Alonzo Drake

Football career Drake started his career with Doncaster Rovers, for whom he made his Football League debut in 1902 but was soon bought by Sheffield United where he became a regular in the side for three seasons. Despite this he was viewed by some supporters as lazy with claims that he conceded possession too easily which led to regular barracking during games.

He took a hat-trick against Essex at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield in 1912, in a spell in which he took 5 wickets and conceded no runs. He took three wickets in four balls in a first-class 'friendly' Roses Match at The Circle, Kingston upon Hull that year. He bowled unchanged with Major Booth throughout the game in consecutive matches in 1914 – against Gloucestershire and Somerset. In the match against Somerset, he took all ten wickets in the space of just 42 balls.

His batting continued to be useful. He scored 4,816 runs in all, with three centuries and a best of 147* against Derbyshire, for an average of 21.69.

Personal life Drake was a heavy smoker and was twice rejected by the army when he tried to enlist at the outbreak of World War I. He subsequently fell into ill health, and died aged 34 in February 1919, in Honley, Yorkshire.