Player and coach of American football, born in Forksville, Pennsylvania, USA. His achievements as a running back in the 1920s earned him his byname. He played for Illinois University (19235), and signed for the Chicago Bears in 1925. He retired from playing in 1935, and became a sports commentator on radio and television.
| Harold "Red" Grange Nickname: Red Grange. | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | June 13, 1903 |
| Place of birth | Forksville, Pennsylvania |
| Date of death | January 28, 1991 |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| College | Illinois |
| Honors | NFL 1920s All-Decade Team |
| Retired #s |
Chicago Bears #77 University of Illinois #77 |
| Statistics | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) | |
|
1925, 1929–1934 1926–1927 |
Chicago Bears New York Yankees |
| College Hall-of-Fame | |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1963 | |
Harold (Red) Edward Grange (June 13, 1903 – January 28, 1991), was a professional and college American football player.
The game inspired Grantland Rice to write the following poetic description:
A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal — Red Grange of Illinois!
However, it was Chicago sportswriter Warren Brown who nicknamed Grange, "The Galloping Ghost".
When questioned in a 1974 interview, "Was it Grantland Rice who dubbed you the Galloping Ghost?", Grange replied, "No, it was Warren Brown, who was a great writer with the Chicago American in those days."
He earned All-America recognition three years running, and appeared on the October 5, 1925 cover of TIME.
His number of 77 was retired at the University of Illinois in 1925.
NFL career
He signed with the NFL's Chicago Bears the day after his last college game; player/manager George Halas agreed to a contract for a 19-game barnstorming tour which earned Grange a salary and share of gate receipts that amounted to $100,000, during an era when typical league salaries were less than $100/game.
It has to be kept in mind that at the time, college football was far more popular than professional football. It is Grange, more than any other single player in history, who is credited with changing that view and bringing professional football into the mainstream.
After the tour, Grange became involved in a dispute with the Bears and left to form his own league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. The league only lasted one season, after which Grange's team, the New York Yankees, was assimilated into the NFL. After sitting out 1928, Grange returned to the Bears, where he was a solid runner and excellent defensive back through the 1934 season.
The two highlights of Grange's later NFL years came in consecutive championship games. In the unofficial 1932 championship, Grange caught the game winning touchdown pass from Bronko Nagurski. In the 1933 Championship, Grange made a touchdown saving tackle that saved the game and the title for the Bears.
Famous Comments about Grange
"I was interviewing George Halas and I asked him who is the greatest running back you ever saw.
Trivia
As a high school junior, Grange scored 36 touchdowns in leading Wheaton High School to an undefeated season. As a college senior, Grange was on the cover of Time magazine (October 5, 1925). After Grange accounted for 363 yards in leading Illinois to a 24-2 upset of the Ivy League powerhouse, Stallings said, "This story's too big for me. however, Grange's high school eventually became Longfellow Elementary School, which feeds into rival Wheaton North High School.His autobiography, first published in 1953, is The Red Grange Story (1993 paperback edition: ISBN 0-252-06329-5).
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