Lettered in football, track and wrestling at Wartburg High School. Captain of wrestling team as a senior and qualified for the Iowa state high school tournament.

Wrestled heavyweight for Wartburg College for three years. Two-time All-American, finishing second at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament in 1958 and 1959 while helping Wartburg to back-to-back sixth-place finishes.

Honored as one of 31 “Legends” by Wartburg for his contributions to the school’s wrestling program.

After moving to Chattanooga, Hall of Fame coach John Farr asked Bruce to work out with his heavyweights. Bruce taught Red Bank High School wrestlers and other area wrestlers moves and holds seldom used in Tennessee. Upon Bruce’s recommendation and with help on transportation costs from Bruce, coaches from area schools sent wrestlers to camps at Wartburg.

Became volunteer scorer at the annual Red Bank Invitational Wrestling Tournament during the 1963-64 school year. He continued as scorer when the tournament was moved to Central High School and eventually became the official matchmaker and assistant tournament director. In 2002, Bruce was honored by the tournament for his years of service.

Bruce was the scorer for Red Bank High School for 30 years and designed color-coded bout summary sheets and master score sheets year before computer scoring began.

He received the Walt Lauter Lifetime Achievement award from the Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

Bruce received bachelor’s degree in math and chemistry at Wartburg and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in sanitary engineering from the University of Iowa.