Belford West

Bio

The grandson of a Civil War general, Belford West led a defensive unit which established Colgate as one of the best teams of his era. In the 30 games West played for Colgate, 19 were shutout victories. The 6-2, 195-pound West earned All-America honors in 1916 and 1919, each time playing the entire season with a critical knee injury. He missed only one play in three varsity seasons at Colgate. West was known as a model tackle in build and execution, blessed with quickness of foot and a devastating charge. An instinctive player, Belford had exceptional range for his size and was said to pride himself in being at the right place at the right time. He was also a fine kicker and set a record with a 52-yard field goal against arch rival Syracuse in a 1919 game. He frequently elected to pass from his punt formation and, it is noted, he rarely threw incomplete. He could throw the fatter ball of his era 70 yards in the air.

Career Highlights

• 1919 Consensus All-America
• 1916 Consensus All-America