In 2007, race winner Josh Parkey chose this cake baked by Amy Diamond (left). (Bill Giduz photo)
One of the traditions of new student orientation week at Davidson College is the Freshman Cake Race, a 1.7-mile foot race started in 1934 to help the track coach spot potential recruits. It’s called the cake race because top finishers get their pick of dozens of cakes baked and decorated by members of the college community.
The race has been run every year except World War II and 1972. This year’s running is Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 5 p.m., beginning at the college stadium, and organizers are seeking bakers to supply the prizes again.
The track recruiting angle has long since become unnecessary, with athletes now recruited out of high school. But the community cake-baking tradition has endured. It’s even become something of a competition in its own right: Whose cake wins the title of first chosen by the race winner? The battle to decorate a winning cake can be fierce.
That track coach came up with the idea of prizes because “he knew he couldn’t just get them to run without some sort of incentive,” said Brenda Daugherty of Davidson’s physical education and recreation department, who is coordinating this year’s race.
“At that time, it wasn’t just a cake, it was tickets to movies, free haircuts or other prizes,” Ms. Daugherty said. Later, other prizes were dropped, but community members continued to bake cakes, giving the race its name.
Organizers this year are hoping for more cakes than ever from the community, to satisfy a record freshman class of 483. Ms. Daugherty said she hopes the sense of competition will bring out the bakers.
Last year, the college got 120 cakes, including 30 donated by a Brownie troop that staged a cake baking party. “We’re hoping to double it this year,” Ms. Daugherty said.
WANT TO BAKE?
Cakes may be delivered to the Baker Sports Complex main lobby on Wednesday before the race. For details, call Brenda Daugherty, Davidson physical education and recreation, 704-894-2342 or brdaugherty@davidson.edu.
