George Pulliam, 1923-1956, is regarded by some as Rhode Island’s greatest all-around schoolboy athlete. At Cranston High, he won All-State honors twice in football and hockey and once in baseball, where he played at every position but catcher. For his extraordinary efforts he was nicknamed “The Cranston Crusher.” He was the fullback and star of the 1940 Cranston eleven that was undefeated, untied, and unscored upon, and was chosen the 1941 Journal Honor Role Boy.

He also starred in football and hockey at Dartmouth College, where he was a member of the Big Green’s 1947 collegiate championship hockey team. Pulliam was chosen to play on the AAU hockey team in the 1948 Winter Olympics at St. Moritz, Switzerland. Because of a dispute with the American Hockey Association team over which group should represent the U.S.A., both teams were ultimately disqualified from competing in the Games.

Pulliam died of a brain ailment in 1956 at the age of thirty-three