Lew Yerkes, Washington College’s only football player to earn Little All-American honors, excelled on the gridiron, basketball court, baseball diamond and track field.
World War ll interrupted his collegiate athletic career and curtailed a bright future in sports.
Triple-threat abilities in football brought Yerkes national honors in 1941. A powerful runner, accurate passer and outstanding kicker, he was a freshman standout on George Ekaitis’s 1940 eleven.
As a sophomore he was brilliant earning Little All-American honors as an all-purpose halfback as Washington College logged a 3 – 3 – 1 campaign. Football was dropped because of World War ll from 1942–45.
Yerkes was a starter for three seasons (1940 –43) on Coach Fred “Dutch” Dumbschott’s fast breaking basketball five. With Yerkes at guard the shoremen were undefeated during the regular 1942 season in Mason-Dixon Conference play.
Lew Yerkes’ great natural talent produced an outstanding track performer. He led Washington College for three seasons as a team leader, competitive in the dashes, weights, and broad jump.
He played the outfield and at first base in baseball for J. Thomas Kibler in 1942. That school year he was also president of the Varsity Club.
Washington College is proud to induct an athlete of Lew Yerkes’ caliber into its Hall of Fame, thereby acknowledging him as one of its all-time greats.
