Harry von Kersburg explained

Harry Von Kersburg
Birth Date:14 October 1884
Birth Place:Medina, New York, U.S.
Death Place:New York, New York, U.S.
Player Years1:1903
Player Team1:Lehigh
Player Years2:1904–1906
Player Team2:Harvard
Player Positions:Guard
Coach Years1:1908–1909
Coach Team1:Harvard (assistant)
Coach Years2:1911
Coach Team2:Harvard (assistant)
Coach Years3:1913
Coach Team3:Holy Cross
Overall Record:3–6
Awards:

Harry Edwin von Kersburg (October 14, 1884 – July 23, 1951) was an American college football player, coach, and official who was an All-American guard for the Harvard Crimson. During his athletic career, he went by the name Harry Kersburg.[1]

Football

von Kersburg was born on October 14, 1884 in Medina, New York to James Nelson and Rosemond (von Zalinski) Von Kersburg.[2] After graduating from Medina High School, von Kersburg enrolled at Lehigh University with the intention of eventually transferring to Harvard College. He played for Lehigh in 1903 and at Harvard from 1904 to 1906.[3] In 1906, he injured his leg in the penultimate game against Dartmouth, but recovered enough to play in the season finale against Yale. The injury would require surgery the following February.[4]

Track and field

While at Harvard, von Kersburg was introduced to the hammer throw.[5] He finished in second place at the 1906 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships championships at Travers Island.[6] In 1908, he won 16-pound hammer throw at the same competition.[7]

Coaching

von Kersburg was an assistant football coach at Harvard in 1908, 1909, and 1911. He served as the head football coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1913, compiling a record of 3–6.[8] From 1931 to 1937, von Kersburg was an unpaid athletic advisor and football coach at Sing Sing. One of Sing Sing's football players, Alabama Pitts, went on to play in the National Football League after his release.[9]

Business

In 1910, von Kersburg worked as a mining engineer in Alaska. In 1914, he became the employment manager of the Hotel McAlpin in New York City. He then held the same position at R. H. Macy & Co. until 1928. While with the department store, von Kersburg invented the Macy-Spalding athletic timer. He later worked on Wall Street with DuBosque, George & Co. and later with Georgeson & Company.

Personal life

On August 15, 1917, von Kersburg married Frances R. Ceratt.[10] They had two children, John and Mary.[11]

Officiating

After leaving coaching, von Kersburg remained involved in football as an official. He retired in 1939, but served as a supervisor of officials for the Eastern College Athletic Conference until his death on July 23, 1951 in New York City.[12]

Notes and References

  1. News: Webb . Melville . Gossip of the Side Lines . The Boston Globe . November 27, 1935.
  2. Web site: Secretary's Fourth Report . 1917. Plimpton Press . August 22, 2019.
  3. Book: Edwards . William H. . Football Days: Memories of the Game and of the Men Behind the Ball . 1916 . Moffat, Yard, and Company . New York . 153 . 10 February 2024.
  4. News: Harvard Guard's Leg Needs An Operation . 10 February 2024 . The Washington Times . February 5, 1907.
  5. News: Miscellaneous . 10 February 2024 . The Washington Times . December 29, 1905.
  6. News: Has Advanced Rapidly As Hammer Thrower . 10 February 2024 . The Boston Globe . September 8, 1906.
  7. News: Brookline Athletes Win . 10 February 2024 . Boston Evening Transcript . September 19, 1918.
  8. Web site: Coaches . December 30, 2018 . Holy Cross Crusaders football.
  9. News: Alabama Pitts to Play Professional Football With Philadelphia Team . . Newspapers.com . September 9, 1935 . August 4, 2020 . April 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409221946/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56689391/the-miami-news/ . live .
  10. Web site: Secretary's Fifth Report . 1922. February 10, 2024.
  11. News: von Kersburg Dies; Ex-Football Star . The New York Times . July 24, 1951.
  12. News: H. E. Von Kersburg: Was Leading Grid Star at Harvard '04, '05, '06 . The Boston Globe . July 24, 1951.