Drake, Bruce
Basketball
b. Dec. 11, 1905, Gentry, TX
d. Dec. 2, 1983
Although he never played football in high school, Drake was the University of Oklahoma's starting quarterback for two years and was also a fine pole vaulter. But basketball was his strong suit. He played forward for three seasons, then switched to guard in his senior year, 1928-29, and was retroactively named to the Helms All-American team.
Drake became assistant coach to Bruce McDermott at Oklahoma after graduating and he succeeded McDermott in 1938. His teams were usually small, nicknamed the "Roundball Runts," and Drake developed an offense using constant movement and screens to free his players against taller opponent. The offense became known as the "Drake shuffle."
When 7-foot-1 Bob Kurland of arch-rival Oklahoma State arrived on the scene in 1943, Drake began a campaign to ban goal-tending. The Basketball Rules Committee adopted such a rule in 1945.
Drake's teams had 200 victories and 191 losses, and they won or shared six conference championships in his 18 seasons. He resigned after the 1954-55 season, then coached the U. S. Air Force team to the armed services championship. He also coached the Wichita Vickers to a tie for the National Industrial Basketball League title. His last coaching stint was as an assistant with the 1948 U. S. Olympic team.