Blake, Avery F., Sr.
Swarthmore College
Philadelphia
1961
Avery Blake attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, graduating
in 1925. He went on to Swarthmore College as a member of the Class
of 1928. While at Poly, Blake played four years of lacrosse, three
years of basketball (captain for two), and two years of football.
At Swarthmore, Blake played one year of football and one year of
lacrosse. After leaving Swarthmore and returning to Baltimore, Blake
coached at Baltimore Poly from 1927-30. While coaching at Poly,
Blake played for three years with the Mt. Washington Lacrosse Club
and also for the professional Box Team from 1931-55. He joined the
physical education department at Swarthmore College the year of
1931-1932, and began coaching lacrosse and assisting football until
he joined the staff at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960.
Blake won championships in each of his three years of coaching
at Poly. At Swarthmore, he won the Penn-Delaware Championship for
13 years, and in 1953, he won the USILA "B" Championship.
His coaching also included the All-American Team which went to England
in 1937. He coached three North-South squads during his tenure at
Swarthmore.
Blake's coaching record at Penn since 1960 saw him win two Penn-Delaware
Championships and two USILA Mid-Atlantic Division championships.
Blake has been extremely active in all phases of lacrosse and has
served on the following committees and associations: Rules Committee
(Publicity Advisor); Advisory All-American Committees since 1939;
Executive Board of the USILA (1947-48, '57); Executive Board of
the USCLA; President and Vice-President of the USCLA (1944-47);
and also Vice President USILA (1958-61). He was elected president
of the USILA in '61.
Blake was the founder and president for several years of the Penn
Lacrosse Coaches Association, later changed to the Penn-Del Association.
He organized, played, and officiated in the old Sunday Lacrosse
League in Baltimore. Blake promoted three clinics at Swarthmore
College and coached at the Florida Forum for one year.
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