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The Beginning
With over 60 years of lacrosse tradition at Duke
University, it is interesting to brush the dust off the
records and meander through the history of the
game in Durham.
While lacrosse is generally credited to the early
American Indians for its start in the U.S., the game
became a part of North Carolina history on April 7,
1938, when Duke and North Carolina squared off in
the first game played in the state. With over 500
curious fans lining the muddy field, the two teams
played a primitive and physical contest. Duke won
that initial clash as player/coach Dick Lewis led his
Blue Devil team to a 2-1 victory over the Tar Heels
in Chapel Hill in what would be the start of a heated
rivalry.
One particular story from that first game helps
today’s fans understand how far the game has
progressed in the past 53 years. Duke goalie Frank
Pierce was unable to find shin guards prior to the
game, so in an effort to protect himself actually tied
copies of the Archive, Duke’s undergraduate literary
monthly, to his legs. Pierce allowed only one goal,
that coming in the game’s closing minutes.
Little did anyone realize at the time that this one
contest would be the foundation of a program now
moving into its second half century. Duke would finish
that first season with a 2-5 record, the other victory
being a 9-4 downing of North Carolina in Durham.
Although the start was less than auspicious, the
program was on its way.
Lewis was Duke’s first true lacrosse man, not
only organizing and coaching the team, but leading
the squad to victory with his outstanding playing
skills. He also set up a game that first season with
national power Syracuse.
One year later, Lewis took his fledgling Blue
Devil team to a 7-1 record and the Dixie League
championship.
The Persons Era
Upon Lewis’ graduation, Jack Persons took
over as head coach of the team, a position he
would hold for the next 26 seasons. While the Blue
Devils had their ups and downs in the early years,
it was Ray Brown who attracted the attention of
lacrosse enthusiasts around the nation. He was
Duke’s first All-America in the sport in 1940 and
1941, serving as captain both years.
With America coming out of the grips of World
War II in 1946, the Blue Devils pulled off one of the
biggest upsets that the game has known. Duke
topped Maryland 12-4 in College Park to open the
season and went on to win both the Dixie
Conference and Southern Lacrosse Association
championships. Tom Gorsuch, Jimmy Corrigan,
Olin Gilbert and Walt Ross were all named to the
South team for the North-South All-Star Game in
Baltimore. Corrigan was the second highest scorer
for the South and third overall with three points in the
game.
Persons watched his 1951 team compile a 6-2
record and finish the season as runner-up to Virginia
for the national title. During what is regarded as the
most successful season in Duke lacrosse history, the
Blue Devils rolled over such powerhouses as Navy,
17-6, and Johns Hopkins, 9-7, in Durham. Charles
Gilfillan was named first team All-America by the
National Lacrosse Coaches Association and Bob
Bickel by the Baltimore News-Post. Rod Boyce,
Fred Eisenbrandt and Bickel were second team All-
America selections by the coaches, while future ACC
Commissioner Gene Corrigan and Don Bafford
earned honorable mention honors.
The following season saw continued success.
Bickel was named first-team All-America as he led
Duke to a 7-3 record and a number six national
ranking. Duke continued to accumulate the All-
America honors, as Don Bafford and Dan Peacock
were third team selections and Dick Bollinger and
Nolan Rogers earned third team honors in 1953.
When the Atlantic Coast Conference decided to
accept the sport in 1954, it was Duke University that
rolled to the first league title awarded. With Persons
directing the Duke attack, the Blue Devils also won
the Southern Lacrosse Association title and ended
the year at 7-1-1 and ranked third in the nation.
Everett Anderson was named first team All-America,
while Bollinger was second team and Kirvan
Pierson and Ronald Wilson were honorable mention.
They continued to carry momentum to the next
spring and ended 1955 ranked seventh in the land
and were the ACC runners-up.
Lean times hit the program for the next 10
seasons, as the Blue Devils tried to compete with
the quickly growing powers on the East Coast. The
team went to club status in 1965 in an effort to
rebuild with freshman and varsity players joining
forces. Persons’ efforts paid off as he guided the
team to a 5-5 mark in 1966 before retiring from the
world of lacrosse.
The Corrie/Skinner Era
With Roy Skinner and Bruce Corrie taking over
as co-coaches in 1967, the Blue Devils romped to a
7-4 mark and a runner-up spot in the ACC. Captain
Wayne Guckenberger earned team Most Valuable
Player honors, while honorable mention All-America
selections Malcolm Travelstead and Art Tremaine
were the offensive and defensive leaders during that
period. The duo continued to direct Duke for the
next four years. With the Blue Devils moving from
club to full varsity status, the team was on its way
again.
The offense was keyed during that time by
explosive scorers Steve Sachs and Chuck Clark.
Sachs led the ACC in scoring in 1968 and 1969 and
finished his career with 101 goals and 108 assists
for 209 points. The two finished their careers as cocaptains
in ’69 and led the team to a 6-5 record.
They will be long remembered as the foundation of
the rebirth of a proud tradition at Duke.
Skinner retired following the 1970 season and
Corrie took over as the lone head coach in 1971.
Honorable mention All-America and North-South
selection Jeff Board, along with 100-point scorer Jim
Neffgen, paced the Blue Devils. Captains Jon
Brodsky, Dennis Cassidy and Bill Pugh were the
team leaders during the 1970 and ’71 seasons.
Midfielder Skip Walters was named MVP in 1971,
as Duke progressed to an 8-6 record in 1972.
New names and faces continued to emerge and
two that stood out were midfielders Mark Sammis and
Val Curran. Both earned team MVP honors
separately, and then shared the award as senior cocaptains
in 1974. The two would guide Duke to an 8-
6 record and a number 18 ranking. Sammis was an
honorable mention All-America selection as a senior
and played in the North-South All-Star Game. During
this period, potent scorers Rob Rice and Tom
Brodsky led the Blue Devils, as both finished their
careers with over 100 points. Rice was named
honorable mention All-America.
After leading the program for nine seasons,
Corrie retired as head coach following the 1975
season and later became the Director of Athletics at
Northwestern University.
Dick Bollinger & Coach Jack Persons
Charles Gilfillan
Coach Roy Skinner
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