Duke was born in Huntington, Long Island, New York, and began his wrestling career in the 9th grade at Walt Whitman High School. He was on the varsity wrestling team in the 10th-12th grades and was team captain and Suffolk County 161 lb. champ his senior year. He also played on the varsity football and lacrosse teams. After high school, Duke continued his education and wrestling career at Auburn University, where he wrestled four years under the legendary Coach Arnold "Swede" Umbach. He placed in several tournaments and finished 2nd and 4th in the SEIWA. He graduated from Auburn in 1967 and earned his Master's degree in 1978 from UAB. In 1967-68 Duke began his teaching and coaching career at Chavala High School in Russell County, Alabama, where he started their wrestling program. In 1968-69 he moved to Birmingham where he started the wrestling program at Phillips High School. His first several years of coaching wrestling were voluntary, with no compensation other than his love of the sport. In 1979 Duke left Phillips to be the Head Wrestling Coach at Berry/Hoover High School. He coached many regional and state champions while at Phillips and Berry/Hoover High Schools with 11 top four team finishes, including three state runners-up. While at Hoover High School he hosted the AHSAA 1A-6A State Wrestling Tournaments in 1995 and 1996. After retiring from 32 years of coaching and teaching, in 2001, Duke stayed active in wrestling by helping Shades Valley High School wrestlers and helping coach summer wrestling at Pelham High School where his grandson, Joseph, wrestled. He is honored annually at the "Battle of the Ball" Hoover/Spain Park Dual Meet. Duke and his wife, Judy, of 53 years met while seniors at Auburn. They have two sons, Michael and Randall, who both wrestled at Berry; daughter-in-law, Melissa; and four grandchildren, Joseph, Carmine, Katie, and Mazzy.