Hek Wakefield
Wakefield in uniform, c. 1924
"Hek" |
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| Vanderbilt Commodores | |
|---|---|
| Position | End / Fullback |
| Career history | |
| College | Vanderbilt (1921–1924) |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth | February 10, 1899 |
| Place of birth | Petersburg, Tennessee |
| Date of death | November 19, 1962 (aged 63) |
| Place of death | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Henry Smith "Hek" Wakefield (February 10, 1899 – November 19, 1962) was an American college football player and coach. He played fullback and end for the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University from 1921 to 1924, receiving the honor of consensus All-American in his senior year. He was considered the greatest drop kicker in school history.
Wakefield was born on February 10, 1899, in Petersburg, Tennessee, to Samuel S. T. Wakefield and Lula Dyer. Samuel, who owned a sawmill in Petersburg, reportedly died in 1917 as a result of burns caused by the explosion of a steam engine at his sawmill.
Wakefield attended prep school at Fitzgerald & Clarke School in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where he won a state football title on a team coached by Wallace Wade, who later coached Wakefield at Vanderbilt. All-American Vanderbilt end Lynn Bomar was a teammate at both Fitzgerald & Clarke and Vanderbilt.
Wakefield played for coach Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores from 1921 to 1924. He was a prominent member of Commodores teams that compiled a win–loss–tie record of 26–5–4 (.800) over his four seasons, and was an All-Southern selection in 1923 and 1924. The Commodores won three conference titles over this span, including their most recent one to date. He played fullback and end, as well as kicker for extra points and field goals.
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