Pete Dawkins - Early Life, Education and Athletic Career

Early Life, Education and Athletic Career

At age 11, he was successfully treated for polio with aggressive physical therapy. After earning a scholarship, Dawkins entered Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. There he was an all-league quarterback, and captain of the baseball team. He graduated from Cranbrook in the class of 1955 and was accepted for admission by two major institutions of higher learning.

Accepted by Yale University, Dawkins chose instead to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. He won high honors, serving as Brigade Commander, President of his Class, Captain of the football team, and a "Star Man" in the top five percent of his class academically. A cadet is considered outstanding if he attains one of these positions. Dawkins was the only cadet in history to hold all four at once. He was featured in Life Magazine and Reader's Digest. Even before his graduation, many predicted the bright young man would make General and perhaps even be Army Chief of Staff. Dawkins was selected for the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award as a halfback for Army in 1958, and an All American under coach Earl Blaik. He was also an Assistant Captain for the hockey team. At Oxford, he won three Blues in rugby and is credited with popularizing the overarm throw (originally called the "Yankee torpedo pass") into the lineout.

Dawkins graduated from the Military Academy in 1959 with a very high class-standing, and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. He earned a degree at Oxford University in 1962 in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and later earned a M.P.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton.