Thomas Vincent Cronin (April 29, 1896 – April 24, 1964) was an American professionalfootballhalfback. He playedcollege football forDubuque and theMarquette Golden Avalanche and later played one season in theNational Football League (NFL) with theGreen Bay Packers in 1922. After his playing career, he served as a high school football coach, a dairy businessman and a civic leader inJanesville, Wisconsin.

Tommy Cronin

Cronin,c. 1922
No. 3
Position:	Halfback
Personal information
Born:	April 29, 1896 Janesville, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died:	April 24, 1964(1964-04-24) (aged 67) Janesville, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school:	Janesville (WI)
College:	Dubuque (1916) Marquette (1919–1921)
Career history
Green Bay Packers (1922) Ironwood Legion (1923)
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 4 or 5 Games started: 1 Touchdowns: 1 Stats atPro Football Reference

Cronin, who was of Irish descent, was born on April 29, 1896, inJanesville, Wisconsin.^[1][2] He attendedJanesville High School where he played bothfootball andbasketball;^[3] he andMoxie Dalton, who also played professionally in 1922, remained the only alumni of Janesville to ever play in theNFL untilKeeanu Benton in 2023.^[4][5] TheJanesville Weekly Gazette described him as one "of the classiest basketball players who ever donned a high school uniform."^[3]

After high school, Cronin began attending Dubuque College (nowLoras College).^[6] He playedcollege football for theDubuque football team in 1916 and was described as their "wonderful little[halfback]," while he "won applause with his long end runs and open field footwork," according to theGazette.^[7][8] He helped Dubuque win the conference championship and was named second-team all-conference at right halfback.^[8][9]

After the 1916 season, Cronin was drafted to serve inWorld War I; while serving in the military, he played for the1917 Camp Grant football team.^[10] He served overseas and had returned to the U.S. by March 1919.^[3] He enrolled atMarquette University inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, later that year, and became a starter for theMarquette Golden Avalanche football team.^[6][11] In addition to football, Cronin also played basketball for Marquette.^[12]

Cronin was the "star halfback" for Marquette from 1919 to 1921.^[13]The Journal Times noted that he was "considered one of the fastest men in middle west collegiate football" during his stint with the Golden Avalanche.^[2] He played his final game for Marquette againstWabash in 1921 and was the star player of the game, despite having been advised to stay out due to injuries, with theGazette noting "he put everything he had into it."^[14] After the 1921 season, he played a game for the Marquette All-Stars, composed of top former players for the Golden Avalanche, against the professionalBeloit Fairies.^[15]

In December 1921, after Cronin graduated from college, he signed a contract to play basketball for theLakota Cardinals as aguard.^[16] In 1922, he signed to play professional football for theGreen Bay Packers of the NFL.^[17] He made the team and played as a backup halfback during the 1922 season.^[6] A November report inThe Journal Times noted that "This is Cronin's first year in a Green Bay uniform but he already has made a name for himself ... Cronin fights every minute he is in the game and he doesn't know what 'quit' means."^[2] He caught atouchdown pass fromCurly Lambeau in the team's game against theRock Island Independents and finished the season having appeared in four or five^[a] games, one as a starter.^[6][18] The 1922 Packers compiled a record of 4–3–3 and placed seventh in the NFL.^[19]

In October 1923, Cronin signed to play for the independentIronwood Legion, where he spent the remainder of the 1923 season.^[13][20] According to theGreen Bay Press-Gazette, he distinguished himself at Ironwood with his "brilliant play."^[21]

In 1924, Cronin was named the head football coach atIronwood High School in Michigan.^[22] He also later served as a high school coach in Milwaukee.^[23] He then returned to his hometown of Janesville where he worked for his family's dairy business, Cronin Dairy Company, which was later Pure Milk Company.^[23] He served as owner of his family's business before retiring in 1952.^[23] Cronin was also a civic leader, chairing theRock County Board and serving as a member of the board from 1932 to 1952 and then from 1960 to 1963.^[23] He was a member of theKnights of Columbus, serving as grand knight for the Carroll Council 596, and was a member of theElks Lodge in Janesville.^[23]

With his wife, Marion, Cronin had two daughters.^[24] He died in Janesville on April 24, 1964, at the age of 67, after a short illness.^[24]