Ed Kraft was a talented three-sport athlete who competed for the Marauder football, basketball and baseball teams during Millersville's first four years as a four-year, degree-granting institution.
He lettered four years apiece in football (1927-1930) and basketball (1928-31), and earned one varsity letter in baseball. He was the captain of the 1928 Marauder gridders and, as a center for Coach John Pucillo's Marauder cagers, he helped lead the 1928 and 1930 teams to State Teacher's College Championships. The Marauders posted a 29-9 overall record in his final three years on the basketball squad.
As an undergraduate, Kraft was a member of the Millersville State Teacher's College Normal Literary Society and the Debate Team. He was also involved in the institution's May Day festivities.
From 1931 to 1969, Kraft served as a teacher, principal and administrator in the Lancaster City School District. He was principal at Reynolds Junior High School from 1952 to 1955 and was assistant principal at McCaskey High School from 1955 until he retired in 1969.
Active in community affairs, Kraft served a four-year term as chair of the Lancaster YMCA's physical education department and was also chair of the Y's board of directors. He earned community service honors for his work with the Boys Club of Lancaster and the Crispus Attucks Center of Lancaster. He was president of the Lancaster Kiwanis Club in 1964.
A civic-minded citizen, Kraft served two-terms on the Lancaster City Council and also was city treasurer for one term.
In athletics, Kraft coached football for six years and basketball for nine seasons at Reynolds Junior High. He also played in the YMCA senior basketball league for over 30 years. In 1949, he was named as the Outstanding Father-Son Team of Lancaster City and County.
Kraft was inducted into the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, and served as chapter president in 1977-78.
He also taught Sunday school at the First Reformed Church for 57 years until his passing in 1988 at the age of 79.
