Robert Gruenig
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Robert F. "Ace" Gruenig (March 12, 1913 – August 11, 1958) was a well-known amateur basketball player during the 1930s and 1940s. The 6 ft. 8 in. Gruenig is considered as one of the game's first great big men. The Chicago, Illinois native 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 First Team 10 times (1937-40, 1942-46, 1948) and Second Team once (1933). 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.
