Career
Born in Workington, Bill Drake was the younger (by 10-minutes) twin brother of fellow rugby league football player, Jim Drake. Drake, who had already gained representative selection for Cumberland, played in Hull"s 10-9 victory over Halifax in the Championship final during the 1955-1956 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 12 May 1956. He played at second-row forward in Hull"s 13-30 defeat by Wigan in the 1959 Challenge Cup final during the 1958-1959 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959.
Drake missed the 1960 Challenge Cup final during the 1959-1960 season though injury, being replaced by Mike Smith who became the first player to ever make a first team début in a Challenge Cup final,
Drake left Hull for Leeds in 1963 for a £1,500 transfer fee (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £56,890 in 2013).
Drake played Left-prop, id est (that is) number 8, in Leeds" 2-18 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1964 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1964-1965 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 31 October 1964. Drake died in Kingston upon Hull on 8 October 2012, exactly four years to the day after the death of Jim Drake his older twin brother.
