W. C. Raftery
Raftery pictured in Bomb 1937, Virginia Military Institute yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 28, 1887 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 1965 (aged 78) Ashland, Virginia, U.S. |
| 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) | |
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.
Raftery was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. He studied law at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where played college football as a quarterback in 1912 and 1913. 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.