One of the all time great Salem athletes passed away a couple weeks ago and, unless you’re a big football fan or you’re old, you may not have even realized it. Don Oakes was 86 when he passed at his home in Roanoke on March 29.
Don was a 1956 graduate of Andrew Lewis High School, where he played football for coach Hal Johnston. He was a terrific two-way lineman who went on to play for Virginia Tech, where he also wrestled. Don was inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame in 2001, something he was extremely proud of.
Oakes was drafted in the third round by the defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles in 1961, when I was eight years old growing up in southeast Pennsylvania and growing a love for the team. Others who were drafted the same year as Don were legends like Mike Ditka, Bob Lilly, Herb Adderley, Fran Tarkenton and Billy Kilmer. Don was drafted before Ben Davidson, Ernie Ladd and Ron McDole, to name a few you long time football fans may remember.
When I decided to make my home here, after graduating from Roanoke College, I loved talking to Don about his days with the Eagles. He played in Philadelphia with the likes of Chuck Bednarek and Sonny Jurgenson for two seasons before moving on to the American Football League to play for the Boston Patriots. When the Eagles played the Patriots in 2005 he told me he was torn between the two but had to root for the Patriots since he played there for more seasons.
Don played for the Patriots, who later changed their name to “New England,” before and after the NFL merger in 1966, earning All-Pro recognition with the Pats on the offensive line. After his professional career he returned to the valley and was the head coach at William Byrd High School from 1972 to 1980. The Terriers were 45-44-2 during his time with a 10-1 record and a playoff appearance in 1973 when was it was very difficult to make the playoffs. Vinton’s Anthony Conner, who graduated from Byrd in 1979, played for Oakes in high school.
“He was kind of a gentle giant,” said Conner. “Everyone respected him and wanted to do well. He was an outstanding person.”
A couple summers ago Anthony invited the old team to his house and about 20 players showed up along with Don and assistants Paul Barnard and Wallace Thompson and they relived some of the good old days at Byrd.
After leaving the Terriers Don served as an assistant at Cave Spring, then came back to coach with Jeff Highfill at Byrd for a season in the late ’90s.
“He was a really good guy,” said Highfill. “He helped coach both sides of the line and he had that NFL intensity level. He loved being around kids and he was still substitute teaching at Byrd up until a few years ago.”
Salem High athletic director Drew Barrett had a great idea to frame jerseys of former Salem athletes who played professionally and display them just outside the gym. Don’s number 71 Boston Patriots jersey is there beside Billy Sample, Alex Light and Dennis Haley. I was planning to do a story on Don for the paper prior to the fall football season, highlighting his jersey in the Salem High foyer, but didn’t get to it in time, and that I regret.
Don Oakes was truly a great in the Roanoke Valley with roots in Salem, the heart of a Hokie and the love and respect of many. He’ll truly be missed.
