Bill Drake (rugby league)

William "Bill" D. Drake (20 February 1931 – 8 October 2012) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Cumberland, and at club level for Heworth A.R.L.F.C., Hull FC, Leeds and York as a back, and later a forward, during the era of contested scrums.[1]

Bill Drake
Personal information
Full nameWilliam D. Drake
Born(1931-02-20)20 February 1931
Workington, England
Died8 October 2012(2012-10-08) (aged 81)
York, England
Playing information
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
PositionWing, Prop, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1952–63 Hull F.C. 294 101 53 409
1963–6? Leeds
196?–?? York
Total 294 101 53 0 409
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1953–?? Cumberland 10
1962 England 1 0 0 0 0
1962 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3]

Background

Bill Drake was born in Workington, Cumberland, and was the younger (by 10-minutes) twin brother of fellow rugby league footballer; Jim Drake, exactly four years to the day after the death of his twin brother Jim Drake, Bill Drake died aged 81 in York Hospital, North Yorkshire, England.[4][5]

Playing career

Drake won 10-caps for Cumberland from 1953, and played in Hull FC's 10-9 victory over Halifax in the Championship Final during the 1955–56 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 12 May 1956. He played right-second-row, i.e. number 12, in Hull FC's 13-30 defeat by Wigan in the 1958–59 Challenge Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959.[6] Drake missed the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final during the 1959–60 season though injury, being replaced by Mike Smith who became the first player to ever make a first team début in a Challenge Cup Final.[7][8]

Drake won a cap for England while at Hull in 1962 against France,[2] and won a cap for Great Britain while at Hull in 1962 also against France.[3]

Drake was transferred from Hull to Leeds in 1963 for £1,500 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £56,890 in 2013).[9]

Drake played left-prop, i.e. number 8, in Leeds' 2-18 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1964–65 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1964–65 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 31 October 1964.

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Homage paid to rugby league 'superstar' Bill Drake". yorkpress.co.uk. 13 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  5. "Bill Drake: Hull rugby league stalwart". independent.co.uk. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  6. "1958-1959 Challenge Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  7. "Fox rules the roost as Wakefield ease past Hull". Yorkshire Post. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  8. "A complete history of Hull FC's Challenge Cup finals". Hull Daily Mail. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. "Measuring Worth - Relative Value of UK Pounds". Measuring Worth. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
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