Walt Sehnert

Tom Kropp -- the one who got away

Monday, September 16, 2013

In the spring of 1971 the State of Nebraska was abuzz with the spirit of football. The Cornhuskers had just won a National Championship. After an early season tie with USC the 1970 team had swept the rest of their schedule, including a thrilling 17-12 victory over LSU in the Orange Bowl to earn the title.

Prospects were bright for the 1971 season, which would be led by a veteran group, such as quarterback, Jerry Tagge, and the All-American Halfback, Jeff Kinney, from McCook. (The 1972 season did, indeed, live up to expectations, resulting in a second national championship.)

What's more, Coach Devaney had recruited an impressive group of freshmen, who were expected to lead the team into a bright future -- none more heralded than the standout from Aurora, Tom Kropp.

Kropp had had a spectacular high school career. He was that rare four-sport athlete. In a basketball game against Fairbury, Kropp had scored 41 points by halftime, in a game that Aurora won 90-85. For his senior year he had averaged 33 points and 23 points/per game. In football he was a 1,000 yard rusher. In track he won the All-Class Gold Medal in the shot put. His discus throw of 192'10" was the 4th longest throw in the U.S. in 1971. In baseball he pitched a no-hitter in the championship game of the Junior Legion State Tournament.

Kropp was named The 1971 Nebraska High School Athlete of the Year. The Shrine Bowl honored him as one of the 25 Greatest Football Players, and the Omaha World Herald named him as one of the top Five Basketball Players in Nebraska High School history.

In Lincoln the Nebraska coaches set about to groom this outstanding freshman for a place on the Husker team in 1972. (Note: In 1971, freshmen were not yet eligible to compete in varsity sports. They had their own Freshman Schedule of games. That rule of excluding freshmen from varsity competition has since been rescinded.)

But Tom Kropp threw a glitch into the Husker coaches' plans for his rosy future. Family was, and is, of paramount importance to Tom Kropp. His father, Bill had been his coach in high school and he had very much enjoyed playing on the same teams with his older brother, John, who in 1971 was a member of the Kearney State Lopers football team. After one week of fall practice with the Cornhuskers, Tom announced to Coach Devaney that he was giving up his NU scholarship to return to Kearney to play football (and basketball) with his brother.

(Note: Tom Kropp was always a very caring, helpful individual. My sister, Judy, had been on the faculty at the Aurora Schools with both Toms's father, Bill and Mrs. Kropp for several years, while Tom was in grade school. When Judy lost her husband in a farm accident, there was a sale of farm machinery. For several weekends leading up to this event, Bill Kropp and Tom and John came to Judy's farm, helping to put the machinery into shape for the sale. All three were tireless workers, strong and imaginative, always cheerful. Their help, along with many neighbors and friends, was invaluable and much appreciated.)

Kearney State was a good fit for Tom Kropp, and he immediately proceeded to rewrite the record book at the school. He played both football and basketball for the Lopers from 1971 to 1975, and was selected in both sports to NSIA All-America Teams. He was twice named to the Academic All-America Team. In both his junior and senior years, he was named the Nebraska State College Athlete of the Year.

In 1974, during Kropp's final football season at Kearney State, I had the privilege of attending a game with my sister, Judy. We were crossing at the end of the field, to the bleachers on the far side and passed near to where Kropp was fielding practice punts. Kropp was already being heralded as one of Nebraska's All-time Great Athletes, so it was a surprise, and rather funny, as he ran over to us and in an almost little boy voice said, "Hi Mrs. Olsen, thanks for coming to the game."

Judy laughed, "Tom never did get caught up in his own importance." But that boyish charm did not stop him from taking the field that night and totally destroying Chadron State.

Kropp is the only basketball player in Kearney State history to average a double-double over his entire career (20.7 points per game, 11.2 rebound per game.) To date, he ranks in the top five in rebounds (1,220), points scored (1,884), and steals (169). As a senior he tallied a school record 51 points in a loss to Central Missouri, still a school record. At the NAIA tournament at Kemper Arena in Kansas City in 1975, which included 32 teams, Kearney State lost in the first round to Fairmont State West Virginia. Still, Tom Kropp was selected to the All-Tournament team. In his entire career at Kearney State Kropp led the team to a 57-30 record over four years.

Following his graduation from Kearney State, Kropp was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was also drafted to play basketball in both the National Basketball Association (Washington Bullets) and the ABA (Denver Nuggets). He chose the NBA offer, but was traded to the Chicago Bulls, where he played two years. From 1979 to 1983 he played professional basketball in Belgium, in the European League. During this four years on the Belgium team, he averaged more than 30 points per game. (Belgium turned out to be a very favorable place for Kropp, not just for basketball. There he met and married his wife, Sonja.)

Since his retirement from playing basketball, Kropp has received innumerable honors. He was voted Nebraska State College Athlete of the Century, Nebraska's All-time Greatest Athlete of the Decade, 1970-1980, and has been inducted into the NAIA, The Nebraska Football, and the Nebraska High School Athletes Halls of Fame.

Kropp returned to Kearney State College from Belgium and picked up a master's degree in Education while serving as a Graduate Assistant on the Basketball Coaching Staff for two years. Since 1989, it has been Dr. Tom Kropp. He received his doctorate from the University of Nebraska. He regularly teaches related courses in the UNK Department of Education.

Kropp's wife, Sonja, is an associate professor of French and serves as chair of the Modern Language Department at UNK. They are the parents of Dominique Kropp, who is currently a member of the UNK Tennis Team.

Kropp served seven years as an assistant basketball coach at Kearney State. From 1990 to 1999 Kropp served as co-head coach with the legendary Jerry Hueser. The two posted a record of 111 wins 88 defeats. Upon Hueser's retirement, Kropp took over the head coaching position, and from 1997 to 2006 he led the Lopers to an impressive 215-50 record.

Beginning in 2005 Kevin Lofton joined Kropp as co-head coach of the Loper basketball team, with the plan that Lofton will take over the head coaching position upon Kropp's retirement. The 2013-14 season marks Kropp's 34th year with the Kearney program, a time in which he has guided the basketball Lopers to a 444-222 record. One of the greatest athletes in Nebraska sports history has become one of the most respected coaches in America.

Honors continue to follow Kropp. In 2004 Sports Illustrated named Kropp "One of Nebraska's greatest Sports Celebrities, along with Ahman Green, Andy Roddick, and Jay Novacek. Four years earlier the magazine had named him one of Nebraska's Top Athletes of the 20th Century.

In 2003, Kropp was chosen to be the Grand Marshall of the Shrine Bowl, joining the two previous honorees, Johnny Rodgers and Gayle Sayers.

In 2005, the Omaha World Herald named Kropp as one of the 100 Greatest Athletes in the 125 years of Nebraska Sports, joining fellows like Bob Gibson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Richie Ashburn, who were all Major League Baseball Hall of Famers.

In 2008, Kropp became Nebraska's first inductee into the National High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Kropp attended the ceremony, which was held in Washington D.C.