Harold E. "Red" Grange
Harold E. "Red" Grange is one of football's all-time greats, and arguably the game's greatest all-time offensive player. He is a charter member of the Pro (1963) and College (1951) Football Halls of Fame. Grange's most memorable performance came Oct. 18, 1924, when he scored four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes vs. Michigan in the Memorial Stadium dedication game. Later in the same game, he ran for a fifth touchdown and threw for a sixth.
Nicknamed the "Wheaton Iceman" and "Galloping Ghost," he left Illinois to play pro football with the Chicago Bears under former Fighting Illini George Halas. He was an All-American in each of his three seasons with Illinois and won the 1924 Silver Football Award as the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player, the first recipient of the award. He was named to The Sporting News All-Time Team, the Big Ten Diamond Anniversary Team, the Walter Camp All-Century Team and the UI All-Century Team.
Grange on Grange
"He ran with a rhythm I've never seen duplicated -- the
overall effect being one of orchestrated perfection. Generations
to come will produce their great runners, but only
Grange's name will be immortal. They can argue all they
want about the greatest football player who ever lived. I was
satisfied I had him when I had Red Grange. I will never have
another Red Grange, but neither will anyone else."
--Bob Zuppke, former UI coach