Ace Gruenig

Ace Gruenig

Personal information
Born	(1913-03-12)March 12, 1913 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	August 11, 1958(1958-08-11) (aged 45) Del Norte, Colorado, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Crane Tech (Chicago, Illinois)
Position	Center
Career history
1932–1933	Chicago Rosenberg-Arvey
1933–1934	Chicago Fast Freighters
1934–1935	Denver Piggly Wiggly
1935–1938	Denver Safeway
1938–1940	Denver Nuggets
1940–1941	Denver
1941–1943	Denver American Legion
1943–1946	Denver Ambrose Jellymakers
1946–1947	Denver Nuggets
1947–1948	Denver Murphy Mahoney
1948–1949	Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
10× AAU All-American (1937–1940, 1942–1946, 1948) 3× AAU national champion (1937, 1939, 1942)
Basketball Hall of Fame

Robert F. "Ace" Gruenig (March 12, 1913 – August 11, 1958) was an American basketball player during the 1930s and 1940s.

The 6 ft. 8 in. (203 cm) Gruenig is considered one of the game's first great big men. The Chicago, Illinois native led his high school, Crane Tech, to the Chicago Public High School League championship in 1931. He attended Northwestern University, but withdrew after his freshman year without having played for the varsity. While playing for several AAU teams in the following decade, Gruenig was named AAU All-America 10 times (1937–40, 1942–46, 1948). Furthermore, he led the Denver Safeway (1937), Denver Nuggets (1939) and Denver American Legion (1942) teams to AAU championships. On August 11, 1963, Gruenig was enshrined to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

References

1. http://www.apbr.org/aau.html
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110622001342/http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/robert-f-gruenig