0–5	23rd
1931	VMI	3–6–1	2–4	17th
1932	VMI	2–8	1–4	18th
1933	VMI	2–7–1	2–1–1	4th
1934	VMI	1–8	0–5	10th
1935	VMI	2–7–1	0–3–1	10th
1936	VMI	6–4	5–2	4th
VMI:		38–55–5	18–33–3
Total:		62–55–5
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

^[5]

Basketball

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
VMI Keydets (Independent) (1913–1914, 1922–1925)
1913–14	VMI	6–6
1922–23	VMI	8–6
1923–24	VMI	9–5
1924–25	VMI	6–5
VMI Keydets (Southern Conference) (1925–1934)
1925–26	VMI	7–8	3–5	13th
1926–27	VMI	3–12	0–7	21st
1927–28	VMI	7–6	5–5	13th
1928–29	VMI	6–7	1–7	22nd
1929–30	VMI	4–10	2–6	17th
1930–31	VMI	4–12	2–8	20th
1931–32	VMI	0–14	0–9	23rd
1932–33	VMI	4–11	2–8	8th
1933–34	VMI	4–10	3–6	7th
VMI:		68–112	18–61
Total:		68–112

^[6]

References

1. Virginia Military Institute Coaching Records December 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
2. "Read the eBook General register of the members of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, 1850-1920 by Phi Kappa Sigma. 3n online for free (Page 61 of 120)".
3. "Coach Raftery Is Former Washington And Lee Star Player". The Birmingham News. Birmingham, Alabama. November 11, 1920. p. 16. Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
4. "W. C. Raftery, Ex-Athlete, Coach, Dies". Charleston Daily Mail. Charleston, West Virginia. July 6, 1965. p. 4. Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
5. 2013 VMI Football Fact Book
6. 2013–14 VMI Basketball Fact Book

External links

• W. C. Raftery at Find a Grave