by Nigel Melville
Nigel Melville Direct

Ironic that on a week that all eyes will be on Vegas and the new Olympic sport of Rugby sevens, I hear about the sad passing of Marilyn Slater McCapes, the daughter of one of our 1920 and 1924 Gold Medalists.

According to her husband, Dick, she passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family. Marilyn was more than just a Davis supporter. She was an Aggie from day one.

Her father, Colby E. ‘Babe’ Slater (UCD 1914-17), was an outstanding athlete at Davis. Colby Slater went on to compete in the Olympics where he won Gold Medals in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games playing for the US Rugby Team. Slater captained the side in the1924 Games.

Marilyn and Dick have been great supporters of the rugby club and the school. This should come as no surprise considering that both graduated from UC Davis (Marilyn ’55 & Dick’56, ’58).

The McCapes Family is the club’s major donor and this past year they created the Cal Aggie Men’s Rugby Fund to help the team compete at the highest level.

They were a fixture at all home rugby games and were the clubs biggest fans. They even attended the end of year banquets.

With rugby rejoining the Olympic Games in 2016, we will hear more about Colby Slater and his contributions to the game of rugby.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family.

With an impressive resume as player, coach and administrator, Nigel David Melville took over as CEO and President of Rugby Operations of USA Rugby, the National Governing Body of the sport in America, in 2006.  In addition to his full time job promoting the sport in the U.S., Melville has launched his own blog, Nigel Melville Direct, to further the discussion and his passion for what it will take to make the U.S. a great rugby playing nation.

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