Troy Nolan

2003 El Camino Graduate and current pro football player for the Houston Texans, Troy Nolan made his first career appearance last week in a regular season game against the Oakland Raiders. He intercepted two passes ,  with the second preserving the victory. Nolan was drafted by the Texans in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. Before making it in the NFL, Nolan attended College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, and then went to Arizona State, where he led the team in interceptions in 2007. Nolan scored five defensive touchdowns in only two years of Pac-10 play.  

Robin Yount

Robin Yount, the brother of Larry Yount, was a Major League Baseball star and graduate of Taft High School. Yount made his MLB debut in 1974 at age 18. In September of the following year, he broke the record held by Mel Ott for 47 years for the most MLB games played as a teenager. Yount played for the Brewers his entire 20-year career and received two American League Most Valuable Player awards. He was also the 17th player in MLB history to have over 3,000 hits in his career. Yount retired from baseball in 1993 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999. 

Larry Yount

Larry Yount, who came so very close to making it to the big leagues, graduated from Taft High School. Yount was a fifth round draft pick in the 1968 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. He was supposed to appear in a major league game in 1971, but was hurt during warm-ups, and never actually got in the game. Yount, who is 60, retired from baseball in 1976 and is now a successful real estate developer in Arizona. Baseball runs in the family—more on Yount’s brother and son in future Gazettes.