Hall of Fame
Tom Drake was a two-time Little All-American football student-athlete who also had an outstanding wrestling career at UTC. He was also a Democratic member of the Alabama House of Representatives, serving as Speaker from 1983 to 1987.
On the football field, Drake earned Little All-American honorable mention honors at guard as a junior in 1952. He was named to the Little All-American Third Team at the same position as a senior in 1953.Â
After playing in both the Blue-Gray Senior All-Star game and the Senior Bowl, Drake was drafted by the Pittsburg Steelers in the 15th round of the 1953 NFL Draft. Due to his service in the Army, he never played in the NFL.
On the mat, Drake was a three-time Southeastern AAU Champion at 191 pounds and was 6-1 as a senior. He went on to wrestle professionally for 22 years (from 1956-1978), winning numerous regional titles. He challenged Lou Thesz for the NWA world title in 1962. He won the Frank Gotch Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2001.Â
While serving as a wrestling coach and assistant football coach at the University of Alabama, Drake served nine terms in the Alabama State Legislature, and was Speaker of the House (1982-87).
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