Harold Grange Nickname Galloping Ghost, Harold Edward “Red” Grange, nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost”, (June 13, 1903 – January 28, 1991) was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees.
His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League. He was a charter member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 1924, Grange received the honorable Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award denoting the Big Ten’s MVP.. In 2008, he was named the best college football player of all time by ESPN, and in 2011, he was named the Greatest Big Ten Icon by the Big Ten Network.
Grange was born in Forksville, Pennsylvania as the third child of Sadie and Lyle Grange. His father was the foreman of three lumber camps. When he was five, his mother died and his father moved the family to Wheaton, Illinois, where four brothers had settled.
When they arrived, Grange’s father worked hard and became the chief of police. At Wheaton High School, Grange earned 16 varsity letters in four sports (football, baseball, basketball, and track) during the four years he attended, notably scoring 75 touchdowns and 532 points for the football team.
As a high school junior, Grange scored 36 touchdowns and led Wheaton High School to an undefeated season. In his senior year, his team won every game but one in which they lost 39-0 to Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio. Knocked out in this game, Grange remained unconscious for two days, having difficulty speaking when he awoke.
In addition to his success in football, Grange was an all-state track and field runner. In 1920 Grange was a state champion in the high jump, while placing 3rd and 4th in the 100 yard dash and the 220 yard dash respectively. In 1921 he won the state title in both the long jump and the 100 yard dash, and finally in 1922 he placed 3rd in the 100 yard dash and won the 220 yard dash.
To help the family earn money, he took a part time job as an ice toter for $37.50 per week, a job which helped him to build his core strength (and provided the source of the sometimes used nickname “Ice Man”, or “the Wheaton Ice Man”).
His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League. He was a charter member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 1924, Grange received the honorable Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award denoting the Big Ten’s MVP.. In 2008, he was named the best college football player of all time by ESPN, and in 2011, he was named the Greatest Big Ten Icon by the Big Ten Network.
Grange was born in Forksville, Pennsylvania as the third child of Sadie and Lyle Grange. His father was the foreman of three lumber camps. When he was five, his mother died and his father moved the family to Wheaton, Illinois, where four brothers had settled.
When they arrived, Grange’s father worked hard and became the chief of police. At Wheaton High School, Grange earned 16 varsity letters in four sports (football, baseball, basketball, and track) during the four years he attended, notably scoring 75 touchdowns and 532 points for the football team.
As a high school junior, Grange scored 36 touchdowns and led Wheaton High School to an undefeated season. In his senior year, his team won every game but one in which they lost 39-0 to Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio. Knocked out in this game, Grange remained unconscious for two days, having difficulty speaking when he awoke.
In addition to his success in football, Grange was an all-state track and field runner. In 1920 Grange was a state champion in the high jump, while placing 3rd and 4th in the 100 yard dash and the 220 yard dash respectively. In 1921 he won the state title in both the long jump and the 100 yard dash, and finally in 1922 he placed 3rd in the 100 yard dash and won the 220 yard dash.
To help the family earn money, he took a part time job as an ice toter for $37.50 per week, a job which helped him to build his core strength (and provided the source of the sometimes used nickname “Ice Man”, or “the Wheaton Ice Man”).
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