New Hartford native, war hero in World War II and PGA tour player for twenty years, Ted Kroll won nine major golf tournaments and played on three Ryder Cup teams.

Theodore (Ted) Kroll was born in New Hartford, August 4, 1919. He turned pro shortly after graduation from high school but did not begin playing in tournaments fulltime until 1950. The delay was due in part to World War II, in which he served as an army sergeant. Wounded four times, he is a recipient of the Purple Heart.

Kroll won his first major PGA event in 1952 and two others that same year.

His biggest year was 1956 when he was fourth in the U.S. Open, runner-up in the PGA Championship and Winner of the Philadelphia Daily News Open, the Tucson Open and the Houston Open. He was the leading money winner in the PGA that year.

At an age considered old for tour golfers, Ted Kroll's last PGA win was a great come from behind victory in the Canadian Open in 1962. All told he was first 9 times, second 20 times, third 15 times, in the top ten 128 times, in the top twenty five 230 times and served on the Ryder Cup teams in 1953, 1955, and 1957.

Ted Kroll was honored at a "Ted Kroll Day" in Utica with a parade on Genesee Street. He has played in some of the Senior tour events and now lives in Florida where he teaches golf and has a business in custom made clubs.