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.