{{Short description|American ice hockey scout, coach, and executive}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Bob Crocker | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1928|8|3}} | birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts | death_date = {{death date and age|2018|12|22|1928|8|3}} | death_place = | alma_mater = | player_sport1 = Ice Hockey | player_years1 = 1954–55 | player_team1 = Boston University | coach_sport1 = Ice Hockey | coach_years1 = 1960–1972 | coach_team1 = Boston University (freshmen) | coach_years2 = 1972–1976 | coach_team2 = Penn | coach_years3 = 1976–1977 | coach_team3 = Colby (assistant) | coach_sport4 = Baseball | coach_years4 = 1955 | coach_team4 = Boston University (freshman) | coach_years5 = 1963–1971 | coach_team5 = Boston University | admin_years1 = 1956–1964 | admin_team1 = Boston University (dir. of intramural sports) | admin_years2 = 1977–1980 | admin_team2 = New England/Hartford Whalers (scout) | admin_years3 = 1980–1992 | admin_team3 = Hartford Whalers (asst. gm) | admin_years4 = 1992–2005 | admin_team4 = New York Rangers (scout) | admin_years5 = 2005–2017 | admin_team5 = Los Angeles Kings (scout) | overall_record = {{Winning percentage|42|54|4|record=y}} (Ice hockey)<br>{{Winning percentage|70|82|4|record=y}} (Baseball) | awards = Lester Patrick Award (2015) | championships = 3x Stanley Cup champion (1994, 2012, 2014) }}

'''Robert Walter Crocker''' (August 3, 1928 – December 22, 2018) was an American ice hockey scout, coach, and executive. He was awarded the Lester Patrick Award, for contributions to hockey in the United States, in 2015.

==Biography== Born in East Boston, Crocker graduated from the High School of Commerce in Boston. He spent four years in the United States Navy before enrolling at Boston University in 1951.<ref name="BU" /> He played for the Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey team during the 1954–55 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20160102/SPORTS/160109894|title = Hockey honors Centerville's Bob Crocker with prestigious Lester Patrick Trophy}}</ref> In 1955, he served as B.U.'s freshman baseball coach. The following year, he became the school's director of intramural sports.<ref name="BU" /> In 1960, he took on the additional role of freshman hockey coach.<ref>{{cite news |title=New B.U. Coaches |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 2, 1960}}</ref> Following the 1962 season, he became the Terriers' baseball varsity coach.<ref name="BU">{{cite news |title=Crocker to Coach Baseball at B. U. |work=The Boston Globe |date=May 9, 1962}}</ref> He remained at BU until 1972, when he was passed over as varsity hockey coach in favor of Leon Abbott.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Monahan |first1=Bob |title=Abbott comes, Crocker goes at BU |work=The Boston Globe |date=April 14, 1972}}</ref>

From 1972 to 1976, he coached the University of Pennsylvania men's hockey team.<ref name="nhl">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/crocker-jacobs-to-receive-2015-lester-patrick-trophy/c-776826|publisher=nhl.com|title=Crocker, Jacobs to receive 2015 Lester Patrick Trophy &#124; NHL.com|accessdate=2016-11-27}}</ref> He served as a part-time assistant to former Boston University coach Jack Kelley at Colby College during the 1976–77 season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Concannon |first1=Joe |title=Jack Kelley's current flows back to Colby |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 21, 1976}}</ref> In 1977, Crocker became a scout for the New England Whalers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosa |first1=Francis |title=Superstars are becoming extinct--except for one named Lafleur |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 30, 1977}}</ref> He was promoted to assistant general manager in 1980 and held that position until 1992, when he went to scout for the New York Rangers. Crocker scouted for the Rangers until 2005, when he joined the Los Angeles Kings organization. He won three Stanley Cups during his time with the Rangers and Kings, and a Calder Cup with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. In 2006, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame.<ref name="masslive">{{cite web|url=http://www.masslive.com/sports/2015/08/post_540.html|publisher=masslive.com|title=Veteran scout Bob Crocker to receive NHL's Lester Patrick Award &#124; masslive.com|date=29 August 2015|accessdate=2016-11-27}}</ref>

==College Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start |type=coach |conference= |postseason= |poll=no }} {{CIH yearly record subhead |name = {{color|white|Pennsylvania Quakers}} |color = color:white; background:#011F5B; {{box-shadow border|a|#990000|2px}} |startyear = 1972 |conference = ECAC Hockey |endyear = 1976 |}} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1972–73 | name = Pennsylvania | overall = 16–9–2 | conference = 13–7–2 | confstanding = 4th | postseason = ECAC Third Place Game (Loss) }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1973–74 | name = Pennsylvania | overall = 10–14–0 | conference = 9–12–0 | confstanding = 10th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1974–75 | name = Pennsylvania | overall = 10–13–1 | conference = 9–13–1 | confstanding = 11th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1975–76 | name = Pennsylvania | overall = 6–19–1 | conference = 5–17–1 | confstanding = 16th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Pennsylvania | overall = 42–54–4 | confrecord = 36–49–4 }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 42–54–4 }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{hockeydb|45800}}

{{Penn Quakers men's ice hockey navbox}} {{Boston University Terriers baseball coach navbox}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crocker, Bob}} Category:1928 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Boston University Terriers baseball coaches Category:Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey coaches Category:Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey players Category:Hartford Whalers executives Category:Ice hockey people from Massachusetts Category:Lester Patrick Trophy recipients Category:Los Angeles Kings scouts Category:New York Rangers scouts Category:People from East Boston Category:People from Centerville, Massachusetts Category:Penn Quakers men's ice hockey coaches Category:Sportspeople from Barnstable County, Massachusetts Category:Sportspeople from Boston Category:Ice hockey coaches from Massachusetts