Rutledge Robert "Bob" Bray (September 27, 1919 – August 26, 2006) was an American water polo player for Fullerton Junior College and the Los Angeles Athletic Club, who competed in the 1948 London Olympics.
Bray was born in Los Angeles on September 27, 1919, and attended Los Angeles High School, playing water polo from 1932âÂÂ36. During his high school years, his team won the Southern California High School Championship in 1937âÂÂ38. He attended and played Water Polo for Fullerton Junior College from 1937âÂÂ1939, an outstanding program coached by Hall of Fame Coach and U.S. Olympic Team Coach James R. Smith. As a high scoring left forward for Fullerton, he threw in six goals against Los Angeles Junior College, leading the team to a 9âÂÂ4 victory in November 1937. With strong participation by Bray, Fullerton Jr. College won the Southern California Jr. College Championships in 1938âÂÂ39. Bray later transferred to UCLA.
Bray completed his college education at UCLA, but played water polo for the Los Angeles Athletic Club during that period.
During his active period in Water Polo while at UCLA and while preparing for the Olympics, he swam for the Los Angeles Athletic Club from 1938âÂÂ48. In Water Polo, he played as a technically skilled center forward, who could shoot both forehands and backhanded shots and passes with equal skill. In August 1947, playing with the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Bray scored four of the team's eight goals, leading his Los Angeles Club team to the finals of the AAU National Water Polo Championship in Detroit. He later swam for the San Francisco Olympic Club. Continuing to excel after leaving Fullerton Junior College, in January 17, 1947, Bray scored seven goals to lead the Los Angeles Athletic Club to a 20âÂÂ13 victory over Fullerton Jr. College, winning the Southern California American Athletic Union Championship.
Competing at the men's tournament men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the U.S. team placed ninth. Italy won the Gold medal, and Hungary the silver, in a period when European teams dominated water polo.
Bray served in the U.S. Navy from 1941âÂÂ45. In later life, he worked as a Realtor for Pebble Beach Realty in California. He died in Long Beach in August, 2006.
In 1980, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.