By By Patrick McHugh, News Staff

Francis X. ‘Inga’ Walsh, one of six original members inducted into the Northeastern Athletics Hall of Fame in 1974, died June 29 after complications from a stroke in Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He was 81.
Mr. Walsh played basketball and baseball for the Huskies in the 1940s, particularly excelling as a center in basketball. He leaves his wife of 55 years Carolyn; three sons, Edwin, Francis and Dennis; and five grandchildren.
Born in Dorchester and raised in Milton, Mr. Walsh tallied 1,060 points in basketball from 1944-49, which at the time was the most in school history. He currently ranks 23rd in points scored all-time at Northeastern, and his average of 16.6 points per game ranks seventh.
His finest season was his last in 1948-49. As team captain, Mr. Walsh led Northeastern to a 12-6 record and was selected to the All-New England team with Holy Cross point guard and future Boston Celtics star point guard Bob Cousy.
In 1949 the NBA’s New York Knicks drafted Mr. Walsh, but he never played a game for them. In 1951 he was called to active duty for the Army during the Korean War and spent two years overseas, including serving as a sergeant while in Okinawa, Japan.
Mr. Walsh returned to Northeastern in 1953 and completed his business degree in 1958. For more than three decades he served as vice president of South Boston Savings Bank before retiring and moving to Florida in 1989. While in Florida he was a resident of Marco Island and Naples.
Mr. Walsh volunteered much of his free time to the community by coaching youth and adolescent baseball in Randolph. He also helped Habitat for Humanity in Immokolee, Fla.
A memorial funeral was held at Saint Agatha Church in Milton July 3 and a burial took place July 6 in Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline.