Sep 4, 2009
Press release – Gallaudet Sports Information 9/4/09
NVRC NOTE: Leadership runs in the family. Mr. Drake’s son, Race Drake, Jr. of Staunton, VA is a member of Skyline Chapter of Virginia Association of the Deaf. He was named Deaf Father of the Year in 2009 and received the NAD Golden Hands Award in 1999.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Gallaudet University is busy preparing for this year’s 75th anniversary of Homecoming that will be held from October 23-25 at Kendall Green. The normal fanfare from class reunions to Bison athletic events will take place but there will be a special moment during the Saturday football game. GU will welcome back Race Drake, Sr., ’38 the last living member of the 1934 Bison football team that defeated Shenandoah, 7-6, on November 24 in the first-ever Gallaudet Homecoming.
“I remember about the Gallaudet Homecoming in 1934. We played against Shenandoah and we won. It was a very exciting game. I was surprised to learn, later, that was the first-ever Homecoming at GU,” said Drake. “After the game, alumni and students marched around campus with class flags to celebrate Homecoming.”
Arkansas native Drake started at GU in 1933 when he was in preparatory. The following year, the 1934 football team posted a 1-6-1 record under the guidance of Coach Frederick Hughes, ’13. Drake eventually played football all five years at GU and was inducted into the GU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Drake, who currently lives in St. Augustine, Fla., will be recognized at this year’s diamond anniversary Homecoming as he will serve as an honorary captain for the GU football team. He will also flip the coin at the start of the game as the Bison host Becker College at 1 p.m. at Hotchkiss Field. The Homecoming will have a special meaning for his daughter, Donna Drake, ’69 and his niece, Bette Hicks, ’69 as they will be attending their class’ 40th anniversary reunion.
Four of the Bison’s six fall varsity teams will be in action on Homecoming weekend. The men’s soccer team starts things off with a Friday evening contest against Capital Athletic Conference foe Hood College at 7:30 p.m. under the lights at Hotchkiss Field. On Saturday, the Bison volleyball team hosts Lebanon Valley College at 11 a.m. and turn around to host University of Scranton at 3 p.m. in the field house. GU’s women’s soccer team closes out the busy day with a night match against Lincoln University at 5:30 p.m. at Hotchkiss Field.
The Homecoming weekend comes to a grand close on Sunday, October 25, with the Gallaudet University Athletic Hall of Fame Induction with Drake in attendance. A fitting end to a busy Homecoming weekend for a GU Hall of Famer, who was there at the start of it.
The GU Hall of Fame Class of 2009 includes Charles L. Hammack, Robert Jackson, Richard A. Jacobs, Touria Ouahid Boren, Michelle Poole, Vincent Todd Silvestri and Shannon D. Simon. A brunch will be held in their honor on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the Kellogg Conference Hotel on the campus of Gallaudet University. For more information about this year’s Hall of Fame event please contact Anna Hall in the GU Athletics Department at anna.hall@gallaudet.edu.
Gallaudet University Homecoming Athletic Events
Friday, October 23
Men’s Soccer vs. Hood, 7:30 p.m. (Hotchkiss Field)
Saturday, October 24
Volleyball vs. Lebanon Valley, 11 a.m. (Field House)
Football vs. Becker, 1 p.m. (Hotchkiss Field)
Volleyball vs. Scranton, 3 p.m. (Field House)
Women’s Soccer vs. Lincoln, 5:30 p.m. (Hotchkiss Field)
Sunday, October 25
Hall of Fame Induction, 10 a.m. (Kellogg Conference Center)
Source: http://www.gallaudetathletics.com/news/2009-10/racedrake
- Thanks to Gallaudet Athletics.com and NVRC, Fairfax
