Wally Cruice - Misplaced Pages

American football player, coach, and scout (1913–2001)

American football player

Wally Cruice

Personal information

Born:

(1913-04-13)April 13, 1913

Died:

December 7, 2001(2001-12-07) (aged 88)
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Career information

College:

Northwestern

Position:

Halfback

NFL draft:

1936 / round: 8 / pick: 70

Career history

As a coach:

Green Bay Packers

Scout (1946–1949, 1952–1976)

Career highlights and awards

Second-team All-Big Ten (1935)

Walter G. Cruice (April 13, 1913 – December 7, 2001) was a professional American football player, assistant coach, and scout in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. He served as chief scout for 31 years under every head coach from Curly Lambeau through Bart Starr. During his time with the team, the Packers won five league championships, including the first two Super Bowls.

Playing career

Cruice played high school football at Washington High School in Milwaukee. His high school coach was future Packers' coach Lisle Blackbourn, for whom he later served under as chief scout from 1954 to 1957. He then played college football as a halfback at Northwestern University from 1934 to 1936 and was the team's co-captain and most valuable player as a senior. After his final season, he played in the East–West Shrine Game.

Cruice was drafted by the Packers as the 70th pick in the 1936 NFL draft, but turned down the contract offer. Instead, he went to work for an oil company in Chicago and played for the Chicago Gunners, a regional professional team.

Coaching career

Cruice began his coaching career by coaching freshman football at Northwestern in 1938 and 1939. During World War II, he served as an officer in the United States Navy and was an assistant football coach for the Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets and Fleet City Bluejackets.

Cruice was hired by the Packers in 1946 and worked for them through 1949. When Curly Lambeau resigned as the Packers' coach and took over the Chicago Cardinals, Cruice left with him for two seasons. Cruice returned to the Packers in 1952 under Gene Ronzani and scouted for them through the 1976 season, Bart Starr's second as head coach. Cruice also served under Scooter McLean, Vince Lombardi, Phil Bengtson and Dan Devine.

Death

Cruice died of prostate cancer, on December 7, 2001, in Indianapolis.

References

"1936 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
"Red Wade Quits Missouri; Sailors Hope To Rebound". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. St. Louis, Missouri. Associated Press. October 30, 1942. p. 13. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
Wood, Hal (September 18, 1945). "Fleet City Team May Be Tops". Hanford Morning Journal. Hanford, California. United Press. p. 7. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
"Walter G. Cruice". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. December 13, 2001. p. B4. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
O'Hara, Mike (December 23, 2001). "Inside the NFC Central". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. p. 6C. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

v t e Green Bay Packers 1936 NFL draft selections
Russ Letlow J. W. Wheeler Bernie Scherer Theron Ward Darrell Lester Bob Reynolds Wally Fromhart Wally Cruice J. C. Wetsel

v t e Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I champions
5 Paul Hornung 12 Zeke Bratkowski 15 Bart Starr (MVP) 21 Bob Jeter 22 Elijah Pitts 24 Willie Wood 26 Herb Adderley 27 Red Mack 31 Jim Taylor 33 Jim Grabowski 34 Don Chandler 37 Phil Vandersea 40 Tom Brown 43 Doug Hart 44 Donny Anderson 45 Dave Hathcock 50 Bill Curry 56 Tommy Joe Crutcher 57 Ken Bowman 60 Lee Roy Caffey 63 Fred Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 66 Ray Nitschke 68 Gale Gillingham 72 Steve Wright 73 Jim Weatherwax 74 Henry Jordan 75 Forrest Gregg 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 78 Bob Brown 80 Bob Long 81 Marv Fleming 82 Lionel Aldridge 83 Allen Brown 84 Carroll Dale 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Bill Anderson 89 Dave Robinson
Head coach: Vince Lombardi
Coaches: Phil Bengtson Jerry Burns Red Cochran Dave Hanner Bob Schnelker Ray Wietecha

v t e Green Bay Packers Super Bowl II champions
12 Zeke Bratkowski 13 Don Horn 15 Bart Starr (MVP) 21 Bob Jeter 23 Travis Williams 24 Willie Wood 26 Herb Adderley 27 Claudis James 30 Chuck Mercein 33 Jim Grabowski 34 Don Chandler 36 Ben Wilson 40 Tom Brown 43 Doug Hart 44 Donny Anderson 45 John Rowser 50 Bob Hyland 55 Jim Flanigan 56 Tommy Joe Crutcher 57 Ken Bowman 60 Lee Roy Caffey 63 Fred Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 66 Ray Nitschke 68 Gale Gillingham 72 Steve Wright 73 Jim Weatherwax 74 Henry Jordan 75 Forrest Gregg 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 78 Bob Brown 80 Bob Long 81 Marv Fleming 82 Lionel Aldridge 83 Allen Brown 84 Carroll Dale 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Dick Capp 89 Dave Robinson
Head coach: Vince Lombardi
Coaches: Phil Bengtson Jerry Burns Wally Cruice Dave Hanner Tom McCormick Bob Schnelker Ray Wietecha

v t e Green Bay Packers 1961 NFL champions
3 Ben Agajanian 5 Paul Hornung 10 John Roach 15 Bart Starr 22 Elijah Pitts 24 Willie Wood 25 Tom Moore 26 Herb Adderley 27 Johnny Symank 31 Jim Taylor 33 Lew Carpenter 40 Dale Hackbart 45 Emlen Tunnell 46 Hank Gremminger 47 Jesse Whittenton 51 Jim Ringo 53 Ken Iman 58 Dan Currie 61 Nelson Toburen 63 Fuzzy Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 65 Tom Bettis 66 Ray Nitschke 71 Bill Forester 72 Ben Davidson 75 Forrest Gregg 74 Henry Jordan 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 78 Norm Masters 79 Dave Hanner 81 Lee Folkins 83 Bill Quinlan 84 Gary Knafelc 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Ron Kramer Head coach: Vince Lombardi Assistant coaches: Bill Austin Phil Bengtson Red Cochran Norb Hecker Dick Voris

Green Bay Packers 1961 NFL champions

v t e Green Bay Packers 1962 NFL champions
5 Paul Hornung 10 John Roach 15 Bart Starr 22 Elijah Pitts 24 Willie Wood 25 Tom Moore 26 Herb Adderley 27 Johnny Symank 29 Howie Williams 31 Jim Taylor 33 Lew Carpenter 40 Earl Gros 46 Hank Gremminger 47 Jesse Whittenton 51 Jim Ringo 53 Ken Iman 58 Dan Currie 60 Ed Blaine 61 Nelson Toburen 63 Fuzzy Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 66 Ray Nitschke 71 Bill Forester 73 Ron Gassert 74 Henry Jordan 75 Forrest Gregg 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 78 Norm Masters 79 Dave Hanner 80 Gary Barnes 83 Bill Quinlan 84 Gary Knafelc 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Ron Kramer Head coach: Vince Lombardi Assistant coaches: Bill Austin Phil Bengtson Red Cochran Tom Fears Norb Hecker Dick Voris

Green Bay Packers 1962 NFL champions

v t e Green Bay Packers 1965 NFL champions
5 Paul Hornung 10 Dennis Claridge 12 Zeke Bratkowski 15 Bart Starr 21 Bob Jeter 22 Elijah Pitts 24 Willie Wood 25 Tom Moore 26 Herb Adderley 31 Jim Taylor (MVP) 34 Don Chandler 35 Allen Jacobs 40 Tom Brown 41 Junior Coffey 43 Doug Hart 46 Hank Gremminger 50 Bill Curry 56 Tommy Joe Crutcher 57 Ken Bowman 60 Lee Roy Caffey 63 Fred Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 66 Ray Nitschke 67 Dan Grimm 70 Bud Marshall 71 Lloyd Voss 72 Steve Wright 74 Henry Jordan 75 Forrest Gregg 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 80 Bob Long 81 Marv Fleming 82 Lionel Aldridge 84 Carroll Dale 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Bill Anderson 89 Dave Robinson Head coach: Vince Lombardi Assistant coaches: Phil Bengtson Red Cochran Tom Fears Dave Hanner Norb Hecker Ray Wietecha

Green Bay Packers 1965 NFL champions

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