DePaul University Athletics
DePaul's Glad Kleinschmidt Stayed Close to Home
1/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - Everyone in Chicago knew him as Tommy Kleinschmidt, the kid from Gordon Tech with the golden shooting touch.
In pick-up and playground games all over the North Side, kids would call out: "I'm Tommy Kleinschmidt" and proceed to emulate his game-breaking style of play.
Back in his days, Kleinschmidt was the kind of dominant pure shooter, scorer and entertainer that Jon Scheyer would become some 15 years later at Glenbrook North.
Those who followed the local hoops scene would pay "Tommy Gun" the highest of compliments by proclaiming: "He's worth the price of admission."
His schoolboy legend grew with every passing tale, and it seemed only fitting that the McDonald's All-American would stay close to home and continue lighting it up at DePaul.
After adapting to the college game as a freshman, Kleinschmidt had his coming-out moment as a sophomore against Memphis State in a 95-93 loss in double overtime at the Rosemont Horizon, since renamed Allstate Arena.
"When coach Joey Meyer told me I'd be guarding Penny Hardaway, that really got me going," Kleinschmidt said about the collegiate standout who would go to play in the NBA. "I kept up with him, and that game gave me the confidence to go on and have a good career."
Indeed, after David Booth led the Blue Demons in scoring for three straight seasons (1989-90 to 1991-92), Kleinschmidt took over that distinction for the next three years. Both are now on interim head coach Tracy Webster's staff.
Who can forget Kleinschmidt's four-point play with eight seconds left on a nationally televised game in 1995 to beat Louisville 82-81 in Rosemont?
"I was calling for a post-up at first, but got pushed out beyond the three-point line," Kleinschmidt said. "I went up for the three-pointer, got fouled and made the free throw. That was a game we really needed to win."
Kleinschmidt (1991-95) became the fifth-leading scorer in DePaul history with 1,837 points and its first conference Player of the Year when honored by the Great Midwest in 1995. He had been the only player to finish a career with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 100 steals and 100 three-point baskets until Sammy Mejia duplicated that feat in 2007. Kleinschmidt was honorable mention All-American in '95.
"I grew up a DePaul fan watching Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummings and all those guys," said Kleinschmidt, who was named Director of Basketball Operations last summer. "I made official visits to Arizona, Kentucky and Michigan State, but I always wanted to be a part of DePaul ever since my dad used to referee games at the old DePaul Settlement House.
"I kind of struggled a little my freshman year, and I was fortunate to have my family and friends as well as the DePaul family around for support. That helped me through what was a tough time for me."
Kleinschmidt had a career-high 37 points against Alabama-Birmingham as a junior, put up 35 points as a sophomore against Detroit and 33 against both Cincinnati (senior season) and Detroit (junior season).
"I had a great time playing for DePaul," he said. "And I wouldn't have done so well without help from teammates like Brandon Cole, Peter Patton and Will Macon.
"Being from the city, that was a great time in my life. My family and friends could come to the games or watch me play on WGN-TV. Coming back from a game, I'd get off the bus and a carload of my buddies would be waiting for me. I wanted to share my experience with family and friends, and it was very special to be able to share all that with the people I love."
Tom Kleinschmidt played professionally for 11 years in Italy, Venezuela and Japan before returning to Lincoln Park.
"I absolutely love being back on campus," he said. "I'm reunited with so many people who were here when I was playing.
"Jeanne (Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto) has been helping me out for half my life. I was 18 when I first met her, and now I'm 36. Coming back to DePaul is one of the best things that has ever happened to me."
And now, he is in DePaul's Athletic Hall of Fame.
"This means a lot with the history and tradition of the program," Kleinschmidt said. "Being a city kid, the Bulls were okay in those days---but DePaul was running the city with guys like Aguirre, Cummings, Kenny Patterson, Tyrone Corbin, Rod Strickland, Stanley Brundy. I knew those names before Jordan and Pippen.
"You go through the list of guys who have played here, and to be mentioned in the same sentence with them is truly an honor.
"Brandon Cole and Will Macon will be there at the induction ceremony. Yeah, there will be some old stories passed around. And, a lot of the guys from the old neighborhood who took care of me will also be there."
Kleinschmidt grew up playing all kinds of sports at Shabbona Park on Addison Street and Oak Park Avenue. At age 11, he was allowed to mix it up on the basketball court with guys 15 and 16 years old.
"The older guys would never let younger kids play with them, but they must've seen something in me," Kleinschmidt said. "They didn't take it easy, and I got beat up a lot. They toughened me up, and I credit them for my competitiveness. They taught me a lot, and believe me, there were a lot more losses before a lot of wins.
"There was always some kind of sports going on---basketball, fast-pitch, whiffle tennis, floor hockey, rumble-fumble. What's that? You throw a football in the air, someone catches it and runs until he gets tackled."
Just for old-time's sake, what about a nostalgic game of rumble-fumble in McGrath Arena before they set up for Saturday night's Hall-of-Fame Banquet? Wouldn't the newest inductee be the winner?
"Oh, I don't know," Kleinschmidt said with a laugh. "Those guys are still pretty tough. They're all electricians, plumbers, firemen and policemen."
And they're all going to be so proud of the youngster they nurtured at Shabbona Park.
