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Tech can thank a man named Welch for 'Mailman'
As an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech during the 1980s, Steve Welch never got credit for a single victory.
But let history record that this personable and good guy may well deserve credit for an entire athletic "golden era" at that university.
It was Welch, you see, who recruited Karl Malone to Tech.
And, he did it even after Malone originally committed to Arkansas and Coach Eddie Sutton.
This all came into focus again Monday as I read of Malone's retirement from the NBA after one of the greatest careers in league history.
So I called Welch, now employed at McNeese State, and he definitely remembers that recruiting process clearly — even 25 years later.
"There was no early signing period back then but Karl originally committed to Arkansas after visiting there in the fall," Welch said. "Then as his senior season wore on, he let it be known that he was reopening the process. The schools that were included down the stretch were Arkansas, LSU, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Northeast and Grambling.
"Eventually he narrowed it down to Arkansas and Tech but he didn't sign on the first day. Instead, he said he would sign a few days later.
"Although rules allowed for coaches to be there during that time, he and his mom (Shirley) through Summerfield principal James Scriber asked schools to stay away and give him a 24-hour break because it was too hectic.
"That next day I called his mom just to check in. I had a real good relationship with Ms. Shirley and when I called, she asked me to come to Summerfield despite the original request for coaches to stay away.
"She said Karl was at school and would be home on the bus after a while. I remember her saying, 'I wish you would come up and talk to that boy.' I knew that she really wanted Karl to come to Tech and stay closer to home."
Welch got there in time to see the bus let Karl off at Ms. Shirley's grocery store. "Just the three of us visited in the store and she suggested that Karl ride with me to Tech and look around.
"Karl had been to Tech but not on an actual official visit. So we did that and went to our office at Memorial Gym, rode by Thomas Assembly Center, which was under construction, and just drove around campus.
"We started back to Summerfield around 7:30. I remember we got a burger at Burger King. On the way home he told me he wanted to sign with Tech.
"When we got to his home, he told his mom of his decision and the three of us sat down in a bedroom and they signed the papers. But there was no announcement that night because Karl had set up a little ceremony for the next day at Summerfield's gym. He had said that he was going to sign with some college then.
"Coach Sutton had already flown into Ruston where he was spending the night at the Holiday Inn. He didn't know that Karl signed with us until the next morning. Mr. Scriber had the assignment of calling him (Sutton) to let him know what happened.
"Coach Sutton asked Scriber if he could still come visit with Karl that morning at school. He did that but was very respectful and didn't cause a problem. He apparently just wanted to make sure it had happened, then he wished him well."
Meanwhile, Welch was back in Summerfield the next morning, too, and Karl recreated the scholarship signing at the gym, even though the original papers were already at Tech.
Although Welch wouldn't say so, he was definitely one of the main reasons Karl (and Ms. Shirley) decided on Tech.
"His mother really trusted me," Welch said. "I do think that was a big reason she felt comfortable with Karl coming to Tech. And, there's no doubt that Karl was a mama's boy. He talked with her nearly every day until her death last year."
Malone and Welch have maintained a friendship ever since and Steve has seen Karl play each of the last five years.
Welch talked with Malone recently and learned, "He is definitely building a home across from Squire Creek Country Club. He told me it should be ready by the last week in June."
And, now you know the rest of the story.
KEITH PRINCE is a staff writer for The News-Star. Contact him at 362-0235 or at P.O. Box 1502, Monroe, La. 71210.
Originally published February 15, 2005
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