Keith Kinderman: One Tough Guy

By Jim Joanos

The defendant, a middle-aged woman who ran a saloon on the outskirts of town had been convicted of assault. Her lawyer urged the judge not to send her to prison. With a straight face and with all sincerity, the attorney said that if she went to jail, the saloon would be shut down and the low life that frequented the place would have no other place to go so they would descend on downtown Tallahassee.

In the alternative, he pointed out, that if the defendant was put on probation, the saloon operation would continue and Tallahassee would be spared the onslaught. It was a most creative argument, and it worked. The defendant, who had no previous conviction, was placed on probation and Tallahassee was protected.

Lawyer Keith Kinderman, former FSU running back, made that argument. The event is quite indicative of the effective lawyer that Kinderman was, the vast knowledge of real life that he possesses, as well as the kind of man that he is. From the very beginning, throughout his life, Kinderman has faced lots of tough hurdles, and with courage and creativity, he overcame them. He rose from a very tough life as a child on the streets of Chicago to the respected status of a Florida attorney.

Playing football at Florida State was an integral part of that story.

Kinderman was born into a Chicago north side neighborhood and spent his early years in that environment. His father drove a city bus. His mother operated a small delicatessen-type corner grocery store. He had two sisters, one older, one younger. Keith spent a lot of time on the streets and picked up some bad habits including drinking and smoking before he was 12. When Keith was in the eighth grade, the family moved to Crystal Lake, Ill., 40 miles northwest of Chicago. The move was intended to get the kids away from the downtown city life.

At Crystal Lake High School, Kinderman starred in track and field, wrestling, and football. At the state track meet, he finished second in the high hurdles. Although he was an outstanding wrestler, Kinderman was not allowed to participate in the state meet during his senior year. It seems that while attending the regional meet, he was caught playing "blackjack for a penny a hand."

It is too bad, as he might have done quite well. One of the guys that he had beaten during the regular season finished second in the state competition.

Of the several high school sports that he excelled in, it was football that would have a future effect upon Kinderman's life. The big fast running back was very much in demand. He got about three dozen football scholarship offers from northern colleges, including most of the Big Ten schools. He chose Iowa because they "had recently won a national championship" and "also provided the most incentives." Kinderman did not explain what the "incentives" were. Nor did I ask.

After Kinderman's first season at Iowa (1959), his roommate, Ed Trancygier, transferred to Florida State and became a member of Coach Bill Peterson's first FSU team. Trancygier stayed in touch and a year later convinced Kinderman that he should join him at FSU. Trancygier's stories of life at FSU amidst the many beautiful coeds were too much for Kinderman to ignore.

So in the winter of 1961, Kinderman, decided to come south. First, he entered Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, and got an associate degree so as to become immediately eligible to play football at FSU. He entered FSU in the Fall of 1961 and immediately became a valuable member of the football team.

At FSU, because of limited substitution rules at the time, Coach Peterson utilized a most interesting system. FSU players were divided into three groups so as to maximize the abilities of the players. The groups were (1) the "chiefs" who started and played both ways; (2) the "renegades" who were defensive specialists and played at certain times; and (3) the "warriors" who played offense only. Through the use of the three groups, Peterson, who had learned the method when he was an assistant coach to Paul Dietzel at LSU, had become quite effective in maximizing the effectiveness of the available talent. It was especially useful at FSU, which did not have the drawing power to attract the very best all-around athletes. They were acquired in large numbers by the more established football entities as there were no limits then on the number of recruits that could be recruited by each college. FSU had to be content with what was left. Usually this included players who were a bit smaller or a step slower then the top flight recruits. Transfers like Kinderman with exceptional athletic abilities were very welcome.

Florida State has been fortunate to have had a number of big, fast running backs. In more recent years they have included Mark Lyles, Sammie Smith, Sean Jackson and Greg Jones. Kinderman was one of the first of the big, fast good running backs at FSU. Kinderman did not get a lot of press at FSU. The school had not yet become recognized among the powers of college football. It was during the Peterson era that FSU began to nudge its way into the big time of college football. The overachievements of Kinderman and of his teammates during Peterson's tenure were major reasons for FSU's progress into the world of big-time football.

The 1961 team went 4-5-1. The numbers themselves are not impressive but included in the record were two very important accomplishments: (1) a 3-3 tie with the University of Florida in the second game of the season (Sept. 30) and a 3-0 victory over the University of Georgia in Tallahassee (Oct. 14) in the fourth game of the season. At the time, these were huge accomplishments for FSU.

Since beginning play with Florida in 1958, FSU had lost the previous three games with the Gators. In order for FSU to play the U of F, the Seminoles were required to play all of the games in Gainesville, with Southeastern Conference officials. Because of the circumstances, the 3-3 tie with Florida in Gainesville was heralded by the FSU fans in attendance the same as a major victory. When it ended they rushed onto the field and took down the goal posts. There were numerous fights.

After the game, the University of Florida coach Ray Graves was quoted as saying that the game was a "moral victory for Florida State" and that it was "like a death in the family" for Florida. Kinderman remembers that 1961 tie as a "hell of a defensive game." He said that Florida had better personnel "but we had a better coaching staff."

The coaching staff that he alludes to included three assistants, Don James, John Coatta, and Vince Gibson, who all went on to become head football coaches at other major college football programs, and Ken Meyer who later coached for a number of years in the National Football League. It also included Bob Harbison who Kinderman describes as being the "absolute best at formulating game plans."

In the victory over Georgia, Kinderman was one of the FSU stars of the game. He gained 101 yards rushing and some more as a receiver. Following the game, the media named him the State of Florida's back of the week. The victory was enormous for FSU. Over 21,000 were there to watch it. At the time, that was an attendance record for a game at Campbell Stadium. It was only the second victory ever for FSU over a Southeastern Conference team and the first in Tallahassee.

The next game was against the University of Richmond, and Kinderman had another good game. He scored the first touchdown of the game and led FSU backs with 142 yards rushing in the 13-7 victory. FSU lost a week later at Virginia Tech, 10-7, when Kinderman, although again FSU's leading rusher, was held to 52 yards on the ground. After the Virginia Tech game, FSU stood 3-2-1. Kinderman had been FSU's leading ball carrier in four of the six games.

The Great Iguana Incident

The Virginia Tech game was the last that Kinderman played for FSU during the 1961 season. Following the game he was suspended for the remainder of the season for what was called "training infractions." What really happened was much more interesting.

It seems that one night, Kinderman and some pals went to a "fraternity party." For some reason, late in the evening during the festivities, somebody brought out a nearly three foot long pet iguana. Kinderman, in his state of revelry, became somewhat intrigued by the iguana and decided that he would share his new friend with some of his football teammates back at the athletic dormitory. He smuggled the iguana back to the dorm with him and surprised some of his teammates by placing the iguana into the beds where they were sleeping. Bedlam resulted in the dorm. The investigation did not take long and it was concluded with the finding that Kinderman was the culprit.

The dormitory authorities demanded that Kinderman be disciplined. There was also something about a beer bottle being found in Kinderman's dorm room. As a result, he was "kicked off the football team for the rest of the season."

Kinderman, believing that it was all over at FSU, packed up and went home to Illinois. Fortunately, someone at FSU cared about Kinderman's future. Dean Mode Stone of the College of Education, who was also chairman of the school's athletic committee, called Kinderman in Chicago and made it clear to him that while he had been kicked off the team, he had "not been kicked out of school."

At Stone's urging, Kinderman "jumped in his old car" and drove back to Tallahassee and FSU. It was a very wise move for not long after that, he met Suzanne Purvis, an FSU co-ed from Melbourne, in the old Sweet Shop. Kinderman knew a good thing when he saw it and soon the relationship became serious. Keith and Suzanne would later marry in 1962. They will soon be celebrating their 43rd anniversary. Folks who knew Kinderman both before and after he met Suzanne marvel at the astonishing difference she made in his life. "Tough Guy" Kinderman remained tough and that has not changed to this day. However, his life took on a meaningful purpose. Together the two took on the world and prevailed. You do not have to talk to Kinderman long before you realize that under that tough exterior is a person who really cares about what is going on around him. His close friends understand that he is among the most sensitive persons that they have ever known.

Sometime in the spring of 1962, Kinderman approached the football coaching staff and asked to be reinstated to the team. They made a deal that Kinderman "would not drink during the season and would not smoke in public." It was a tough promise to keep as Kinderman had been a heavy smoker since age 12, but he agreed and was reinstated for the 1962 season.

In 1962, FSU went 4-3-3 including beating Georgia for the second year in a row, this time in Athens, 18-0 (on Oct. 20). The three ties were at Kentucky (0-0), at Georgia Tech (14-14), and at Auburn (14-14). The 1962 team was known for its defense, for in 10 games, the opposition only scored 69 points.

Old timers recall the irony of the early Bill Peterson teams. Peterson came to FSU stressing defense. The idea was keep the game close and let your defense win it. On offense, Peterson believed in running the ball. Running backs, of which Kinderman was one, carried the major load. Later Peterson's football philosophy would change.

He would later turn a complete flip-flop and beginning in 1964 led the college world into the pass-happy system that exists to this day. Kinderman, although already graduated from FSU played a role in Peterson's change in offensive philosophy.

Professional Football

In 1963, Kinderman was drafted by the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League in the third round and by the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League in the eighth round. He signed with the Chargers and played with them for two seasons, 1963 and 1964. He was with the Chargers' when Bill Peterson came to visit his friend, Sid Gilman, San Diego's coach. It was during that visit that Peterson studied the passing attack employed by the Chargers and decided to adapt it for use at FSU. Kinderman was more than casually involved in the process when his old coach came calling to study the tactics employed by his new coach.

Kinderman has fond memories of Coach Peterson. He describes him as having "vision and he knew his best traits and coached within himself." He further emphasized that Peterson "always had a brilliant staff and we were never out-coached."

Because of his speed, San Diego had drafted Kinderman as a safety. He did not play much his first year, 1963, as he was not really very comfortable at the position. Following the season, Gilman had Kinderman bulk up and moved him to the offense to be a running back. The move was very promising and Kinderman moved his way up the depth chart. But then another setback occurred when he started a game against Denver and on the opening kickoff took a big hit that dislocated his elbow. He went back into the game and played the second half but the damage was done. By the next day, he was in the hospital, and on injured reserve for six weeks. Later in the season he returned to the roster but soon thereafter he was back in the hospital with a torn up knee. This time, this second injury ended his tenure with San Diego. Kinderman rehabilitated his knee over the next year. In 1965, he made the roster of the Houston Oilers and played for them that season.

Law School

While he was with the Oilers, Kinderman read about the opening of the new FSU College Of Law. Suddenly, Keith and Suzanne had a new goal. It did not take long to get an application together and soon the two along with son, "Spodie" (Keith, Jr.), who had been born when they were in San Diego, were back in Tallahassee where Kinderman became a member of the FSU Law College's charter class in 1966. When he returned to Tallahassee, Kinderman had to have a job to support his family while he attended law school. Fortunate for him, a former FSU assistant coach, Bill Proctor was the Assistant Dean of Men at FSU at the time and welcomed the chance to put Kinderman to work with him.

Kinderman's job was to help prevent drinking on the campus. Soon afterwards, Dean Procter was asked to justify his hiring of Kinderman for such a position. He responded by comparing it to the situation "in the days of the old West, when you needed to clean out a town, you hired a gunfighter."

Kinderman describes his law school experience as the "hardest thing that I ever had to do in my life." Early on in law school, he learned why his educational learning experiences had been so difficult. A doctor diagnosed his dyslexia. He worked out a way to overcome it. He would take notes as best he could and when he got home, Suzanne would organize them for him. Working together, it worked and Kinderman did well in law school. By the time he graduated, he was 19th in a class in which every single member passed the bar exam on the first try. He well remembers the emotion that he encountered when he finished the course work and obtained his law degree.

He sought out Suzanne and "marveled at how fortunate we were to be in such a great country of opportunity where a person from his background, with hard work, could become a lawyer" and wept.

By the time Kinderman got his lawyer's license, there were two children, as daughter Krista had been born during law school. Consequently, the family did not move but instead, Kinderman began practicing law in Tallahassee. He worked hard and established a good practice mostly as a courtroom lawyer. Recently, he described his practice of law attitude as having had many of the same attributes as playing football, in that it involved "hard competition and that you had to be prepared and had to have a game plan." Whatever, it worked for Kinderman and in a dozen or so years, he had become a successful Tallahassee attorney with lots of clients. Because of his life's experiences he connected well with people from all walks of life including successful business people as well as those like the saloon keeper mentioned earlier.

All was going very well with the Kindermans. Daughter Krista was doing well in elementary school. Big brother "Spodie" was already excelling in football as a ninth grader at high school football powerhouse Leon High where he played linebacker on the freshman team. Leon's famed coach Gene Cox was looking forward to having him move up to the varsity in the coming year. But then fate dealt the Kindermans another unfair blow.

"Spodie" mysteriously began to lose weight for no apparent reason. In time, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Surgery and treatments were administered and seemed to drive the demon into submission. "Spodie" fought hard and got back on his feet. He even tried to get back to playing football but the illness resumed its destruction and in May of 1981, just short of his 17th birthday, "Spodie" passed away.

Real Courage

The illness and death took a terrible toll upon the Kindermans. The medical bills were enormous but the biggest impact fell upon their outlook for the future. Their sense of competition had been erased. They did not care much anymore. They had given life their best shot and life had kicked them in the teeth. It took months, several years, but gradually the Kindermans began to recover their spark. Having daughter Krista had a lot to do with it. They were able to focus on her and the good things that she was accomplishing. She continued as an excellent student and became a top-flight equestrian. Having her and focusing upon her future they realized that they still had a lot to live for. Keith recovered some of his spirit in the practice of law. He again enhanced his practice and was able to practice law again very successfully until he retired recently.

The Kindermans still miss "Spodie" but their life in retirement is quite pleasant. They have a cottage in the West Virginia mountains where they spend summer months. They spend much of the rest of the year in and around Tallahassee so as to be fairly close to daughter Krista and her Navy pilot husband, Erik, and 14-year-old grandson, Quinton. Kinderman says that Quinton "reminds me a lot of 'Spodie' and that has been a real lift for Suzanne and me."

The Kindermans have become very supportive FSU baseball fans and can be seen at most of the home games. They even follow the baseball team to tournaments. In short, the Kindermans are doing well and have gotten their lives back together. That is important to me because I have been a fan of Keith Kinderman for a long time.

It is really special that an FSU football player can possess his kind of courage in the serious game that we call life.