Karl "Crush" Seidenstuecker
Karl "Crush" Seidenstuecker
Karl “Crush” Seidenstuecker was born in Winsted, Conn. on August 6, 1914. Son of a Lutheran minister, Karl grew up in Torrington, Conn., where he excelled in three sports; football, basketball, and baseball. While a student at Torrington High School, he played on a state championship football team and he earned all-state honors in both football and basketball. After graduating from Torrington High School in 1932, he entered the Stearns School to prepare for his entry into Dartmouth College in the fall of 1934. At Dartmouth, “Crush” made the football and basketball teams, graduating from the Handover, NH institution in 1938.
“Crush” came directly to Kennett High School from Dartmouth in the fall of 1938 to become a teacher of social studies and history, as well as assistant coach in football, basketball, and baseball working with Sam Fuller who as a graduate of Kennett and Bates College was serving his high school as head coach of football, basketball, and baseball.
At the end of the school year, 1938-1939, Sam elected to leave Kennett to accept a position as Principal of Jefferson High School in Jefferson, NH. Two years later with the outbreak of World War II, Sam enlisted in the US Infantry and eventually became a 1st Lt. He lost his life at St. Lo, France soon after the Normandy invasion.
With the departure of Sam Fuller from Kennett in 1939, “Crush” took over as head coach of football and basketball and took on the added duty of assistant baseball coach, and this began his long tenure of coach of Kennett’s football and basketball teams.
It was in the fall of 1939 when George Davidson came to Kennett as a teacher-coach and joined ”Crush” as his assistant in football and basketball and head coach of baseball. He worked with “Crush” until he became the principal of Kennett in 1947, serving in this role for the next ten years.
George “Dave” Davidson and Karl Seidenstuecker were always arguing over which was the better school — “Crush’s” Dartmouth or Dave’s Bowdoin. In 1942 to 1946, both he and Dave took a temporary leave of teaching and served our country in the armed forces.
As head coach of Basketball at Kennett, “Crush” led the eagles for twenty-one seasons and his teams won a total of 304 games as opposed to 178 losses. Five of his teams won the coveted state championship in 1942, 1950, 1959, 1960 and 1961. It was an unusual year when his team didn’t qualify for an annual state tourney held at the University of New Hampshire each winter. He retired as Head Coach of basketball in 1965.
During his tenure as Head Coach of football from 1939-1959 with the exception of war years of 1942-45, “Crush” produced some truly outstanding teams and in the 1950s his teams were often champions of the White Mountain Football Conference. During his tenure as a football coach, there were no playoff games for the state championship as there are today.
Coach Seidenstuecker was known and respected throughout New Hampshire and New England as one of the top schoolboy coaches in both basketball and football and he was elected to both the NH Coaches Hall of fame, as well as being named a charter member of Kennett Eagles Sports Hall of Fame.
Highly revered by his players, Coach Seidenstuecker’s teams were well known not only for their ability and finesse, but also for their sportsmanship, discipline, competitive spark, and desire.
It would be impossible to make mentions of all the teams that were developed at Kennett under the direction of Coach Seindenstuecker, but perhaps mention should be made of the years, 1959-1961, when the Eagles captured three state championships in a row in Basketball.
Assisted with the excellent help of JV coach Gordan Mann, “Crush’s” teams in these years played some of the most exciting basketball ever played by any Kennett teams. These three years were perhaps the high point of “Crush’s” career.
The spirited rivalry with St. John’s High School of Concord was the talk of the state in that three year period, and these teams played to turn-away crowds whenever they met. Both in Conway and Concord, the crowds gathered at 6:00 pm for a 7:30 pm varsity game, and all seats were taken within ten minutes of opening the doors. It was Coach Karl Seindenstuecker and Coach Gordon Mann against Coach Tom Hardiman of St. John’s and most of the games went down to the final seconds to determine the winner, but Kennett emerged the winner most often.
In addition to his accomplishments in sports, “Crush” served for many years as Head of Kennett’s Department of History and his classes were most popular with generations of Kennett students who recognized his talents and his enthusiasm as one of Kennett’s long line of outstanding teachers. “Crush” also advised the Junior Council of World Affairs, where many of his students became interested in foreign policy. Frequently, “Crush” would stand on his desk and re-enact battle scenes. He held his students spellbound.
“Crush” retired from Kennett faculty in 1975 and resided in Intervale in the summers and Sun City Center, Florida in the winters with his wife Jean, who was also an outstanding member of Kennett’s faculty for many years retiring in 1976.
Over the years, many former Kennett students returned to the Conway Area and enjoyed dropping in on the Seindenstueckers. A reunion of sorts was held at Camp Wakuta on Ossipee Lake in Freedom on August 28 1994 for the purpose of giving former students and friends of Karl, Jean, and Gordon another chance to drop in to greet these three individuals who have contributed so much to so many through the years. Many stories were told and many memories recalled. It was a day to remember and to say thanks to three well-liked and highly respected people. Approximately 60 people gathered to great Coaches Karl “Crusher” Seindenstuecker and Gordon Mann.
Certainly a legend in his time, a dynamic leader of youth and master teacher, “Crush” was honored in December of 1980 when the Kennett Alumni Association with the approval of the Conway School Board named Kennett’s newest gym in his honor.
The coach Karl Seidenstuecker Basketball award was established in 1962 by the class of 1962 to honor one of Kennett's most talented and successful coaches.
The basis for the selection of the recipient shall be:
- A member of the junior or senior class who has shown outstanding ability in the sport of basketball during the year, and who has attended Kennett High School for at least two years
- The committee selecting this recipient shall be made up of the varsity basketball coach, the junior varsity basketball coach, the principal of Kennett High School, a referee of at least five games in which the recipient has participated (if a referee qualifying is available), and the faculty manager of athletics.
- Their traits shall be considered in the selection of the recipient:
- Pride: self-respect without display of personal gratification for successful achievement
- Determination: the ability to make a decision and to follow through, regardless of win or loss on the part of his teammates.
- Willingness and desire to improve; for the sake of the team as a whole and for his own benefit.
- Courage: to meet all situations with firmness and valor.
- Leadership: in promoting the best from his teammates
- Appearance: neatness, cleanliness, and conservation
- Behavior: the display of courtesies of good manners under all circumstances.
- Loyalty: the endeavor always to uphold the high standards set for the team in order that the personnel of his team may be regarded highly by the school and the community
In addition to engraving the recipient’s name upon the plaque each year, each individual winner will receive a gold key bearing the symbol of the plaque. These keys are to be retained in the Kennett High School Safe until such times as presentations are made.
The Plaque reads…
“The Seidenstuecker Basketball Award, named in Honor of the long time and legendary Kennett Basketball Coach, is awarded each year to the young man who best exemplifies the traits admired by coach Seidenstuecker. These traits include coachibility, all around play, leadership and sportsmanship, consistently representing the team and Kennett High School in a respectful manner.”
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