Tripp Welborne to the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame and other HOF musings…

There is a movement under way to have Tripp Welborne elected to the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame. Tripp was part of the Page Pirate teams that won State Championships under head coach Marion Kirby and without Welborne, Page would not have won the title in 1985. He almost single-handedly helped get them that trophy.

Welborne was an All-American at Michigan and I believe he was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings and top player before injuries cut his career short. I remember watching the Bob Hope Show where they bring out the college football All-Americans and there was Tripp Welborne from Greensboro Page High School standing right there on NBC TV on a Sunday night.

From all indications, Welborne seems to have done just as much high school/college-wise as Danny Manning did. Manning didn’t really set the woods on fire in the NBA.

How about Tripp Welborne for the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame?????

Other notes on the Class of 2008:
Herb Appenzeller-He spoke at my junior high sports banquet back in the early 70’s and he lived up the road from my family in the days of the Airport on Old Oak Ridge Road. He did well with a book he wrote called, “From the Court to the Courtroom”, or something like that.
Lynn Agee-Class act and and the consummate professional, I had the chance to do some of her games on radio and conducted numerous interviews with her over the years.
Jeff Bostic-Lost to him in the Regional HS wrestling finals back in 1976 at High Point Central. My last HS match but I had Jeff on the radio several times at WKEW 1400AM and he was an over-achiever. Under-sized as a player, but he seized every opportunity and turned it all into success.
Dick Kemp-My HS football team lost to Kemp’s Ragsdale Tigers in the conference championship game in back-to-back years, ’73 and ’74. Both years Kemp’s Tigers went on to win the State Championship and my team went home with nothing. Honestly, I would like to fight the man today and see if I couldn’t bring back the bacon. Excellent coach, loaded with talent at Ragsdale and he also turned Southeast Guilford into a winner with his son Scott Kemp running at fullback.
Bodie McDowell-used to read some of his outdoor work in the N&R, but not much. Never was a big outdoors fan but I do remember his picture being in the paper every Sunday.
*****I’ve got nada on the other inductees but maybe you have some insight.*****

3 thoughts on “Tripp Welborne to the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame and other HOF musings…

  1. If there is an effort to get Tripp Welborne his due 20 years later count me in. I had the opportunity of playing against him in plenty of sports from pee wee football to junior high school then on to the Grimsley Page rivalry of the 80’s. Tripp is one of the greatest players in any sport to ever come out of Greensboro. From football to basketball I will go on record and say he was the greatest athlete to ever come out of Guilford County. It is a shame that he had that injury in the Rose Bowl his senior year.

    20 years is long enough Tripp Welborne needs to be in every Hall of Fame around here and on the state level also.This from a devoted Whirlie who happened to marry a Pirate.

  2. How about GS.com give us some more information on Ken Rush one of the inducties tis year.

  3. You are right on target with Tripp Welborne. I played with Tripp in HS. He could have played any position on the field and made an impact as soon as he showed up for his first day of practice. He left Page a better school because of his presence and example. As great of a player that he was, he is an even better person. He deserved credit for his accomplishments and the Hall of Fame seems very appropriate.

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