Pair of Husky legends share unique postgame handshake

Tom Kropp is a recognizable figure across the state for his legendary accomplishments that started in an Aurora uniform 50 years ago. 
Just the mention of the name Kropp brings stories of game-winners, no hitters and the impossible becoming possible. 
Gage Griffith spent his high school career chasing a name on the record board and eventually erased the name Kropp and inserted his own on Aurora’s all-time throwing list. 
Yet, given a unique moment to meet the guy whose name was written on his bedroom wall, Gage wasn’t sure who he was shaking hands with. 
Oops. 
“I didn’t know what he looked like,” Gage admitted. “I really didn’t know who he was until he told me his name. I went to bed thinking about those records and it meant a lot for me to put a face to a name.”
Tom sure didn’t mind. He’s as genuine as ever. 
Tom and Gage were able to share a unique meeting with one another following Saturday’s 64th Shrine Bowl game in Kearney. 
Both are now Aurora and Shrine Bowl alumni and the meeting held special meaning for both, for different reasons. 
During the spring sports season, Gage broke both of Aurora’s throwing school records on the same day. 
The discus throw was the one of importance in this scenario. Gage broke Tom’s 51-year mark with a throw of 186-3 at April’s Central Nebraska Track Championships. 
Tom’s original mark from 1971 was 182-10. That year at state track, Tom won both the shot put and discus gold medals. 
Gage went a step further than that, winning the gold medal in both the shot put and discus in back-to-back years, putting himself in rare air in terms of the feat. 
In other words, it was something Tom wasn’t able to accomplish. Now that’s rare. 
Tom was sharp as a tack Saturday and excited as ever to meet the new Aurora throws king. He was well aware of who Gage Griffith was before his record fell. 
“I followed him his junior year and saw how well he was doing then,” Tom said in a brief conversation Saturday on UNK’s football field. “I kept up with him his senior year on his way to breaking my record.”
Tom still teaches some classes in UNK’s physical education department and is having fun doing that, known campus wide simply as Coach Kropp. In fact, that’s exactly how he found out his record fell. The following day after the CNTCs, much of Tom’s college classroom heard via social media and made sure to let their teacher know about it. 
“A bunch of kids came into class the next day saying, ‘Hey, Coach Kropp! Gage broke your record,’” Tom recalled. “That’s how I found out about it.”
It wasn’t long after that Tom decided that some how, some way he wanted to meet and shake hands with the guy who broke his long-standing record. 
Eventually, it was all set up that Tom would have the opportunity to meet Gage following the Shrine Bowl game. 
Gage’s family help set up the encounter and decided to leave it a surprise for the big man. 
The look on his face shaking hands with Tom said it all. He was surprised, honored and genuinely enjoyed the moment. 
“That was a great experience for me,’ Gage said afterward. “It was like icing on the cake today for the Shrine Bowl for sure.”
At one time, Tom  held Aurora’s school record in the shot, too, but has since been bested by six others. 
Yet, that discus mark stood the test of time. Only three athletes in Aurora school history have thrown the discus further than 170 feet, with Pat Shaw being the third. 
Gage entered his senior season with a career-best throw of 174-8 before snapping off his school record toss of 186-3. 
He said after state track a few weeks ago his goals were 62 feet in the shot and 182-10 and a half in the discus. 
Always humble, Tom explained it’s exactly how sports are supposed to be. Setting records and watching them fall. 
“I was very happy for Gage,” he noted. “As the saying goes, records are made to be broken. It’s very true and I was proud to have him break that record.”
Anything with Tom Kropp’s name attached to it is newsworthy. Tom is still recognized as one of the top high school athletes in Nebraska history. 
Tom helped Aurora win six state championships in three sports. He averaged 33 points and 21 rebounds his senior year in basketball and rushed for more than 1,000 yards on the football field. He tossed a no-hitter on the Legion baseball field to go along with his state track accolades. 
Now, he’s No. 2 in Aurora’s all-time discus list. And he’s okay with that. 
As news of Gage’s record-breaking throw made waves across the state, Tom heard from a lot of different people over the last month after seeing his name back in ink. 
It was fun for him, sharing stories while putting the spotlight back on a young man who truly deserved the honor. 
“I have just heard so many good things about Gage, I followed his career, not only in track and field but in football as well. He’s a great kid,” Tom said. 
Many of the same things would have been said about him 50 years ago. It all holds true today. 
The man, the myth and the legend swapping stories. A passing of the discus. A memorable moment for both. 

RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.