Avery Blake
Encyclopedia
Avery F. Blake Sr. was a college lacrosse
player and coach. He served as the head lacrosse coach at his alma mater, Swarthmore College
from 1931 to 1959. Blake also served as president of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
.
He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1961.
, from which he graduated in 1925. He then went on to college at the Swarthmore College
in 1925. While there, he played lacrosse
and served as the lacrosse team's captain and student coach as a senior. Blake graduated from Swarthmore in 1928 with a Bachelor of Science
degree.
as an assistant football coach. In Bob Scott
's well-known lacrosse tome, Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition, he credited Blake with being the "first to popularize the zone defense".
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inducted Blake in 1961. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
player and coach. He served as the head lacrosse coach at his alma mater, Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
from 1931 to 1959. Blake also served as president of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
.
He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1961.
Early life
Blake was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Baltimore Polytechnic InstituteBaltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is a US public high school founded in 1883. Though established as an all-male trade school,it now is a institution that emphasizes mathematics, the sciences, and engineering. It is located on a tract of land in North Baltimore at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane,...
, from which he graduated in 1925. He then went on to college at the Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
in 1925. While there, he played lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
and served as the lacrosse team's captain and student coach as a senior. Blake graduated from Swarthmore in 1928 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree.
Coach at Swarthmore
Blake was Swarthmore's 18th lacrosse coach. The Swarthmore Garnett started up the sport in 1891 and won National Titles in 1900, 1904, 1905 and 1910. Following early success in the game, Blake was able to elevate his team to the level of those turn-of-the-century Swarthmore teams. In 29 seasons, Swarthmore under Blake won or shared eight Pennsylvania league titles. The 1941 team lost only one game, that being to eventual National Champion Johns Hopkins. The 1953 squad had the distinction of winning the USILA Class "B" National title. Blake coached his son Avery, Jr., also an inductee into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, on these teams.Later life and honors
After his coaching tenure at Swarthmore, Blake remained active in the sport of lacrosse serving in an various administrative and rule-setting capacities. In 1960 he joined the staff of University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
as an assistant football coach. In Bob Scott
Robert H. Scott
Bob Scott was a Hall of Fame lacrosse coach for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse team, serving from 1955 until 1974. He compiled a career record of 158 wins and 55 losses to go along with seven National Championships. He won the F...
's well-known lacrosse tome, Lacrosse: Technique and Tradition, he credited Blake with being the "first to popularize the zone defense".
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inducted Blake in 1961. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame