Peter Kraus was among the West German field hockey team winning the gold medal at their home Olympics 1972 in München. The team won the final 1-0 against Pakistan. Therefore the team members were awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award.
He won 26 international caps from 1969-72. Domestically, he played for Rüsselsheimer RK, and helped them win the West German Championship five times, in 1968, 1971, 1975 and 1977-78. They also won the indoor title in 1973, 1976 and 1978. Like team-mates Michael Peter and Rainer Seifert, Kraus spent his entire working career with the German car manufacturer Opel.
West Germany