Bruce Drake
Encyclopedia
Bruce Drake was a college men's basketball coach. The Gentry, Texas native was head coach at the University of Oklahoma
between 1938 and 1955, compiling a 200-181 record. He also coached the Air Force team to a 34-14 record in 1956
Prior to coaching, he was also a star for Hugh McDermott
's Oklahoma team. He was a 1928-29 Helms Foundation All American.
As a coach Drake made 2 Final Four
s the first one in 1939 Where they lost to Oregon 55-37 and in 1947 where he lost in the Championship Game to Holy Cross 58-47. He made 1 more additional NCAA tournament
appearance in 1943 though he coached at a time when only 8 team made the tournament. In all he won or tied for 6 conference championships (Big Six
and Big Seven
).
He coached 5 Olympic
(Wayne Glasgow
and Marcus Freiberger of University of Oklahoma
, 1952; Bill Evans
, Ron Tomsic
and Gib Ford of Air Force team, 1956) and three All-America
ns (Jimmy McNatt, 1940; Gerald Tucker
, 1943, 1947; Allie Paine
, 1944)
Drake was selected as the assistant coach for the 1956 USA Men's Basketball
Gold Medal Olympic Team
In 1958 he coached the Wichita Vickers in the National Industrial Basketball League
getting 30-21 record tying him for first with his old player Gerald Tucker
who was coaching the Bartlesville Phillips 66ers.
lasting contributions
Drake developed the Shuffle offense
.
He helped make goal tending illegal.
He was the Chairman of the NCAA Rules Committee from 1951–55
He made the Basketball Hall of Fame as a Coach in 1973
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
between 1938 and 1955, compiling a 200-181 record. He also coached the Air Force team to a 34-14 record in 1956
Prior to coaching, he was also a star for Hugh McDermott
Hugh McDermott
Hugh McDermott was the head basketball coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1922 to 1938. During his tenure, he compiled a record of 185-106. He also won the Missouri Valley Conference Title. Prior to his coaching days, McDermott was also a star player for the Oklahoma team while in college. He...
's Oklahoma team. He was a 1928-29 Helms Foundation All American.
As a coach Drake made 2 Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s the first one in 1939 Where they lost to Oregon 55-37 and in 1947 where he lost in the Championship Game to Holy Cross 58-47. He made 1 more additional NCAA tournament
1943 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
appearance in 1943 though he coached at a time when only 8 team made the tournament. In all he won or tied for 6 conference championships (Big Six
Big Six
-Business and industry:* Big Six banks of Canada* Big Six law firms * What were the United States "big six auditing firms" , now the big four—see Big Four auditors* The "Big six" major film studios...
and Big Seven
Big Seven
-In sports:* Big Seven , the seven major international ice-hockey teams* Big Seven, an unofficial name the Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, from 1938 to 1946...
).
He coached 5 Olympic
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
(Wayne Glasgow
Wayne Glasgow
Victor Wayne Glasgow played in college for Oklahoma University where he was a two time All-Big Seven selection. Passed playing in the NBA to play for the Phillips Petroleum Co. 66er's AAU team....
and Marcus Freiberger of University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, 1952; Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
, Ron Tomsic
Ron Tomsic
Ronald Paul Tomsic is a former American basketball player.Tomsic, a guard, played college basketball at Stanford University from 1951–1955. He scored 1,416 points in his Stanford career, the most in school history at the time...
and Gib Ford of Air Force team, 1956) and three All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
ns (Jimmy McNatt, 1940; Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker was the head coach on the 1956 USA Men's Basketball Gold Medal Olympic Team. He was the coach of Bartlesville Phillips 66ers for four seasons from 1954-58 having the most wins in the National Industrial Basketball League in each of those 4 seasons...
, 1943, 1947; Allie Paine
Allie Paine
Alva Leon "Allie" Paine was an American college basketball standout at the University of Oklahoma who was named a consensus First Team All-American in 1944. In high school, Paine earned varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball, and he earned a scholarship to play for the Oklahoma...
, 1944)
Drake was selected as the assistant coach for the 1956 USA Men's Basketball
Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the fourth appearance of the sport in Olympic competition. Fifteen nations, an unusually low number for the basketball tournament, competed in the event, with 174 participants. A total number of 56 games of basketball were played.The teams were divided...
Gold Medal Olympic Team
In 1958 he coached the Wichita Vickers in the National Industrial Basketball League
National Industrial Basketball League
The National Industrial Basketball League was founded in 1947, to enable mill workers a chance to compete in basketball. The league was founded out of the teams that did not join the newly formed NBA...
getting 30-21 record tying him for first with his old player Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker
Gerald Tucker was the head coach on the 1956 USA Men's Basketball Gold Medal Olympic Team. He was the coach of Bartlesville Phillips 66ers for four seasons from 1954-58 having the most wins in the National Industrial Basketball League in each of those 4 seasons...
who was coaching the Bartlesville Phillips 66ers.
lasting contributions
Drake developed the Shuffle offense
Shuffle offense
Shuffle offense as an offensive strategy in basketball, developed in the early 1950s by Bruce Drake at the University of Oklahoma. It was later used by Bob Spear, who was the first head basketball coach of the United States Air Force Academy from 1957-71. The shuffle offense is an offense that has...
.
He helped make goal tending illegal.
He was the Chairman of the NCAA Rules Committee from 1951–55
He made the Basketball Hall of Fame as a Coach in 1973