1978 Langford/1983 SDSU graduate. Claremont native. Was a four-year letter winner at SDSU in baseball. Was all-North Central Conference as a senior with one of the best all-time season batting averages (.443) in school and conference history. A multi-sport standout at Langford, Cutler was a two-time all-state football player, leading the Lions to the mythical nine-man state championship in 1976 as the No. 1-rated team. He also was an all-state basketball player and was a place-winner at the 1978 State A track meet in the long (second) and triple (third) jumps. Cutler took over the Platte boys’ basketball program in 1989-90 after six seasons as an assistant at Watertown. He retired at the end of the 2025 season, with a career record of 546-264 with 13 state tournament appearances and one State A title (2008) and two state runner-up finishes (2009 and 2014) and three third-place finishes in 36 seasons. At Platte-Geddes, he also was the junior high football coach for 34 years (40 overall) and the head boys’ and girls’ golf coach (2013-25) and the athletic director (2014-25). His boys’ golf teams finished as the State B runners-up four times (2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021) and Culter coached the 2021 State B champion Brody Boltjes. He has been named the SD Coach of the Year numerous times in various sports. Also has served as a girls’ basketball official. Cutler had a Hall-of-Fame amateur baseball career in South Dakota with 35 seasons (Claremont, Watertown, Platte and Parkston) and qualified for the state tourney 32 times. He was a career .400 hitter who played every position and who not only played on but managed Claremont’s two state championship teams in 1984 (Claremont was the state overall state champ as they beat Class A champion Aberdeen Wendy’s-Coke) and 1985. He also played on several South Dakota senior baseball teams at World Series tourneys, and helped the South Dakota Silver Bullets win a Series title in 1993. Frank also coached the 1983 Groton Teeners to a State B championship and the 2007 Platte Teeners to a State A Championship.
Cutler, Frank
- Induction Year: 2026
- Sport: Baseball, Basketball
School / Team
Langford; SDSU
Achievements
4-year letter winner in baseball at SDSU, All-NCC senior season with .443 batting average, 2x all-state football, Led Langford Lions to mythical nine-man state championship (1976), All-state basketball, State A track place-winner in long jump and triple jump (1978), Head boys’ basketball coach at Platte (546-264 record), 13 state tournament appearances, 1 State A title (2008), 2 state runner-up finishes (2009, 2014), 3 third-place finishes in 36 seasons, Boys’ golf coach – 4× State B runner-up (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021), Coached 2021 State B champion Brody Boltjes, Named SD Coach of the Year numerous times, Hall-of-Fame amateur baseball career (35 seasons), qualified for state tourney 32x, career .400 hitter, Managed Claremont to 2 state baseball championships (1984, 1985), Helped SD Silver Bullets win a World Series title (1993), Coached 1983 Groton Teeners to State B championship, Coached 2007 Platte Teeners to State A championship