Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame’s Danny Tharpe Among Most Versatile Athletes Ever In Brevard

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

WATCH: Danny Tharpe is one of Brevard and Florida’s most versatile and greatest all-around athletes. During his four years as a Cocoa High Tiger, he earned 15 varsity letters, leading to his induction into the Florida High School Activities Hall of Fame.

DANNY THARPE – 2013 INDUCTEE

• Member of FHSAA Hall of Fame
• High School All-American
• 15 High School Varsity Letters

ACCOMPLISHED IN MANY SPORTS

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Living legend Daniel Tharpe has set the bar very high for high school sports in Brevard County.

Tharpe’s performance and records in multiple sports will always be remembered in Brevard County and at Cocoa High School. To this day, some of those records have yet to be broken.

Most people who remember Tharpe from his playing days want to talk basketball, as Tharpe, as a 6-foot guard, led Cocoa High School to a 1960 state basketball championship, but Tharpe was incredibly accomplished in many sports.

One of the most versatile and greatest all-around athletes in the history of Brevard and of the state of Florida, during Tharpe’s four years as a Cocoa High Tiger, he received no less than 15 varsity letters, leading to his induction into the Florida High School Activities Hall of Fame.

ALL STATE FOOTBALL, 12 NO-HITTERS

A four-year starter in basketball as a point guard, Tharpe was a two-time First Team All-State selection and, in his senior year, was an All-American.

Tharpe still holds the school, county, conference, and state records for the best free throw percentage, consecutive made, and career made, and his state tournament record percentage of 100 percent (29 for 29) has never been equaled.

As a four-year starting pitcher and second baseman, Tharpe threw two perfect games – one in which he struck out every batter in the game against Melbourne – and tossed a combined 12 no-hitters in his junior and senior seasons, eventually being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in his senior year.

He was a two-year starter in football, earning All-State honors as a Senior, playing both offense and defense.

In tennis, Tharpe was the number one singles and doubles player for four years, winning 71 straight and never losing a match except in doubles, where he went 70 and 1. He was also ranked in the top 25 nationally for three years.

GREATEST ATHLETE IN WCU HISTORY

He earned a four-year basketball scholarship to Western Carolina University, where he was inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991 after starting in four sports and was chosen as the greatest athlete in WCU history.

As a four-year starter in basketball at point guard, Tharpe led the Catamounts to three 20-win seasons, Carolina’s conference championship, and the 1963 NAIA National Tournament championship game. He averaged in double figures in all four seasons.

He was a regular on the WCU tennis team for two seasons, led the 1964 baseball team in hitting, and started as a linebacker for the 1964 football team before suffering a mid-season injury. Tharpe also excelled in the classroom with a 3.0 grade point average, double majoring in biology and physical education.

YOUTH, HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE COACH

After leaving WCU, Tharpe gave back to his Brevard community. From 1965 to 1969, he coached basketball and tennis at Cocoa High and started the first “Little Dribbler” League for children 6-12 years of age in Brevard County.

Tharpe later returned to WCU, where he became an assistant coach and then a coach at East Texas State.

Danny Tharpe’s athletic accomplishments are legendary, and he is undeniably one of the greatest all-around athletes in Brevard County’s history.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail MaverickMultimedia@gmail.com.

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