Max Krause
Encyclopedia
Max Joseph Krause was an American football
running back
in the National Football League
for the New York Giants
and the Washington Redskins
.
at Gonzaga Preparatory School
in Spokane, Washington
, where he starred as an all-city running back and linebacker
. He won 14 letters in four high school sports and in basketball he made the all-city second team as a guard. In baseball, Krause played outfield, and in track he participated in the broad jump and ran the 220 yard low hurdles.
with a B.A. degree in Philosophy. As fullback
and halfback
for the Bulldogs
. Krause led the varsity backfield for three years.
Reporter Abe Kemp described sophomore Krause in his first varsity year at Gonzaga during a game on October 12, 1930 against St. Ignatius (now the University of San Francisco
). It was a close game that included a 70 yard scoring run from scrimmage by Krause:
In the buildup to the 1932 cross-state matchup between Gonzaga and the University of Washington
, Clarence Dirks wrote that "A coach couldn’t ask for a better back than stocky Max Krause. He kicks, passes, tackles viciously and in an open field is as illusive as a cemetery shadow."
During his senior year (1932 season), Krause was the leading scorer on the West Coast with 88 points and 1044 yards (130.5 yards/game from scrimmage, averaging 8.5 yards per carry). He scored four touchdowns in his final college game, a 56-13 win over the University of Montana.
Krause was named 1st team All-West Coast fullback, and first choice Little All-American halfback. In the annual East-West Shrine Game
, Krause started for the West at left halfback. Babe Hollingbery
, famed Washington State
coach and co-coach of the victorious West squad, described Krause as the "hardest-hitting back on the field" in the Shrine game.
After college, Krause played professional football for four seasons with the New York Giants
. In his initial year with the Giants he had the distinction of scoring the first rushing touchdown in the NFL's
first title game, the 1933 NFL Championship Game
.
In 1937
, Krause moved to the Washington Redskins
for an additional four seasons. Coach Ray Flaherty
of the Redskins, former Gonzaga star himself, invited Krause along with other former Zags to Washington, including Ed Justice
and George Karamatic
.
During his first year with the Redskins, the 1937 championship season
, Krause was mainly a substitute and blocking back for the running back, Cliff Battles. After Battles retired in 1938
over a salary dispute, Krause started in the season opener in Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium
, as described by Shirley Povich
of the Washington Post:
For the 1938 season
, Krause finished second in the NFL in total yards rushing (averaging 8.6 yards per carry), behind Byron "Whizzer" White
of the Pittsburgh Pirates
(now Steelers). For many years, Krause also held the record for the longest kickoff return for a touchdown in an NFL championship game.
. After the attack on Pearl Harbor
, Krause joined the United States Navy
and fought in World War II
. Later he established himself in the brewery business. From 1956-1983 he owned Spokane Distributors, Inc., a wholesale liquor warehouse for beer and wine.
On April 24, 1981 Krause was inducted into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame. In 1989, he was inducted into the Gonzaga Hall of Fame.
Krause died in Spokane on July 11, 1984 at the age of 75, and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery. His wife of 42 years, Eleanor (Olson) Krause, died two years later. Their only child, Mike Krause, (b.1954) lives and works in western Washington.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
High school career
Krause played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Gonzaga Preparatory School
Gonzaga Preparatory School
Gonzaga Preparatory School located in Spokane, Washington is a private Catholic high school in the Inland Northwest. As a Jesuit institution, "G-Prep" has been recognized for its college preparation education, and community service.- History :...
in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, where he starred as an all-city running back and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He won 14 letters in four high school sports and in basketball he made the all-city second team as a guard. In baseball, Krause played outfield, and in track he participated in the broad jump and ran the 220 yard low hurdles.
College career
Krause stayed in Spokane for his college years, graduating from Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
with a B.A. degree in Philosophy. As fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the athletic teams at Gonzaga University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Gonzaga University is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
. Krause led the varsity backfield for three years.
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
). It was a close game that included a 70 yard scoring run from scrimmage by Krause:
"They said Krause was good.... He was better than good; he was immense. Whether he ran, kicked, passed or tackled, there was a deadly and skilled earnestness about him that won the sympathy of the crowd and even the partisans."
In the buildup to the 1932 cross-state matchup between Gonzaga and the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, Clarence Dirks wrote that "A coach couldn’t ask for a better back than stocky Max Krause. He kicks, passes, tackles viciously and in an open field is as illusive as a cemetery shadow."
During his senior year (1932 season), Krause was the leading scorer on the West Coast with 88 points and 1044 yards (130.5 yards/game from scrimmage, averaging 8.5 yards per carry). He scored four touchdowns in his final college game, a 56-13 win over the University of Montana.
Krause was named 1st team All-West Coast fullback, and first choice Little All-American halfback. In the annual East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
, Krause started for the West at left halfback. Babe Hollingbery
Babe Hollingbery
Orin E. "Babe" Hollingbery was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the State College of Washington, now Washington State University, from 1926 to 1942, compiling a record of 93–53–14. Hollingbery's 93 wins are the most by any coach in the history of the...
, famed Washington State
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
coach and co-coach of the victorious West squad, described Krause as the "hardest-hitting back on the field" in the Shrine game.
Professional career
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In his initial year with the Giants he had the distinction of scoring the first rushing touchdown in the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
first title game, the 1933 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1933
The 1933 National Football League Championship game was held on December 17, 1933 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The attendance was estimated at 26,000. This was the first scheduled championship game since the NFL's founding in 1920...
.
In 1937
1937 Washington Redskins season
The Boston Redskins moved to Washington D.C. in 1937 to become the Washington Redskins. They began with the team trying to improve on their 7–5 record from 1936...
, Krause moved to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
for an additional four seasons. Coach Ray Flaherty
Ray Flaherty
Raymond Paul Flaherty was a professional football player in the National Football League from 1926-1935. He was the head coach of the Boston/Washington Redskins from 1936–1942, where he won four division titles and two NFL Championships . Flaherty served in the United States Navy until 1945...
of the Redskins, former Gonzaga star himself, invited Krause along with other former Zags to Washington, including Ed Justice
Ed Justice
Edward S. Justice was an American football end in the National Football League for the Boston/Washington Redskins.-College career:...
and George Karamatic
George Karamatic
George Karamatic, Jr. was an American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Gonzaga University and was drafted in the first round of the 1938 NFL Draft by the New York Giants...
.
During his first year with the Redskins, the 1937 championship season
1937 Washington Redskins season
The Boston Redskins moved to Washington D.C. in 1937 to become the Washington Redskins. They began with the team trying to improve on their 7–5 record from 1936...
, Krause was mainly a substitute and blocking back for the running back, Cliff Battles. After Battles retired in 1938
1938 NFL season
The 1938 NFL season was the 19th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game.-Major rule changes:...
over a salary dispute, Krause started in the season opener in Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium
John F. Kennedy Stadium
John F. Kennedy Stadium was an open-air stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that stood from 1925 to 1992. The South Philadelphia stadium was situated on the east side of the far southern end of Broad Street at a location that is now part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, as described by Shirley Povich
Shirley Povich
Shirley Lewis Povich was an American sports columnist and reporter for the Washington Post.-Biography:Povich's parents were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania...
of the Washington Post:
"But the hero of the Redskins’ victory was not Sammy Baugh. It was short, stocky, swarthy chap who was given the fullback job in the absence of Cliff Battles, and his name is Max Krause. Krause it was who made three of the four Redskin touchdowns. It was Krause throwing panic into the Eagle’s defense, Krause taking long passes and short passes, Krause bursting through the Eagles’ line for a 48-yard touchdown gallop in the second quarter, Krause tearing loose with a 71-yard sprint over the goal line in the third period. He was something to see today, Krause was. He had a day such as Cliff Battles, his illustrious predecessor, would have had at his best. The flying form of Krause galloping goalward was an agonizing sight before the eyes of the Eagles all afternoon."
For the 1938 season
1938 Washington Redskins season
The 1938 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 8-3 record from 1937.Defending champs on eve of 1938 season-Schedule:-Standings:...
, Krause finished second in the NFL in total yards rushing (averaging 8.6 yards per carry), behind Byron "Whizzer" White
Byron White
Byron Raymond "Whizzer" White won fame both as a football halfback and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed to the court by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, he served until his retirement in 1993...
of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
(now Steelers). For many years, Krause also held the record for the longest kickoff return for a touchdown in an NFL championship game.
Life after football
A knee injury ended Krause's football career in 19401940 NFL season
The 1940 NFL season was the 21st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins in the NFL Championship Game, 73–0. This game still stands as the most one-sided victory in NFL history...
. After the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, Krause joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Later he established himself in the brewery business. From 1956-1983 he owned Spokane Distributors, Inc., a wholesale liquor warehouse for beer and wine.
On April 24, 1981 Krause was inducted into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame. In 1989, he was inducted into the Gonzaga Hall of Fame.
Krause died in Spokane on July 11, 1984 at the age of 75, and was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery. His wife of 42 years, Eleanor (Olson) Krause, died two years later. Their only child, Mike Krause, (b.1954) lives and works in western Washington.
External links
- GU Athletics, official site, "Looking Back When Football Roamed The Campus", February 3, 2006.