Frank Peake

Frank W. Peake (May 15, 1903 – January 15, 1978) was a college football running back for the Virginia Tech Hokies of Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Peake's College Football Hall of Fame coach Andy Gustafson, said he never saw his equal as a punt returner. and the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1983, the second year Tech athletes were honored. He was also an accomplished track star.

Early life Frank Peake was born on May 15, 1903, in Virginia to John James Peake and Sarah Lena Darden.

Virginia Tech Freshman year and the Pony Express After Virginia Tech’s freshman team won a game by a wide margin in 1925, a sports publicist nicknamed the team’s offensive backfield the “Pony Express”, taking off on Notre Dame’s famed “Four Horsemen.” The leader of that group was Frank Peake. He was joined by Scotty MacArthur, Herbert “Mac” McEver and Tommy Tomko.

Sophomore year Peake was a fleet back who loved the open field. He scored three touchdowns in his first varsity game against Roanoke College and two more in the next game against Hampden-Sydney. When the Techmen played VMI in the season finale, he scored both touchdowns in Tech’s 14-7 victory. Senior year Frank Peake was selected All-Southern in 1928. In the game against Virginia he came off the sideline with an injured hip to return a punt for a touchdown.