Hall of Fame
Frank “Yogi” Neal, son of Robert and Ella Rebecca Neal is a 1961 graduate of West Martin High School in Hamilton, North Carolina. In high school, he played basketball and was the star player. He was part of the team that won several regional tournaments.
After graduating from West Martin High School, he attended Elizabeth City State University as a scholarship player and quickly claimed his position as a starter his first year. He replaced Will “Wee” Francis who was unable to play the first half of the year. By the end of his first year, he had established himself as a contributor to Pirates/Vikings basketball. Yogi established himself as a post player who could score the ball at a 50 plus percentage rate which was near the top in the conference. During his senior year (1965), he was named Co-Captain of the basketball team.
At the end of his college career, he became a basketball coach in Gates County where he won several conference tournaments. Frank later coached in Rockville, Maryland before returning to Williamston High School, in Williamston North Carolina. He later joined his college teammate, Charles Davis at Parker Junior High School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina where he retired in 2009.
He has been married to his loving bride, Patricia, for more than 58 years and has four children, Michael, Frankie, Fran, and Mary. Next to loving his family is his love for fishing. Yogi loves to fish. If you want to listen to a lecture on how and where to fish, just mention fishing to Yogi and you will get the lecture for free.
