Ted Kress
Encyclopedia
Edward S. "Ted" Kress was an American football
player and businessman. He was the starting left halfback
for the University of Michigan
in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference
single-game rush
ing record with 218 yards in October 1952. He later founded the Kress Corporation, a manufacturer of heavy industrial hauling vehicles, in Brimfield, Illinois
.
at the University of Michigan from 1951 to 1953. He was Michigan's starter at left halfback in all 18 games of the 1952 and 1953 football seasons. In his first Big Ten Conference game as a starter, he completed 11 of 14 passes for 180 yards in a 26–13 win over Indiana
. In his second Big Ten game as a starter, Kress set a new Big Ten Conference single-game rushing record with 218 yards in 20 carries against Northwestern
. He scored three touchdowns in the first half of the game and broke the prior record of 216 yards set in 1943 by Bill Daley
. At the time, the Associated Press
wrote: "Halfback, Ted Kress, flitting like a frightened phantom, darted to three touchdowns and a new Big Ten rushing record." In his first two Big Ten games, Kress accumulated 474 yards of total offense and averaged 8.94 yards per play.
Kress also rushed for 92 yards and passed for 58 yards against Illinois in early November 1952, making him the Big Ten offensive leader at that stage of the season.
Kress started all nine games at left halfback for the 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team
. He finished the 1952 season with 627 rushing yards and 559 passing yards, leading the Wolverines in both categories.
Kress also started all nine games at the left halfback position for the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
. During the 1953 season, Kress compiled 339 rushing yards, 238 passing yards, 203 yards on kickoff returns and 142 receiving yards. He was also selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player in 1953.
Kress earned a bachelor of science
degree in production engineering
from the University of Michigan in 1954.
in the 29th round (344rd overall pick) in the 1954 NFL Draft
. In March 1954, Kress signed with the Redskins. During the Redskins' summer training camp at Occidental College
in Southern California, Redskins' coach Curly Lambeau
moved Kress to the safety position. Kress suffered a slight concussion during a practice session at the end of July 1954. Kress did not play in any regular season games for the Redskins.
In 1965, Ted Kress founded the Kress Corporation in Brimfield, Illinois
. During his lifetime and thereafter, the company has been a manufacturer of specialized industrial equipment for transporting and handling steel, slag, coal and other heavy materials for the steel mills, for the mining industry, and also for earth moving. His father joined the company in 1969. The company's first product was a slag pot carrier that was used to pick up, transfer, pour and skull slag pots from blast furnaces. It later expanded into the manufacture of coal haulers and slab carriers used to pick up and carried 100 tons of steel slabs and coils.
Kress died in February 2003 at the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
in Peoria, Illinois
. Following his death, his wife Rita became president and CEO of Kress Corp.
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...
player and businessman. He was the starting left 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 University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1952 and 1953 and set a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
single-game rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing record with 218 yards in October 1952. He later founded the Kress Corporation, a manufacturer of heavy industrial hauling vehicles, in Brimfield, Illinois
Brimfield, Illinois
Brimfield is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States.The population was 933 at the 2000 census. Brimfield is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
University of Michigan
Kress played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Michigan from 1951 to 1953. He was Michigan's starter at left halfback in all 18 games of the 1952 and 1953 football seasons. In his first Big Ten Conference game as a starter, he completed 11 of 14 passes for 180 yards in a 26–13 win over Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
. In his second Big Ten game as a starter, Kress set a new Big Ten Conference single-game rushing record with 218 yards in 20 carries against Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
. He scored three touchdowns in the first half of the game and broke the prior record of 216 yards set in 1943 by Bill Daley
Bill Daley (American football)
William Edward "Bullet" Daley was an All-American fullback who played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers from 1940–1942 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1943. The Gophers were National Champions in his freshman and sophomore years...
. At the time, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
wrote: "Halfback, Ted Kress, flitting like a frightened phantom, darted to three touchdowns and a new Big Ten rushing record." In his first two Big Ten games, Kress accumulated 474 yards of total offense and averaged 8.94 yards per play.
Kress also rushed for 92 yards and passed for 58 yards against Illinois in early November 1952, making him the Big Ten offensive leader at that stage of the season.
Kress started all nine games at left halfback for the 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team
1952 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1952 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
. He finished the 1952 season with 627 rushing yards and 559 passing yards, leading the Wolverines in both categories.
Kress also started all nine games at the left halfback position for the 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
. During the 1953 season, Kress compiled 339 rushing yards, 238 passing yards, 203 yards on kickoff returns and 142 receiving yards. He was also selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player in 1953.
Kress earned a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in production engineering
Production engineering
Production engineering is a combination of manufacturing technology with management science. A production engineer typically has a wide knowledge of engineering practices and is aware of the management challenges related to production...
from the University of Michigan in 1954.
Washington Redskins
Kress was selected by the Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
in the 29th round (344rd overall pick) in the 1954 NFL Draft
1954 NFL Draft
The 1954 National Football League Draft was held on January 28, 1954.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
. In March 1954, Kress signed with the Redskins. During the Redskins' summer training camp at Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
in Southern California, Redskins' coach Curly Lambeau
Curly Lambeau
Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau was founder, player, and first coach of the Green Bay Packers professional American football team...
moved Kress to the safety position. Kress suffered a slight concussion during a practice session at the end of July 1954. Kress did not play in any regular season games for the Redskins.
Business career
Kress was the son of Ralph H. Kress (July 10, 1904–June 28, 1995), who was known in mining and engineering circles as the "father of the off-highway truck."In 1965, Ted Kress founded the Kress Corporation in Brimfield, Illinois
Brimfield, Illinois
Brimfield is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States.The population was 933 at the 2000 census. Brimfield is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. During his lifetime and thereafter, the company has been a manufacturer of specialized industrial equipment for transporting and handling steel, slag, coal and other heavy materials for the steel mills, for the mining industry, and also for earth moving. His father joined the company in 1969. The company's first product was a slag pot carrier that was used to pick up, transfer, pour and skull slag pots from blast furnaces. It later expanded into the manufacture of coal haulers and slab carriers used to pick up and carried 100 tons of steel slabs and coils.
Family and death
Kress was married to Rita Kress. They had one son, Nathan Kress. During his lifetime, Ted was the president and CEO of Kress Corp., and Rita was the treasurer.Kress died in February 2003 at the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, located in Peoria, Illinois, United States, is a teaching hospital for the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and part of the OSF Healthcare System...
in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. Following his death, his wife Rita became president and CEO of Kress Corp.