Ken Eiker was a star in the 1940s for Hightstown High and Peddie.
By: Neil Hay
Ken Eiker, who starred for both the Hightstown High School and Peddie School soccer teams in the 1940’s, is headed into the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame.
"I really feel honored," Eiker said. "It I something to treasure, knowing the type of people inducted before me. It is a real fine select group who contributed to soccer in Mercer County. I feel privileged to be among them."
A resident of Cranbury, Eiker played when soccer ruled the area. He graduated Hightstown High School in 1947, having played varsity in his junior and senior years. The goalie under legendary Hall of Fame Coach Harold "Bunny" Hunt, the Rams were state Division I champs in 1945 and co-champs the following year.
Upon graduation Eiker moved down the street as a two-year post-graduate at Peddie. In those days all P/G’s had to stay on for a two-year commitment. Then coached by Oscar Rand, Eiker recalled that "Peddie already had a pretty good goalie and I wanted to see what it was like" to play a field position. So Rand gave Eiker the opportunity to play fullback in 1947 and 1948.
"I really enjoyed it," said Eiker who, as team captain, helped the Falcons in 1948 to an 11-0-2 record and the state prep championship. The two ties that season were against the Princeton University freshmen and his alma mater, Hightstown.
"We had an excellent year" in 1948. That season Eiker was tabbed All-Mercer County and Second Team All-State. He was later elected to the Peddie Hall of Fame.
Eiker left Peddie in 1949 for Cornell University. But he stayed for only one year.
"I didn’t think Cornell was for me" and he withdrew. In 1951 Eiker was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving eleven months as an infantryman in Korea. Upon his discharged in 1953, a bit wiser and certainly more mature, he enrolled at Rutgers University, graduating in 1957 with a BS degree in education.
Because of his time in the military, Eiker was somewhat older than the typical Rutgers student. Still, he was able to play soccer, basketball, and, baseball, something unheard of today. At Rutgers, the former goalie-then-fullback was given a new on-field role: center-halfback.
"The coach (George Dochet) moved me to center-half because he thought I’d make a real presence there," Eiker noted. "I enjoyed the switch. I scored some goals, but not enough."
With Eiker in the middle, the Scarlet Knights went 9-2 in 1955. In 1955 and again in 1956, Eiker was named All-Northeast Conference.
Except for his service in the Army and brief time at Cornell, Eiker never left home. Upon graduation he joined the Hightstown High faculty as a member of the physical education department. Beginning in 1958 and for the next 11 years, he was Hightstown’s Director of Athletics. During his tenure the football program came in to existence, as did many of the girls athletic teams.
"Those were exciting years."
Eiker’s relationship with Hightstown lasted 35 years, until he retired in 1992. He taught physical education for 12 years, was house master for four years, and served as director of guidance for 19 years. Eiker also coached varsity baseball from 1958 to 1967.
But soccer was always Eiker’s first love.
"We had a lot of fun," Eiker said. "Hightstown was such a hotbed of soccer. For a small school to achieve as much as they did. Even with football, soccer remained competitive."
Eiker recalled the good old days, when soccer games were played all over town. "Soccer was rough and tumble, physical, in those days. We didn’t have the soft shoes they use today. We took a lot of punishment. It was a lot of fun."
When Eiker graduated Hightstown and played for Peddie, "It felt a little funny" playing against his old team. "It was an intense rivalry. Back in the ’40’s it was much more intense than today. There was a lot more interaction between the Peddie students and Hightstown students. They actually chased our girls. That led to some animosity. The Peddie students were more of a presence in town. There was more of a chance we’d meet each other in town. There was lots of back-and-forth for bragging rights. It was a lot of fun. There are many good memories."
When he is inducted into the Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame on April 13, Eiker will be joining Hightstown alumni Harold Hunt, Jim Barlow, Whitfield "Skeet" Muse, Russell Beaulieu, David Turp, and Ernie Turp (who submitted Eiker’s name to the Hall of Fame). With his name in the Mercer County Soccer and Peddie School Halls of Fame, perhaps the Hightstown High School Hall of Fame will complete the hat trick and find a place for Eiker too.

