# Tiny Croft > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tiny_Croft > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tiny_Croft.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Croft > Source revision: 1347629729 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American football player (1920–1977)}} {{good article}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Tiny Croft | image = File:Tiny Croft.png | alt = Picture of Croft's head and shoulders, he is looking to the left of the image | number = 75 | position = [Tackle](/source/Tackle_(gridiron_football_position)) | birth_date = {{birth date|1920|11|07|mf=y}} | birth_place = [Chicago, Illinois](/source/Chicago), U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1977|01|22|1920|11|7}} | death_place = [Woodruff, Wisconsin](/source/Woodruff%2C_Wisconsin), U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 287 | high_school = [Steinmetz](/source/Steinmetz_College_Prep) (Chicago) | college = {{unbulleted list|[Alabama](/source/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_football)|[Ripon](/source/Ripon_Redhawks_football) (1938–1941)|}} | draftyear = 1942 | draftround = 20 | draftpick = 186 | pastteams = * [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers) ({{NFL Year|1942|1947}}) | highlights = * [NFL champion](/source/List_of_NFL_champions_(1920%E2%80%931969)) ([1944](/source/1944_NFL_Championship_Game)) | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 51 | statlabel2 = Games started | statvalue2 = 11 | statlabel3 = [Fumble](/source/Fumble) recoveries | statvalue3 = 4 | pfr = CrofTi20 }} '''Milburn Russell "Tiny" Croft''' (November 7, 1920 – January 22, 1977) was an American professional football [offensive tackle](/source/offensive_tackle) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL) for the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers) from 1942 to 1947. He played [college football](/source/college_football) at [Ripon College](/source/Ripon_College_(Wisconsin)) and the [University of Alabama](/source/University_of_Alabama). Croft was selected by the [Washington Redskins](/source/Washington_Redskins) in the 20th round of the [1942 NFL draft](/source/1942_NFL_draft). He won the [1944 NFL Championship](/source/1944_NFL_Championship) with the Packers. ==Early life and education== Croft was born on November 7, 1920 in [Chicago](/source/Chicago), Illinois,{{Cite news |date=1977-01-24 |title=Obituary for Milburn Milburn Croft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551220/obituary-for-milburn-milburn-croft/ |access-date=2022-01-14 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=25|via=Newspapers.com}} and graduated from [Steinmetz High School](/source/Steinmetz_High_School). While there, he was selected to an all-star team of high school players from Chicago to travel to Arizona for a game against an all-star team of Phoenix area players.{{Cite news|date=1937-12-27|title=State Prep Gridders Arrive for Drills|pages=10|work=Arizona Republic|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89674255/state-prep-gridders-arrive-for-drills/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}} Croft then began attending [Ripon College](/source/Ripon_College_(Wisconsin)). Despite his size, Croft was known to be gentle on the football field. Trying to stop this, the Ripon coaches set up a boxing match with a semi-professional boxer who punched Croft in the nose, angering him. This experience was seen as a turning point in his athletic career as he became more aggressive.{{Cite news |date=1939-10-12 |title=Punch in Nose Awakens Gridder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wausau-daily-herald-punch-in-nose-awaken/167558351/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=Wausau Daily Herald |pages=18|via=Newspapers.com}} Croft went on to become a three-year starter as a lineman for the Ripon Red Hawks, earning first-team All-[Midwest Conference](/source/Midwest_Conference) in three consecutive years.{{Cite news|date=1941-11-30|title=Milburn Croft first all-midwest conference 3rd time in a row|pages=13|work=The Gazette|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550374/milburn-croft-first-all-midwest/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}} He played [placekicker](/source/placekicker) for the team.{{Cite news|date=1941-09-28|title=Coe-Ripon (Tiny Croft)|pages=12|work=The Gazette|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550289/coe-ripon-tiny-croft/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}} He also played college football for the [Alabama Crimson Tide](/source/Alabama_Crimson_Tide_football). == Professional career == After finishing his college career, Croft was drafted as the 186th overall pick in the 20th round of the [1942 NFL draft](/source/1942_NFL_draft) by the [Washington Redskins](/source/Washington_Redskins).{{Cite news|date=1942-07-15|title=Tiny Croft 'Light'|pages=13|work=Green Bay Press-Gazette|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92552240/tiny-croft-light/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|title=Tiny Croft Stats|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CrofTi20.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|language=en}} He was the heaviest rookie in the NFL,{{Cite news |date=1942-08-08 |title='Tiny Croft', 305-Pound Tackle, Joins Redskins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-daily-republican-tiny-c/167558677/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=The Springfield Daily Republican |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com}} until [Ed Neal](/source/Ed_Neal) was signed by the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers).{{Cite news |date=1945-08-07 |title=Tiny Croft Signs 4th Year Contract With Packers; Opens Drills Thursday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-tiny-croft-signs-4th-y/167558112/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=The Post-Crescent |pages=14|via=Newspapers.com}} Croft was acquired by the Packers during his first training camp before he had a chance to play a league game for Washington.{{Cite news|date=1942-09-10|title=Lambeau Makes Shifts in Lineup; Packers Get Croft from Redskins|pages=8|work=Kenosha News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550713/lambeau-makes-shifts-in-lineup-packers/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Humanities |first=National Endowment for the |date=1947-09-21 |title=Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854–1972, September 21, 1947, Image 34 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1947-09-21/ed-1/seq-34/#date1=1756&sort=date&rows=20&words=Croft+Tiny&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=6&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=Tiny+Croft&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=4 |access-date=2025-03-04 |issn=2331-9968}} He won the [1944 NFL Championship](/source/1944_NFL_Championship) with the Packers.{{Cite news |date=1944-12-16 |title=December 16, 1944 – Packers to Clash With Giants for Pro Grid Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-december-16-194/17690769/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=9|via=Newspapers.com}} Croft would go on to play for the Packers until 1947. While with the Packers, he played as a right or left tackle in 51 games, 11 of which he started. During his career, he was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 287 pounds.{{Cite news |date=1946-05-09 |title=Tiny Croft Set for Fourth Bay Season |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-tiny-croft-set-f/167558313/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=19|via=Newspapers.com}} == Personal life == While not playing football, Croft worked in [Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin](/source/Sturgeon_Bay%2C_Wisconsin). In his [freshman](/source/freshman) year, he wrote to actress [Ann Sheridan](/source/Ann_Sheridan) to invite her to his college's prom. Sheridan wrote back to him, declining the invitation. However, she did send a signed picture inscribed with "To Milburn from Ann". Four other college "Glamor Boys" also invited actresses, with Croft being the only one to get a personal response.{{Cite news|date=1939-02-08|title=Tiny Croft Gets Ann Sheridan's Picture|pages=20|work=The Morning Call|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89674233/tiny-croft-gets-ann-sheridans-picture/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}} He married Myra Ann Wasserburger, a fellow Ripon graduate and an English teacher in 1943.{{Cite news|date=1944-01-07|title=Wassserburger-Croft Wedding|pages=3|work=Ironwood Daily Globe|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550978/wassserburger-croft-wedding/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=1943-12-21 |title="Tiny" Croft Weds Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-tiny-croft-wed/167558508/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |pages=13|via=Newspapers.com}} He was a district manager for [American Motors](/source/American_Motors_Corporation). He died of a heart attack on January 22, 1977, at age 56 in [Woodruff, Wisconsin](/source/Woodruff%2C_Wisconsin).{{Cite news|date=1977-01-26|title=Obituary for Milburn Croft (Aged 56)|pages=13|work=Chippewa Herald-Telegram|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551251/obituary-for-milburn-croft-aged-56/|access-date=2022-01-14|via=Newspapers.com}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Redskins1942DraftPicks}} {{1944 Green Bay Packers}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Croft, Tiny}} Category:1920 births Category:1977 deaths Category:American football offensive tackles Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players Category:Ripon Red Hawks football players Category:Green Bay Packers players Category:Players of American football from Chicago Category:20th-century American sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tiny Croft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Croft) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Croft?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.