Christian Welp’s No. 40 jersey hangs among other UW hoop legends
SEATTLE – Wearing her father’s Washington Huskies letterman’s jacket, Ally Grill stood on the Alaska Airlines Arena court where Christian Welp starred decades ago.
On Sunday afternoon, UW raised Welp’s retired No. 40 into the rafters – a final tribute to the program’s all-time leading scorer who died in 2015.
Fighting back tears, Grill delivered an emotionally stirring speech in front of 8,163 spectators during a halftime ceremony honoring the soft-spoken 7-foot German superstar, whom she called a “gentle giant.”
“There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t wish you were here standing with us, celebrating this honor that was so deeply deserved, Grill said. “But if you truly knew our dad, this would all be far too much for him. He never wanted the spotlight. He stood in the back. He was happiest at home, at his cabin, fishing, tinkering around.
“The gentle giant, to us that was Christian Welp. It wasn’t until we left home that we really understood who our dad was to everybody else. His presence filled the room, not just because of his size, but because of the respect people had for him.”
Welp’s jersey retirement drew several friends and family, including his wife, Melanie, and sons Nick and Collin, who wore gold No. 40 T-shirts. Many of Welp’s former Husky teammates were also in attendance, notably Eldridge Recasner, Paul Fortier, Al Moscatel and Detlef Schrempf, whose No. 22 jersey will be retired by UW on Feb. 28.
Admittedly, Grill and her brothers didn’t fully understand her father’s basketball greatness while growing up, partly because Welp didn’t talk much about his Husky heyday.
“Hearing former teammates’ stories today and over this weekend is something that I know we will share and hold on to forever,” she said. “It’s in these moments, it hits us. Our dad isn’t just our hero. To so many people, he was something legendary.
“What made him special was never just the points, the records or the wins. It was the way he played the game, with humility, with toughness, with loyalty and with a quiet confidence that never asked for recognition.”
Even still, Welp collected a treasure trove of awards including Pac-10 player of the year in 1986, Pac-10 freshman of the year in 1984 and three all-conference selections.
During his four-year collegiate career (1983-87), the Huskies posted an-34 record while making three trips to NCAA tournament, including the Sweet 16 in 1984, and the NIT.
Welp ranks first on UW’s all-time scoring list (2,073), fourth in rebounds (995) and tied for first in blocks (186). He averaged 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocks while starting 121 of 129 games.
Welp died in 2015 from heart failure at age 51.
Washington inducted him into the Husky Hall of Fame in 2001, and now he’s a permanent fixture at the place he called Hec Ed, where his jersey hangs next to Bob Houbregs, Brandon Roy and Isaiah Thomas.
“The number 40 represents more than a jersey,” Grill said. “It represents a standard, a work ethic, a teammate you can count on and a man who showed up every day and did things the right way. The last 10, almost 11 years haven’t been easy without him. There’s a hole in our family that will never be filled, but moments like today remind us that while we lost a father, a husband and a friend far too soon, his impact never left this place. His legacy has been waiting patiently, just like he would have, and now that legacy will hang forever in these rafters.
“So today, when you look up and see number 40, we hope you don’t just remember the player. We hope you remember the man, the gentle giant, the teammate (and) the example.
“Papa, this one’s for you. We love you from the bottom of our hearts.”