Tom Kropp, co-head coach for the UNK Lopers men’s basketball team being inducted into the National high school Hall of Fame in Washington DC today. He was quite the four sport athlete in the late 60’s and even played a little NBA ball after his college days.
Among his young athletic accomplishments; as a 12 year old, he competed in the punt pass and kick finals, he threw a no-hitter in a Nebraska State American Legion Championship game, won gold medals in shot put and discus in track as a senior, won state football titles as a freshmen and sophomore and would become a two-time NAIA All-American in both football and basketball during his collegiate career at University of Nebraska-Kearney.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL in the eighth round, and by the Washington Bullets of the NBA, and the Denver Nuggets of the ABA both in the third round and played with Bullets and Bulls in the NBA.
Kropp is the first Nebraskan to be inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame.