Hall of Fame professional football player. Nicknamed the "Galloping Ghost", he was considered by many as being the first true star player in the National Football League. Born Harold Edward Grange, the son of a lumber camp worker, he was raised in Wheaton, Illinois following the death of his mother when he was five years old. He began playing football while in high school and continued his athletics at the University of Illinois where he achieved legendary status. While playing the halfback position at Illinois, Grange put to use his blazing speed, which made it nearly impossible for opposing teams to contain him. He was capable of gaining huge chunks of yardage on the ground every time he carried the ball and in a game against Michigan, he racked up over 400 yards. When Chicago Bears' owner George Halas sought a player to draw notice to his team, he didn't have to look far for an answer: the University of Illinois' Red Grange. He marked his league debut with the Bears against the hometown rival Cardinals on Thanksgiving Day 1925, and for the remainder of the season, the Bears drew massive crowds to witness the greatness of Grange. His exhibitions generated interest in the NFL, thus creating the origins of its popularity. The 2008 motion picture "Leatherheads" was inspired by these events. The following year (1926), he was persuaded to join the AFL's New York Yankees and in 1927, he suffered a severe knee injury during a game, ironically against the Bears in which he was forced to miss all of the 1928 season. In 1929, he rejoined the Bears with an added dimension as a defensive force and helped propel them to two consecutive league championships (1932 and 1933). He retired following the 1934 season after playing in 96 regular season games, while earning First-Team All-Pro honors twice (1930 and 1931). He went on to have a successful career in real estate and insurance, also serving as a motivational speaker. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Many believe there is little doubt that the National Football League would not have evolved into the successful entity it presently is without the contributions of Grange as a drawing card. Red Grange died of Parkinson's Disease at age 87 in 1991.