Members
Inductee
KURTH, THOMAS F.
KURTH, THOMAS F.
Born on May 13, 1936
Inducted On
July 15, 1994
Location Inducted
Elkhart, IN
Region Number
2
Elkhart Central
Coach
Hobart, IN
1954
All-Calumet Conference End senior year; 3-year letterman and starter; played on 3 Calumet Conference Championship teams.
Wittenberg University 1958
1958
First team All-Ohio Conference End senior year; football co-captain senior year; Ohio Conference Champions 1957; 4-year letterman and starter.
Wife, Barb; children, Kristie, Frank, and Karen.
Coaching Experience: Assistant coach at Griffith HS 1958-1959; head coach at Griffith 1959-1965; head coach at Elkhart HS 1966-2001; retired at end of 2001 season after 44 years of football coaching experience with a 278-140-5 record.
Coaching Honors: Indiana Football Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1982; coached two mythical State Championship teams at Elkhart 1968 (UPI) and 1970 (AP & UPI); had 3 undefeated teams (Griffith 1963, Elkhart 1968, 1970); 10 conference championships (Griffith-4, Elkhart-6); 11 teams were ranked in top ten at end of season; 22 teams were ranked in top 20 at end of season; head coach of North All-Stars 1993; inducted into Moose Krause Chapter of the Football Hall of Fame 1990; All-American Football Foundations President Gerald Ford High School Coach Award 2007; Jim Andrews Football Coaches Achievement Award 1993; Indiana District 2 Football Coach of the Year 1970 and NSHACA Football Coach of the Year - District 4 in 1982.
Outstanding Players Coached: Bill Fritz, Dennis Lager, Ed Albright (Wisconsin); David Schnell, Marshall McCullough (Indiana); Lynn Garrard (Wabash); Oderia Mitchell (Air Force Academy); Garvin Roberson (Illinois); Tom Eastman (Notre Dame); Bob Herrick, Dan Brekke, Bob Martin (Purdue); Robert Taylor (Ellsworth JC); Clyde Riley, Shafer Suggs, Frank Kurth (Ball State); Mike Stock, Rich Wingo, Scott Homan (Alabama); Rod Roberson (Northwestern); Jeff Kollat (Toledo); and, Reggie Underwood (Illinois St.).
Coaching Honors: Indiana Football Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1982; coached two mythical State Championship teams at Elkhart 1968 (UPI) and 1970 (AP & UPI); had 3 undefeated teams (Griffith 1963, Elkhart 1968, 1970); 10 conference championships (Griffith-4, Elkhart-6); 11 teams were ranked in top ten at end of season; 22 teams were ranked in top 20 at end of season; head coach of North All-Stars 1993; inducted into Moose Krause Chapter of the Football Hall of Fame 1990; All-American Football Foundations President Gerald Ford High School Coach Award 2007; Jim Andrews Football Coaches Achievement Award 1993; Indiana District 2 Football Coach of the Year 1970 and NSHACA Football Coach of the Year - District 4 in 1982.
Outstanding Players Coached: Bill Fritz, Dennis Lager, Ed Albright (Wisconsin); David Schnell, Marshall McCullough (Indiana); Lynn Garrard (Wabash); Oderia Mitchell (Air Force Academy); Garvin Roberson (Illinois); Tom Eastman (Notre Dame); Bob Herrick, Dan Brekke, Bob Martin (Purdue); Robert Taylor (Ellsworth JC); Clyde Riley, Shafer Suggs, Frank Kurth (Ball State); Mike Stock, Rich Wingo, Scott Homan (Alabama); Rod Roberson (Northwestern); Jeff Kollat (Toledo); and, Reggie Underwood (Illinois St.).
