Oscar Kruger

{{Short description|Canadian football player (1932–2010)}}

{{Infobox CFL player

|name=Oscar Kruger

|team=

|image=

|caption=

|status=

|import=no

|position1=Defensive back

|number=14, 22, 94, 96

|College=

|amateur_team=Edmonton Wildcats

|amateur_title=CJFL

|birth_date={{birth date|1932|12|24}}

|birth_place=Edmonton, Alberta

|death_date={{death date and age|2010|7|4|1932|12|24}}

|death_place=Edmonton, Alberta

|Height_ft=5

|Height_in=9

|Weight_lbs=170

|CFLDraftedYear=

|CFLDraftedRound=

|CFLDraftedPick=

|administrating_years1=

|administrating_team1=

|coaching_years1=

|coaching_team1=

|playing_years1={{CFL Year|1954}}–{{CFL Year|1965}}

|playing_team1=Edmonton Eskimos

|career_highlights=

• 3× Grey Cup champion (1954, 1955, 1956)

|CFLAllStar=

|CFLWestAllStar={{CFL Year|1957}}, {{CFL Year|1958}}, {{CFL Year|1961}}, {{CFL Year|1962}}

|Awards=

|Honours=1992 - Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honour

|Records=

|CFL=

|CFHOF=

}}

Oskar Kruger (December 24, 1932 – July 4, 2010) was a defensive back for the Edmonton Eskimos from 1954 to 1965 of the Canadian Football League.{{cite news |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2004/10/10/664161.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722190148/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2004/10/10/664161.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 22, 2012 |title= Memories of '54 remain fresh |newspaper= Edmonton Sun|author=Jones, Terry|date= October 10, 2004}}

Brought up in Edmonton, Kruger played for the Edmonton Wildcats in 1953 and then in 1954 for the Edmonton Eskimos. He played 12 seasons at safety and ended his career with 46 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries.{{cite web| url = http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=krugeosc001&recsort=4| title = Oscar Kruger football statistics on StatsCrew.com}} Kruger was also a boxing champion for Alberta. While playing football, he attended the University of Alberta from which he graduated with a law degree. He was a Western Conference All-Star in 1957, 1958, 1961, and 1962 and also led the league in interceptions 3 times.1962 Post cereal football card. In particular, he intercepted 7 balls each year from 1956 to 1958 and 6 balls in 1961 and 1963. He was also a punt returner, especially at the start of his career.

In 1963, Kruger was named the Eskimos’ Top Canadian before retiring in 1965. His name is honoured on the Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honour on the Commonwealth Stadium.{{cite web |url=http://www.esks.com/page/history-woh |title=Edmonton Eskimos - Wall of Honour |publisher=www.esks.com |access-date=2010-06-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028173300/http://esks.com/page/history-woh |archive-date=2010-10-28 }}{{cite news |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2004/10/10/664158.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717125755/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Edmonton/2004/10/10/664158.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |title=Pless remains among best |newspaper= Edmonton Sun|author=Jones, Terry|date= October 10, 2004|access-date=2010-06-08 }}

After his football career, Kruger practiced law in Edmonton after obtaining his degree from the University of Alberta.

Kruger contested the 1967 Alberta general election in the Strathcona South constituency as a member of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta. Kruger was defeated by Social Credit candidate Gerrit Radstaak.{{cite web|url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/administration/maps_choice.php?Year=1967&Constit=Strathcona-South| title=Strathcona-South Official Results 1967 Alberta general election | publisher=Alberta Heritage Community Foundation | access-date=May 21, 2020}}