Walter Cross

Walter Cross was an outstanding athlete, coach and contributor during his lifetime — the bulk of it spent in Howard County. As a basketball player at Thorntown High School, he won the Gimbel Award, which was the forerunner to the Trester Award. He later came to Kokomo High School where, from 1925-66, he taught science and coached.

A member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the Indiana Track and Cross Country Hall of Fame, Cross coached football, basketball and track and started the school’s cross country program in 1941.

After his retirement, he continued to assist with track and swimming meets at Kokomo and Haworth high schools and often served as the timer at football and basketball games.

Cross saw every Kokomo Relays from its inception in 1925 until his death in 1987. In 1986, Kokomo High’s football and track facility was named Walter Cross Field.