 Raftery pictured inBomb 1937, Virginia Military Institute yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1887-07-28)July 28, 1887 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 1965(1965-07-02) (aged 78) Ashland, Virginia, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1912–1913 | Washington and Lee |
| Baseball | |
| c. 1912–1913 | Washington and Lee |
| Positions | 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 1SAIAA (1921) | |
William Caulfield Raftery (July 28, 1887 – July 2, 1965) was an Americanfootball,basketball, andbaseball coach. He was the 17th head football coach atVirginia Military Institute (VMI) located inLexington, 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]
Raftery was born inWorcester, Massachusetts.[2] He studied law atWashington and Lee University inLexington, Virginia, where playedcollege football as aquarterback in 1912 and 1913.[3] He entered the pharmaceutical business inAshland, Virginia in 1948, retiring in 1960. Raftery died on July 2, 1965, at his home in Ashland. He was buried in Lexington, Virginia.[4]
| 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 | |||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
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