Ervin won his first race at the age of 16 with Black Diamond at Charleston, IL. By the late 1940’s he was a driving and training force on the Grand Circuit. A model of consistency, Ervin scored Little Brown Jug victories in three different decades, Good Time (1949), Keystoner (1953) and Bret Hanover (1965). Ervin also captured two Hambletonian titles with Diller Hanover (1959) and Kerry Way (1966).

Ervin drove Bret Hanover to the 1965 Little Brown Jug title and was named the "Horse of the Year" for three consecutive years (1964-1966).

Frank Ervin was inducted into the Harness Racing Living Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York in 1968. Ervin died on September 30, 1991 at his home in Winter Park, Florida.

Ervin’s family will be presented a plaque at the Little Brown Jug Mayor’s Breakfast at Ohio Wesleyan University on September 17, the morning before the 57th Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

Past Neville Award winners include: Max C. Hempt (1999); Charles D. Hill (2000); George Sholty (2001): James Hackett (2002).