Wally Cruice

Walter Cruice (April 13, 1913 – December 7, 2001 (Indianapolis Star, December 9, 2001) was a professional American football player, assistant coach, and scout in the National Football League 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, Wisconsin. His high school coach was future Packers' coach Lisle Blackbourn, for whom he would later serve under as Chief Scout from 1954–1957. He then played college football as a halfback at Northwestern University from 1934–1936 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 and served as an assistant coach at Naval Station Great Lakes in 1942 and 1943. He 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.

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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 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

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 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