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

Ace Gruenig
Personal information
Born(1913-03-12)March 12, 1913
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 11, 1958(1958-08-11) (aged 45)
Del Norte, Colorado, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High schoolCrane Tech (Chicago, Illinois)
PositionCenter
Career history
1932–1933Chicago Rosenberg-Arvey
1933–1934Chicago Fast Freighters
1934–1935Denver Piggly Wiggly
1935–1938Denver Safeway
1938–1940Denver Nuggets
1940–1941Denver
1941–1943Denver American Legion
1943–1946Denver Ambrose Jellymakers
1946–1947Denver Nuggets
1947–1948Denver Murphy Mahoney
1948–1949Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
Basketball Hall of Fame

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

edit
  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