LEGENDS STADIUM: Flathead greats Frank Cabbage, Jeff Epperly selected for Wall of Fame

Frank Cabbage and Jeff Epperly will join 26 former coaches and athletes on the Legends Wall of Fame at an induction ceremony on Friday during the crosstown girls’ basketball game at Glacier High School.

The inductees were chosen based upon community service; excellence in leadership, academics and teaching in Kalispell Public Schools; outstanding athletic accomplishments in the Kalispell community; and accomplishments at Legends Stadium and the playing fields and gymnasiums of Kalispell and the state of Montana.

Cabbage is a 1958 graduate of Flathead High School, who earned eight letters in football, basketball and track and field. Athletes at that time were not allowed to letter more than three years in one sport.

Cabbage was an all-state quarterback and team captain for the Braves his junior and senior seasons. Against Billings West in his senior year, he ran for four touchdowns and passed for two more. In addition to quarterback, Cabbage played linebacker, defensive back, safety, punter and punt returner.

Cabbage was a three-year starter at guard for the Braves basketball team, selected to the all-state team as a senior and was a member of the North-South all-star high school basketball game.

In track and field, Cabbage threw the javelin, capturing the state championships his junior and senior seasons while placing second as a sophomore. He went on to throw the javelin at Western Montana College (now University of Montana-Western), setting an NAIA District 5 record with a throw of 207 feet, 8 inches.

As a senior at Flathead, Cabbage was given the prestigious Koford Award, presented to a senior based upon scholarship, athletics, character and inspiration.

Outside of Flathead, Cabbage played summer baseball for Kalispell’s American Legion team, batting .455 and .488 his last two seasons and pitching a no-hitter against Anaconda.

Cabbage served the community of Kalispell as a 25-year employee of Montana Power Company. He coached Little League baseball and Rotary basketball, was a 10-year volunteer fireman for Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department and was a member of the Lions Club and assistant Boy Scout leader.

Epperly is a 1981 graduate of Flathead High who was a three-sport star for the Braves. He quarterbacked the Braves football team to the 1980 Class AA state championship game and was selected to the all-state team.

A member of one of the prominent basketball families in the Flathead Valley, Epperly is considered by many as the best all-around basketball player to ever play at Flathead, scoring more than 1,100 points in two seasons at a 24-point per game average while also leading the team in rebounding and assists. He competed his first two seasons for Butte High.

He led the Braves to the 1981 co-Western AA conference champonship and a fourth-place finish in the state tournament, selected as an all-state player his junior and senior seasons. Epperly was named an all-American his senior season by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association as an academics designee and led the Montana team in scoring as it won both games of the 1981 Montana/Wyoming All-Star series. He went on to play basketball for Montana State University, starting for 3 1/2 years and receiving all-Big Sky Conference recognition his last three seasons.

In track and field, Epperly broke the 20-year old school high jump record at Flathead, clearing 6-7. He placed in the high jump all four years at the Class AA state meet.

As a senior, Epperly also earned the Koford Award.

Epperly is currently the freshman boys’ basketball coach at Flathead High.

The Legends Stadium Wall of Fame was erected in 2004 when the Flathead High School trustees voted to change the name of Rawson Field to Legends Stadium. The board believed recognizing “Legends” would be an effective way to recognize the many outstanding tudents, athletes, teachers, coaches and administrators who have made a significant contribution to the school community. The Legends Stadium Selection Committee chose Cabbage and Epperly from a field of six nominations on Jan. 20.