CLASS OF 2006
Frankie Young
In the simplest of terms, Frankie Young is the best long jumper in Indiana High School Athletic Association history.
While at Kokomo High School, Young won three consecutive IHSAA long jump championships in 1993, ’94 and ’95 and his state record of 24-7 ¾ — which he set as a junior and tied as a senior — still stands.
Young continued his career at Indiana State University where, along with setting ISU records, he won seven of a possible eight Missouri Valley Conference long jump titles and two triple-jump championships. His nine MVC titles are the most for any field athlete in Conference history.
In 1999, Young was runner-up at the NCAA championship meet with a leap of 26-10. He was a four-time NCAA All-American (twice indoors, twice outdoors). In 1999, he finished 10th at the World Games and in 2000 he participated in the Olympic Trials.
Young has been inducted into the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame.
Mike Fulk
Mike Fulk is the most successful and decorated player in the history of Howard County football, starting at offensive tackle and middle linebacker on Western High School teams that amassed a three-year record of 21-6-1.
Recruited by Coach John Pont at Indiana, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder quickly turned into an outstanding linebacker and team leader. He led the Hoosiers in tackles in 1970 and ’72 and his career tackles-for-loss total still ranks No. 10 all-time at IU.
As a senior, Fulk was named Associated Press’ College Lineman of the Week after registering 18 solo tackles and four assists in the Hoosiers’ 10-2 win at Syracuse. Following that season, he was invited to play in the East-West Shrine and North-South all-star games.
San Francisco drafted Fulk with the 112th overall pick in the NFL’s 1973 draft, but he suffered a career-ending knee injury soon after going to training camp.
Fred Elliott
In a county known for its outstanding track and field performers, Fred Elliott is regarded as the best sprinter ever.
Elliott was a major contributor during the period of 1934-37 at Kokomo High School when the Kats claimed seven IHSAA state championships. Elliott captured four individual state titles in the 100 and 200-yard dashes and ran a leg on the winning 800 relay. In ’34, he won the 100 dash in a state record time of :9.8, a mark that stood until 1963.
Elliott then starred at Indiana University. In ’37 he finished second in the 220 dash at the Big Ten Meet and was named All-American by finishing fifth in that event at the NCAA Meet at the University of California. In the ’38 Big Ten Meet, Elliott finished third in the 220 and fifth in the 100.
He was later inducted into the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame.
Carl McNulty
Carl McNulty is one of Indiana’s finest athlete-coach combinations. After an outstanding career at Washington Township in Cass County, McNulty continued his basketball career at Purdue University.
As a junior in 1951, he averaged 17 points and as a senior, averaged 18 points and was a first team all-Big Ten selection. He was a two-time Purdue MVP and set the single game scoring record of 36 points against Indiana. He still holds the rebound record of 27, set against Minnesota.
Following graduation he toured the country with the College All-Americans playing the Harlem Globetrotters, before eventually turning to coaching.
McNulty coached at four high schools, the last at Kokomo, where in 18 seasons, his teams won 13 sectionals and amassed a 256-172 record.
He was also one of the state’s premier fastpitch softball pitchers. It is estimated he threw some 100 no-hitters over a career that spanned 44 years.
McNulty was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.
Chuck Cone
By anyone’s definition, Chuck Cone is the most outstanding, most decorated wrestler ever from Howard County, having won three IHSAA state championships.
Wrestling at Kokomo High School, Cone won his first state title at 103 pounds as a sophomore in 1963. He followed that up by winning at 112 pounds as a junior and 120 pounds as a senior. In that senior season, Cone led Kokomo’s team to the runner-up spot at the state meet. Over Cone’s final three seasons, he never lost a match.
Cone continued his career at Indiana State University where he won two Indiana Collegiate Conference championships. In 1967, he earned a bid to the NCAA meet at Kent State where he finished 5-2 in the 115-pound class.
He coached high school wrestling for 25 years and was also national wrestling coach of the United States Association of Blind Athletes.
Cone was inducted into the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1975.
Joe Platt
Joe Platt will forever be linked to the greatest sports moment in Howard County history – March 18, 1961 – when Kokomo High School’s boys basketball team won the IHSAA State Basketball Tournament.
Kokomo beat Indianapolis Manual 68-66 in overtime at sold-out Butler Fieldhouse, during the height of Hoosier Hysteria. Thousands greeted the team late that night at Memorial Gymnasium and the importance of the event to the community is reflected by the Kokomo Tribune printing a special edition that night.
Platt won more than a state title in his 13 seasons at Kokomo, from 1951-63. His teams captured five outright North Central Conference championships and his total wins (280) and winning percentage (.765) rank No. 1 all-time.
He was an outstanding player at Indiana University under legendary coach Everett Dean. During Platt’s years, IU won the Western Conference (Big Ten) championship in 1936 and he served as team captain in 1938.
Platt was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
