:Ray Krouse
{{Short description|American football player (1927–1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ray Krouse
| image = Ray Krouse.jpg
| caption = Ray Krouse 1960 Topps trading card
| number = 70, 78, 77
| position = Defensive lineman
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|3|21}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1966|4|9|1927|3|21}}
| death_place = Georgetown, Washington, D.C., U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 263
| high_school = Western (D.C.)
| college = Maryland
| draftyear = 1951
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 25
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1951|1955}})
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1956|1957}})
- Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1958|1959}})
- Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1960}})
| highlights =
- 3× NFL champion (1957, 1958, 1959)
- Pro Bowl (1954)
- Second-team All-American (1949)
- First-team All-SoCon (1949)
- 2× Second-team All-SoCon (1948, 1950)
| statlabel1 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue1 = 6
| pfr = KrouRa00
}}
Raymond Francis Krouse (March 21, 1927 – April 9, 1966) was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Maryland.
Early life
Krouse attended Western High School. He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Maryland (Δ Φ [Delta Phi]).
During the World War II era, he served in the United States Navy reserves and was discharged as a Seaman 2nd Class.
In 1992, he was posthumously inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.{{cite web| url=https://umterps.com/honors/university-of-maryland-athletics-hall-of-fame | title=University of Maryland Athletics Hall Of Fame | access-date=January 29, 2016}} The Ray Krouse Award is given to the team's most valuable player.{{cite web| url=https://umterps.com/news/2022/12/9/maryland-football-holds-annual-awards-banquet-on-sunday | title=Maryland Football - Postseason Team Awards | access-date=January 29, 2023}}
Professional career
=New York Giants=
Krouse was selected by the New York Giants in the second round (25th overall) of the 1951 NFL draft. The 1951 Giants defense he was part of, allowed the fewest total yards and rushing yards in the NFL for that season.
In 1952, he had his best professional season. On April 26, 1956, he was traded to the Detroit Lions in exchange for defensive tackle Dick Modzelewski.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19560426&id=cJtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rUIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4800,5479328 | title=Lions Obtain Giant's Krouse | access-date=January 29, 2023}}
=Detroit Lions=
In 1957, he contributed to the Detroit Lions winning the NFL Championship. On July 17, 1958, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for a third round draft choice (#36-Ron Luciano).{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19580718&id=gjIxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QxAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4618,3842986 | title=Krouse Goes To Baltimore | access-date=January 29, 2023}}
=Baltimore Colts=
Krouse was a part of the 1958 NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants, famously known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played". The 1958 Colts defense he was part of, allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL for that season.
He contributed to the Colts winning back to back NFL titles in 1958 and 1959 against his old team, the Giants.
=Dallas Cowboys=
Krouse was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL expansion draft. On June 23, he was traded to the Washington Redskins in exchange for center Frank Kuchta.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19600624&id=AohTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G4gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2074,2627523 | title=Dallas Cowboys Obtain Lebaron | access-date=January 29, 2023}}
=Washington Redskins=
Krouse played one season for the Washington Redskins.
Personal life
The Washington Post on April 10, 1966, said, "Raymond Francis Krouse, one of the finest athletes ever to come out of Washington, died yesterday at Georgetown University Hospital of a liver ailment." He left behind a wife, Majorie; four daughters (Karen, 14, Kimberly, 8, Carolyn, 5, and Kathy, 4 [ages at the time of his burial]); his mother, Mrs. Josephine Krouse; a sister, Mrs. Margaret Haney; and a brother, William (Sully) Krouse.{{cite web| title=Schenectady Gazette|date= Apr 11, 1966|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19660411&id=aG5GAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KukMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4339,1747494|access-date=3 July 2023}} He was buried on April 13, 1966, at Arlington National Cemetery nearby his son, David Edward, who died in 1963, after living two days.{{cite web|url=http://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/ancweb.html|title=Arlington National Cemetery, Search Burials|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807132631/http://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/ancweb.html|archive-date=August 7, 2016|access-date=July 3, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Giants1951DraftPicks}}
{{1957 Detroit Lions}}
{{1958 Baltimore Colts}}
{{1959 Baltimore Colts}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krouse, Ray}}
Category:Players of American football from Washington, D.C.
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Maryland Terrapins football players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Baltimore Colts players
Category:Washington Redskins players
Category:Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II