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The Galloping Ghost 1925: Red Grange's Historic Impact on Football · Sports History Network

• 0:57
  October
• 0:57
  18,
• 0:58
  1924.
• 0:59
  The
• 0:59
  dedication
• 1:00
  game
• 1:00
  for
• 1:00
  Memorial
• 1:01
  Stadium
• 1:01
  in
• 1:02
  Champaign,
• 1:02
  Illinois.
• 1:03
  Homecoming.
• 1:04
  66,000
• 1:05
  fans
• 1:05
  packed
• 1:06
  into
• 1:06
  a
• 1:06
  brand
• 1:06
  new
• 1:06
  cathedral
• 1:07
  of
• 1:07
  college
• 1:07
  football.
• 1:08
  And
• 1:08
  the
• 1:08
  visiting
• 1:09
  team
• 1:09
  was
• 1:09
  Michigan,
• 1:10
  undefeated,
• 1:11
  untied
• 1:12
  and
• 1:12
  absolutely
• 1:13
  certain.
• 1:14
  They
• 1:14
  were
• 1:14
  about
• 1:14
  to
• 1:14
  ruin
• 1:15
  the
• 1:15
  party.
• 1:16
  But
• 1:16
  on
• 1:16
  the
• 1:16
  opening
• 1:17
  kickoff,
• 1:17
  the
• 1:18
  Illinois
• 1:18
  halfback
• 1:19
  named
• 1:19
  Harold
• 1:20
  Grange,
• 1:20
  they
• 1:21
  called
• 1:21
  him
• 1:21
  Red,
• 1:22
  took
• 1:22
  the
• 1:22
  ball
• 1:22
  on
• 1:23
  his
• 1:23
  own
• 1:23
  five
• 1:23
  yard
• 1:24
  line,
• 1:24
  started
• 1:25
  left,
• 1:25
  cut
• 1:25
  back
• 1:26
  right,
• 1:26
  and
• 1:26
  95
• 1:27
  yards
• 1:27
  later,
• 1:27
  without
• 1:28
  a
• 1:28
  single
• 1:28
  Wolverine
• 1:29
  laying
• 1:29
  a
• 1:29
  hand
• 1:29
  on
• 1:30
  him,
• 1:30
  he
• 1:30
  was
• 1:31
  standing
• 1:31
  in
• 1:31
  the
• 1:32
  opposite
• 1:32
  end
• 1:32
  zone.
• 1:33
  Twelve
• 1:33
  minutes
• 1:34
  later,
• 1:34
  he
• 1:34
  had
• 1:34
  scored
• 1:35
  three
• 1:35
  more
• 1:35
  touchdowns
• 1:36
  from
• 1:36
  67
• 1:37
  yards,
• 1:37
  56
• 1:38
  yards
• 1:38
  and
• 1:38
  from
• 1:39
  44
• 1:39
  yards,
• 1:39
  four
• 1:40
  touchdowns,
• 1:41
  262
• 1:42
  yards,
• 1:42
  12
• 1:43
  minutes.
• 1:43
  He
• 1:43
  would
• 1:44
  finish
• 1:44
  a
• 1:44
  day
• 1:44
  with
• 1:44
  a
• 1:45
  total
• 1:45
  of
• 1:45
  6
• 1:45
  scores
• 1:46
  and
• 1:46
  over
• 1:46
  400
• 1:47
  yards
• 1:47
  of
• 1:48
  total
• 1:48
  offense.
• 1:49
  Sports
• 1:49
  writer
• 1:50
  Grantlin
• 1:50
  Rice,
• 1:51
  watching
• 1:51
  from
• 1:52
  the.
• 1:52
  Press
• 1:52
  box,
• 1:52
  put
• 1:53
  it
• 1:53
  this
• 1:53
  way.
• 1:53
  A
• 1:54
  streak
• 1:54
  of
• 1:54
  fire,
• 1:55
  a
• 1:55
  breath
• 1:55
  of
• 1:55
  flame
• 1:56
  eluding
• 1:56
  all
• 1:57
  who
• 1:57
  reached
• 1:57
  and
• 1:57
  clutched
• 1:58
  at
• 1:58
  him.
• 1:58
  From
• 1:58
  that
• 1:59
  day
• 1:59
  forward,
• 1:59
  the
• 2:00
  world
• 2:00
  knew
• 2:00
  him
• 2:01
  as
• 2:01
  the
• 2:01
  Galloping
• 2:02
  Ghost.
• 2:03
  One
• 2:03
  year
• 2:03
  later,
• 2:03
  the
• 2:04
  same
• 2:04
  young
• 2:04
  man
• 2:04
  would
• 2:04
  do
• 2:05
  the
• 2:05
  unthinkable.
• 2:06
  Turn
• 2:06
  his
• 2:06
  back
• 2:07
  on
• 2:07
  the
• 2:07
  college
• 2:08
  game
• 2:08
  completely,
• 2:09
  leave
• 2:09
  right
• 2:10
  after
• 2:10
  the
• 2:10
  Ohio
• 2:10
  State
• 2:11
  game
• 2:11
  for
• 2:11
  a
• 2:11
  professional
• 2:12
  contract
• 2:13
  and
• 2:13
  drag
• 2:14
  the
• 2:14
  entire
• 2:14
  league
• 2:14
  from
• 2:15
  irrelevance
• 2:16
  into
• 2:16
  the
• 2:16
  American
• 2:17
  mainstream.
• 2:17
  This
• 2:18
  is
• 2:18
  a
• 2:18
  story
• 2:18
  in
• 2:18
  1925,
• 2:19
  the
• 2:20
  year
• 2:20
  that
• 2:20
  Red
• 2:20
  Grange
• 2:20
  broke
• 2:21
  football
• 2:21
  and
• 2:21
  rebuilt
• 2:22
  it
• 2:22
  into
• 2:22
  something
• 2:23
  bigger,
• 2:23
  bigger
• 2:23
  than
• 2:24
  anyone
• 2:24
  had
• 2:24
  imagined.
• 2:25
  Red
• 2:25
  Grange
• 2:26
  had
• 2:26
  arrived
• 2:27
  at
• 2:27
  the
• 2:27
  University
• 2:27
  of
• 2:28
  Illinois
• 2:28
  from
• 2:29
  Wheaton
• 2:29
  as
• 2:29
  a
• 2:30
  quiet
• 2:30
  kid.
• 2:30
  It
• 2:31
  was
• 2:31
  a
• 2:31
  small
• 2:31
  town
• 2:32
  west
• 2:32
  of
• 2:32
  Chicago
• 2:33
  where
• 2:33
  his
• 2:33
  father
• 2:33
  was
• 2:33
  a
• 2:34
  police
• 2:34
  chief.
• 2:34
  He
• 2:34
  never
• 2:35
  planned
• 2:35
  to
• 2:35
  play
• 2:36
  college
• 2:36
  football.
• 2:36
  His
• 2:37
  mother
• 2:37
  had
• 2:37
  forbidden
• 2:38
  it
• 2:38
  after
• 2:38
  his
• 2:38
  older
• 2:38
  brother
• 2:39
  had
• 2:39
  suffered
• 2:39
  a
• 2:39
  severe
• 2:39
  head
• 2:40
  injury
• 2:40
  playing
• 2:40
  the
• 2:40
  game.
• 2:41
  But
• 2:41
  Grange
• 2:41
  enrolled
• 2:42
  at
• 2:42
  Illinois,
• 2:43
  intending
• 2:43
  to
• 2:43
  run
• 2:43
  track
• 2:44
  and
• 2:44
  focus
• 2:44
  on
• 2:44
  his
• 2:45
  studies.
• 2:45
  But
• 2:45
  football
• 2:46
  found
• 2:46
  him
• 2:47
  anyway.
• 2:47
  October
• 2:48
  6,
• 2:49
  1923.
• 2:49
  In
• 2:49
  his
• 2:50
  very
• 2:50
  first
• 2:50
  collegiate
• 2:51
  game,
• 2:52
  Grange
• 2:52
  took
• 2:52
  the
• 2:52
  field
• 2:52
  against
• 2:53
  Nebraska
• 2:53
  and
• 2:53
  scored
• 2:54
  three
• 2:54
  touchdowns,
• 2:54
  a
• 2:55
  50
• 2:55
  yard
• 2:55
  dash,
• 2:56
  a
• 2:56
  35
• 2:56
  yard
• 2:57
  cutback
• 2:57
  and
• 2:57
  a
• 2:58
  12
• 2:58
  yard
• 2:58
  plunge.
• 2:59
  In
• 2:59
  seven
• 2:59
  games
• 3:00
  as
• 3:00
  a
• 3:00
  sophomore,
• 3:01
  he
• 3:01
  ran
• 3:01
  for
• 3:01
  723
• 3:02
  yards,
• 3:03
  12
• 3:03
  touchdowns,
• 3:04
  and
• 3:04
  Illinois
• 3:04
  finished
• 3:05
  undefeated
• 3:05
  and
• 3:06
  claimed
• 3:06
  a
• 3:06
  share.
• 3:06
  Of
• 3:06
  the
• 3:07
  national
• 3:07
  championship.
• 3:08
  He
• 3:08
  was
• 3:08
  fast,
• 3:09
  but
• 3:09
  not
• 3:09
  in
• 3:09
  the.
• 3:10
  Way
• 3:10
  that
• 3:10
  modern
• 3:10
  athletes
• 3:11
  are
• 3:11
  fast.
• 3:11
  What
• 3:12
  made
• 3:12
  Red
• 3:12
  Grange
• 3:13
  terrifying
• 3:13
  was
• 3:14
  his
• 3:14
  vision.
• 3:15
  He
• 3:15
  saw
• 3:15
  holes
• 3:16
  before
• 3:16
  they
• 3:16
  opened.
• 3:17
  He
• 3:18
  changed
• 3:18
  direction
• 3:18
  without
• 3:19
  slowing
• 3:19
  down.
• 3:19
  And
• 3:20
  defenders
• 3:20
  described
• 3:21
  the
• 3:21
  experience
• 3:21
  of
• 3:21
  tackling
• 3:22
  him
• 3:22
  as
• 3:22
  trying
• 3:22
  to
• 3:22
  grab
• 3:23
  a
• 3:23
  smoke.
• 3:24
  You
• 3:24
  could
• 3:24
  see
• 3:24
  him,
• 3:25
  you
• 3:25
  could
• 3:25
  reach
• 3:25
  for
• 3:26
  him,
• 3:26
  but
• 3:26
  by
• 3:26
  the
• 3:27
  time
• 3:27
  your
• 3:27
  hands
• 3:27
  had
• 3:27
  closed,
• 3:28
  he
• 3:28
  was
• 3:28
  somewhere
• 3:29
  else
• 3:29
  completely.
• 3:30
  The
• 3:30
  Michigan
• 3:30
  game
• 3:31
  made
• 3:31
  him
• 3:31
  a
• 3:31
  legend,
• 3:32
  but
• 3:32
  his
• 3:32
  entire
• 3:32
  college
• 3:33
  career
• 3:33
  defied
• 3:34
  belief.
• 3:34
  20
• 3:35
  games,
• 3:35
  31
• 3:36
  touchdowns,
• 3:37
  3,362
• 3:39
  yards
• 3:39
  rushing,
• 3:40
  an
• 3:40
  average
• 3:40
  of
• 3:41
  168
• 3:42
  yards
• 3:42
  per
• 3:42
  game.
• 3:43
  An
• 3:43
  era
• 3:43
  where
• 3:44
  the
• 3:44
  forward
• 3:44
  pass
• 3:44
  was
• 3:44
  still
• 3:45
  considered
• 3:45
  a
• 3:45
  novelty
• 3:46
  and
• 3:46
  defenses
• 3:47
  stacked
• 3:47
  the
• 3:47
  line
• 3:47
  on
• 3:48
  every
• 3:48
  down.
• 3:48
  On
• 3:49
  October
• 3:49
  31,
• 3:50
  1925,
• 3:51
  in
• 3:51
  his
• 3:51
  final
• 3:51
  homecoming
• 3:52
  game,
• 3:52
  Grange
• 3:53
  carried
• 3:53
  the
• 3:53
  ball
• 3:53
  36
• 3:54
  times
• 3:54
  against
• 3:54
  Pennsylvania
• 3:55
  and
• 3:55
  gained
• 3:56
  363
• 3:57
  yards.
• 3:57
  The
• 3:58
  entire
• 3:58
  stadium
• 3:59
  chanted
• 4:00
  his
• 4:00
  name.
• 4:01
  Now,
• 4:02
  here's
• 4:02
  what
• 4:02
  you
• 4:02
  have
• 4:02
  to
• 4:02
  understand
• 4:03
  about
• 4:03
  1925.
• 4:04
  Baseball
• 4:05
  was
• 4:05
  king.
• 4:05
  Babe
• 4:06
  Ruth
• 4:06
  had
• 4:06
  just
• 4:06
  finished
• 4:07
  his
• 4:07
  1925.
• 4:08
  Season
• 4:08
  with
• 4:08
  the
• 4:08
  Yankees.
• 4:09
  College
• 4:09
  football,
• 4:10
  not
• 4:10
  professional,
• 4:11
  was
• 4:11
  the
• 4:12
  gridiron
• 4:12
  attraction.
• 4:13
  Yale,
• 4:13
  Harvard,
• 4:14
  Princeton,
• 4:14
  Illinois,
• 4:15
  Notre
• 4:15
  Dame.
• 4:15
  These
• 4:15
  were
• 4:15
  the
• 4:16
  names
• 4:16
  that
• 4:16
  mattered.
• 4:17
  And
• 4:17
  the
• 4:17
  National
• 4:17
  Football
• 4:18
  League
• 4:18
  was
• 4:18
  entering
• 4:19
  his
• 4:19
  sixth
• 4:19
  season
• 4:20
  and
• 4:20
  it
• 4:20
  was
• 4:20
  losing.
• 4:21
  Teams
• 4:21
  folded
• 4:22
  during
• 4:22
  the
• 4:22
  mid
• 4:22
  season.
• 4:23
  Players
• 4:23
  jumped
• 4:24
  contracts.
• 4:24
  Owners
• 4:25
  went
• 4:25
  bankrupt.
• 4:25
  Between
• 4:26
  1920
• 4:27
  and
• 4:27
  1925,
• 4:28
  two
• 4:28
  different
• 4:29
  franchises
• 4:29
  had
• 4:30
  come
• 4:30
  and
• 4:30
  gone.
• 4:30
  In
• 4:31
  1925
• 4:31
  alone,
• 4:32
  two
• 4:32
  teams
• 4:32
  dissolved
• 4:33
  before
• 4:33
  the
• 4:34
  season
• 4:34
  had
• 4:34
  ended.
• 4:35
  The
• 4:35
  NFL
• 4:36
  and
• 4:36
  needed
• 4:36
  a
• 4:37
  miracle.
• 4:37
  And
• 4:38
  what
• 4:38
  it
• 4:38
  got
• 4:38
  was
• 4:39
  a
• 4:39
  miracle.
• 4:39
  It
• 4:40
  was
• 4:40
  red
• 4:40
  Grange.
• 4:41
  In
• 4:41
  November
• 4:42
  21,
• 4:42
  1925,
• 4:43
  Ohio
• 4:43
  Stadium
• 4:44
  in
• 4:44
  Columbus,
• 4:45
  Ohio,
• 4:45
  84,295
• 4:48
  people,
• 4:49
  the
• 4:49
  largest
• 4:50
  crowd
• 4:50
  ever
• 4:50
  to
• 4:50
  witness
• 4:51
  a
• 4:51
  football
• 4:51
  game
• 4:51
  in
• 4:51
  the
• 4:51
  state
• 4:52
  of
• 4:52
  Ohio,
• 4:52
  packed
• 4:53
  the
• 4:53
  horseshoe
• 4:53
  to
• 4:54
  watch
• 4:54
  Illinois
• 4:55
  play
• 4:55
  the
• 4:55
  Buckeyes.
• 4:55
  It
• 4:55
  was
• 4:56
  Red
• 4:56
  Rangers
• 4:57
  final
• 4:57
  college
• 4:58
  game.
• 4:59
  Illinois
• 4:59
  lost
• 5:00
  the
• 5:00
  game,
• 5:00
  but
• 5:00
  that
• 5:01
  afternoon
• 5:01
  barely
• 5:01
  mattered
• 5:02
  compared
• 5:02
  to
• 5:02
  what
• 5:02
  happened
• 5:03
  after,
• 5:04
  because
• 5:04
  within
• 5:04
  48
• 5:05
  hours
• 5:05
  of
• 5:05
  the
• 5:05
  final
• 5:06
  whistle,
• 5:06
  Red
• 5:06
  Grange
• 5:07
  and
• 5:07
  the
• 5:07
  Chicago
• 5:08
  theater
• 5:08
  promoter
• 5:08
  named
• 5:09
  C.C.
• 5:09
  Pyle
• 5:10
  stepped
• 5:10
  into
• 5:10
  a
• 5:10
  room
• 5:11
  with
• 5:11
  George
• 5:11
  Hallis
• 5:12
  and
• 5:12
  signed
• 5:12
  a
• 5:12
  contract
• 5:12
  to
• 5:13
  play
• 5:13
  professional
• 5:13
  football
• 5:14
  for
• 5:14
  the
• 5:15
  Chicago
• 5:15
  Bears.
• 5:16
  Grange
• 5:17
  was
• 5:17
  no
• 5:17
  longer
• 5:17
  a
• 5:17
  college
• 5:18
  student.
• 5:18
  He
• 5:18
  had
• 5:18
  played
• 5:18
  his
• 5:19
  last
• 5:19
  game
• 5:19
  on
• 5:19
  Saturday.
• 5:20
  By
• 5:20
  Monday,
• 5:21
  he
• 5:21
  was
• 5:21
  a
• 5:21
  professional.
• 5:22
  On
• 5:22
  Thanksgiving
• 5:23
  Day,
• 5:23
  just
• 5:23
  five
• 5:23
  days
• 5:23
  later,
• 5:24
  he
• 5:24
  was
• 5:24
  in
• 5:25
  uniform
• 5:25
  at
• 5:25
  Cubs
• 5:26
  park,
• 5:26
  playing
• 5:26
  in
• 5:27
  front
• 5:27
  of
• 5:27
  3
• 5:28
  36,600
• 5:29
  people
• 5:30
  against
• 5:30
  the
• 5:31
  Chicago
• 5:31
  Cardinals
• 5:32
  that
• 5:32
  day.
• 5:33
  Now
• 5:33
  the
• 5:33
  reaction
• 5:33
  from
• 5:33
  college
• 5:34
  football
• 5:34
  establishment.
• 5:35
  Was
• 5:35
  swift
• 5:35
  and
• 5:35
  savage.
• 5:36
  Headlines
• 5:37
  across
• 5:37
  the
• 5:37
  country
• 5:37
  condemned
• 5:38
  him.
• 5:39
  Red
• 5:39
  Grange
• 5:39
  goes
• 5:40
  pro
• 5:40
  college
• 5:41
  game
• 5:41
  mourns
• 5:42
  read
• 5:42
  one
• 5:42
  paper.
• 5:43
  Another
• 5:43
  one
• 5:44
  called
• 5:44
  him
• 5:44
  a
• 5:44
  mercenary,
• 5:45
  a
• 5:45
  sellout,
• 5:45
  a
• 5:46
  man
• 5:46
  who
• 5:46
  had
• 5:46
  traded
• 5:46
  his
• 5:46
  alma
• 5:47
  mater's
• 5:47
  colors
• 5:48
  for
• 5:48
  a
• 5:48
  check.
• 5:49
  Coaches
• 5:50
  and
• 5:50
  university
• 5:50
  presidents
• 5:51
  who
• 5:51
  had
• 5:51
  spent
• 5:51
  decades
• 5:52
  insisting
• 5:52
  that
• 5:52
  the
• 5:53
  college
• 5:53
  game
• 5:53
  was
• 5:54
  the
• 5:54
  pure
• 5:54
  amateur
• 5:55
  pursuit,
• 5:55
  painted
• 5:56
  Grange
• 5:56
  as
• 5:56
  a
• 5:57
  corrupting
• 5:57
  influence
• 5:58
  palace,
• 5:58
  proof
• 5:58
  that
• 5:59
  the
• 5:59
  professional
• 5:59
  game
• 6:00
  would
• 6:00
  poison
• 6:00
  the
• 6:01
  sport.
• 6:01
  But
• 6:02
  the
• 6:02
  outrage
• 6:02
  and
• 6:03
  counterweight
• 6:03
  was
• 6:04
  CC
• 6:04
  Pyle.
• 6:05
  A
• 6:05
  man
• 6:05
  who
• 6:05
  had
• 6:05
  never
• 6:06
  negotiated
• 6:06
  football
• 6:07
  contract
• 6:07
  in
• 6:07
  his
• 6:08
  life,
• 6:08
  had
• 6:08
  secured
• 6:09
  terms
• 6:09
  that
• 6:10
  no
• 6:10
  professional
• 6:10
  football
• 6:11
  player
• 6:11
  had
• 6:11
  ever
• 6:11
  dreamed
• 6:12
  of.
• 6:12
  Grange
• 6:13
  would
• 6:13
  receive
• 6:13
  50%
• 6:14
  of
• 6:14
  the
• 6:14
  gate
• 6:15
  receipts
• 6:15
  from
• 6:16
  every
• 6:16
  game
• 6:16
  he
• 6:16
  played
• 6:17
  in.
• 6:17
  Not
• 6:17
  a
• 6:17
  salary,
• 6:18
  but
• 6:18
  a
• 6:18
  share
• 6:19
  of
• 6:19
  the
• 6:19
  gate.
• 6:20
  In
• 6:20
  his
• 6:20
  first
• 6:20
  eight
• 6:20
  games
• 6:21
  of
• 6:21
  his
• 6:21
  professional
• 6:21
  career,
• 6:22
  Grange
• 6:22
  playing
• 6:23
  before
• 6:23
  an
• 6:23
  estimated
• 6:24
  200,000
• 6:25
  fans.
• 6:26
  His
• 6:26
  debut
• 6:26
  at
• 6:26
  Cubbins
• 6:27
  park
• 6:27
  drew
• 6:27
  36,600,
• 6:29
  more
• 6:29
  than
• 6:29
  five
• 6:30
  times
• 6:30
  the
• 6:30
  Bears
• 6:30
  average
• 6:31
  at
• 6:31
  home.
• 6:31
  Tennis.
• 6:32
  Before
• 6:32
  he
• 6:32
  arrived
• 6:33
  two
• 6:33
  weeks
• 6:33
  later
• 6:33
  at
• 6:34
  the
• 6:34
  Polo
• 6:34
  Grounds
• 6:34
  in
• 6:34
  New
• 6:34
  York,
• 6:35
  73,000.
• 6:36
  People,
• 6:36
  the
• 6:37
  largest
• 6:37
  crowd
• 6:37
  in
• 6:38
  professional
• 6:38
  football
• 6:39
  history
• 6:39
  at
• 6:39
  the
• 6:39
  time,
• 6:40
  packed
• 6:40
  the
• 6:40
  stadium
• 6:41
  to
• 6:41
  watch
• 6:41
  him.
• 6:42
  The
• 6:42
  Giants
• 6:42
  previous
• 6:43
  high
• 6:43
  attendance
• 6:43
  that
• 6:44
  season.
• 6:44
  Had
• 6:44
  been
• 6:44
  roughly
• 6:45
  10,000.
• 6:46
  People
• 6:46
  climbed
• 6:47
  fences.
• 6:47
  They
• 6:47
  stood
• 6:47
  on
• 6:48
  rooftops.
• 6:48
  Thousands
• 6:49
  were
• 6:49
  turned
• 6:49
  away
• 6:49
  from
• 6:50
  the
• 6:50
  gates.
• 6:51
  Now
• 6:51
  the
• 6:51
  Bears
• 6:52
  won
• 6:52
  that
• 6:52
  Polo
• 6:52
  Grounds
• 6:53
  game
• 6:53
  19
• 6:53
  7.
• 6:54
  Green
• 6:54
  scored
• 6:54
  a
• 6:54
  touchdown,
• 6:55
  and
• 6:55
  the
• 6:55
  New.
• 6:55
  York
• 6:56
  Giants,
• 6:56
  a
• 6:56
  franchise
• 6:57
  that
• 6:57
  had
• 6:57
  been.
• 6:57
  Bleached
• 6:57
  leading
• 6:58
  money,
• 6:58
  suddenly
• 6:59
  had
• 6:59
  a
• 6:59
  future.
• 7:00
  Decades
• 7:00
  later,
• 7:01
  Giants
• 7:01
  owner
• 7:01
  Tim
• 7:02
  Mara
• 7:02
  would.
• 7:02
  Credit
• 7:03
  that
• 7:03
  single
• 7:03
  afternoon
• 7:04
  as
• 7:04
  the
• 7:04
  moment.
• 7:04
  The
• 7:04
  Giants
• 7:05
  became
• 7:05
  viable.
• 7:06
  Without
• 7:06
  Red
• 7:07
  Grange,
• 7:07
  there
• 7:08
  might
• 7:08
  never
• 7:08
  have.
• 7:08
  Been
• 7:08
  a
• 7:09
  professional
• 7:09
  football
• 7:09
  franchise
• 7:10
  in
• 7:10
  New
• 7:10
  York.
• 7:10
  And
• 7:11
  he
• 7:11
  never
• 7:11
  played
• 7:11
  for
• 7:12
  the
• 7:12
  New
• 7:12
  York
• 7:12
  Giants.
• 7:13
  And
• 7:13
  without
• 7:13
  New
• 7:14
  York,
• 7:14
  the
• 7:14
  NFL
• 7:15
  as
• 7:15
  we
• 7:15
  know
• 7:15
  it
• 7:15
  would
• 7:16
  probably
• 7:16
  not
• 7:16
  exist.
• 7:17
  The
• 7:17
  Polo
• 7:18
  Grounds
• 7:18
  was
• 7:19
  only
• 7:19
  one
• 7:19
  stop
• 7:19
  of
• 7:20
  what
• 7:20
  would
• 7:20
  become
• 7:20
  the
• 7:20
  most
• 7:21
  grueling
• 7:21
  spectacle
• 7:22
  in
• 7:22
  professional
• 7:22
  football
• 7:22
  history.
• 7:23
  After
• 7:23
  a
• 7:23
  regular
• 7:24
  season
• 7:24
  ended,
• 7:25
  Hallis
• 7:25
  assembled
• 7:26
  a
• 7:26
  skeleton
• 7:27
  crew.
• 7:27
  16
• 7:27
  players
• 7:28
  in
• 7:28
  Grange,
• 7:29
  with
• 7:29
  CC
• 7:29
  Pyle
• 7:30
  managing
• 7:30
  every
• 7:31
  detail,
• 7:31
  embarked
• 7:32
  on
• 7:32
  a
• 7:32
  barnstorm
• 7:33
  record
• 7:33
  that
• 7:33
  would
• 7:33
  stretch
• 7:33
  from
• 7:34
  December
• 7:34
  1925
• 7:35
  to
• 7:35
  January
• 7:36
  1926.
• 7:38
  The
• 7:38
  schedule
• 7:38
  was
• 7:39
  brutal.
• 7:39
  Eight
• 7:39
  games
• 7:40
  in
• 7:40
  12
• 7:40
  days,
• 7:40
  plus
• 7:41
  a
• 7:41
  second
• 7:41
  leg
• 7:42
  through
• 7:42
  the
• 7:42
  south
• 7:42
  and
• 7:42
  the
• 7:43
  west
• 7:43
  coast
• 7:43
  that
• 7:43
  pushed
• 7:44
  a
• 7:44
  totaled
• 7:44
  of
• 7:45
  nearly
• 7:45
  20
• 7:46
  games
• 7:46
  over
• 7:46
  two
• 7:47
  months.
• 7:47
  Some
• 7:48
  days
• 7:48
  they
• 7:48
  played
• 7:48
  without
• 7:49
  a
• 7:49
  rest.
• 7:49
  Some
• 7:50
  days
• 7:50
  they
• 7:50
  wore
• 7:50
  the
• 7:50
  same
• 7:51
  dirty
• 7:51
  uniforms
• 7:51
  they
• 7:52
  had
• 7:52
  wore
• 7:52
  the
• 7:52
  night
• 7:52
  before.
• 7:53
  In
• 7:53
  Philadelphia,
• 7:54
  35,
• 7:54
  000
• 7:55
  fans
• 7:55
  showed
• 7:55
  up
• 7:55
  at
• 7:55
  Shy
• 7:56
  park,
• 7:56
  nearly
• 7:57
  doubling
• 7:57
  the
• 7:57
  previous
• 7:57
  professional
• 7:58
  record
• 7:58
  in
• 7:58
  that
• 7:59
  city.
• 7:59
  A
• 8:00
  few
• 8:00
  stops
• 8:00
  stand
• 8:01
  out
• 8:01
  as
• 8:01
  moments
• 8:01
  that
• 8:02
  changed
• 8:02
  the
• 8:02
  league.
• 8:03
  In
• 8:03
  Washington,
• 8:03
  Howison
• 8:04
  Grange
• 8:05
  visited
• 8:05
  the
• 8:05
  White
• 8:05
  House.
• 8:06
  President
• 8:06
  Calvin
• 8:07
  Coolidge
• 8:07
  informed
• 8:07
  them
• 8:08
  he
• 8:08
  was
• 8:08
  meeting
• 8:08
  the
• 8:08
  Chicago
• 8:09
  Bears.
• 8:09
  He
• 8:10
  walked
• 8:10
  over
• 8:10
  to
• 8:10
  them
• 8:10
  and
• 8:10
  said.
• 8:11
  With
• 8:11
  complete
• 8:11
  sincerity,
• 8:12
  quote,
• 8:13
  how
• 8:13
  are
• 8:13
  you
• 8:14
  young
• 8:14
  gentlemen?
• 8:14
  I've
• 8:15
  always
• 8:15
  admired
• 8:16
  animal
• 8:16
  acts.
• 8:17
  That
• 8:17
  was
• 8:17
  where
• 8:17
  the
• 8:18
  NFL
• 8:18
  ranked
• 8:19
  in
• 8:19
  1925.
• 8:20
  The
• 8:20
  president
• 8:20
  of
• 8:21
  the
• 8:21
  United
• 8:21
  States
• 8:22
  didn't
• 8:22
  even
• 8:22
  know
• 8:22
  what
• 8:22
  it
• 8:22
  was
• 8:23
  or
• 8:23
  the
• 8:23
  teams
• 8:24
  that
• 8:24
  played
• 8:24
  for
• 8:24
  it.
• 8:25
  But
• 8:25
  at
• 8:25
  the
• 8:25
  same
• 8:26
  hotel
• 8:26
  in
• 8:26
  Washington,
• 8:27
  Babe
• 8:27
  Bruce
• 8:28
  showed
• 8:28
  up.
• 8:28
  The
• 8:29
  Babe
• 8:29
  wanted
• 8:29
  to
• 8:29
  meet
• 8:30
  Grange.
• 8:30
  And
• 8:30
  when
• 8:30
  the
• 8:31
  greatest
• 8:31
  baseball
• 8:31
  player
• 8:32
  who
• 8:32
  ever
• 8:32
  lived
• 8:32
  sat
• 8:33
  down
• 8:33
  with
• 8:33
  the
• 8:33
  greatest
• 8:33
  football
• 8:34
  anyone
• 8:34
  had
• 8:34
  ever
• 8:34
  seen,
• 8:35
  Ruth
• 8:36
  gave
• 8:36
  him
• 8:36
  simple
• 8:36
  advice.
• 8:37
  He
• 8:37
  said,
• 8:37
  quote,
• 8:38
  kid,
• 8:39
  get
• 8:39
  the
• 8:39
  dough
• 8:40
  while
• 8:40
  the
• 8:40
  getting's
• 8:41
  good
• 8:41
  and
• 8:41
  don't
• 8:41
  pick
• 8:41
  up
• 8:42
  too
• 8:42
  many
• 8:43
  meal
• 8:43
  checks,
• 8:44
  end
• 8:44
  quote.
• 8:45
  Now
• 8:45
  in
• 8:45
  Los
• 8:46
  Angeles,
• 8:46
  Grange
• 8:47
  played
• 8:47
  before
• 8:47
  75,000
• 8:48
  fans
• 8:48
  in
• 8:49
  the
• 8:49
  Coliseum,
• 8:49
  a
• 8:50
  city
• 8:50
  that
• 8:50
  had
• 8:51
  no
• 8:51
  NFL
• 8:51
  team
• 8:52
  and
• 8:52
  and
• 8:52
  would
• 8:52
  not
• 8:52
  get
• 8:52
  another
• 8:53
  one
• 8:53
  for
• 8:53
  21
• 8:54
  years.
• 8:54
  And
• 8:54
  in
• 8:55
  San
• 8:55
  Francisco,
• 8:55
  40,000.
• 8:56
  In
• 8:56
  Seattle,
• 8:57
  another
• 8:57
  overflow
• 8:58
  crowd.
• 8:59
  And
• 8:59
  by
• 8:59
  the
• 8:59
  time
• 8:59
  the
• 8:59
  tour
• 9:00
  had
• 9:00
  ended
• 9:00
  in
• 9:00
  late
• 9:00
  January
• 9:00
  1926,
• 9:02
  Green
• 9:02
  had
• 9:03
  collected
• 9:03
  approximately
• 9:04
  a
• 9:04
  hundred
• 9:04
  thousand
• 9:05
  dollars,
• 9:06
  approximately
• 9:07
  $1.7
• 9:08
  million
• 9:09
  in
• 9:09
  today's
• 9:09
  currency
• 9:10
  from
• 9:10
  his
• 9:10
  share
• 9:11
  of
• 9:11
  the
• 9:11
  gates.
• 9:11
  C.C.
• 9:12
  Pyle
• 9:12
  walked
• 9:12
  away
• 9:12
  with
• 9:13
  his
• 9:13
  own
• 9:13
  fortune.
• 9:14
  And
• 9:14
  George
• 9:14
  Hallison
• 9:15
  of
• 9:15
  Bears
• 9:15
  pocketed
• 9:16
  the
• 9:16
  other
• 9:16
  half
• 9:16
  the
• 9:17
  NFL
• 9:17
  and
• 9:18
  had
• 9:18
  what
• 9:18
  money
• 9:18
  cannot
• 9:19
  buy.
• 9:19
  Legitimacy.
• 9:20
  Now
• 9:21
  Grange
• 9:21
  had
• 9:21
  only
• 9:22
  played
• 9:22
  two
• 9:22
  seasons
• 9:23
  with
• 9:23
  the
• 9:23
  Bears
• 9:23
  before
• 9:23
  dispute
• 9:24
  between
• 9:24
  Pyle
• 9:25
  and
• 9:25
  Halas
• 9:25
  over
• 9:26
  money
• 9:26
  led
• 9:26
  him
• 9:26
  to
• 9:27
  start
• 9:27
  his
• 9:27
  own
• 9:27
  team.
• 9:28
  Short
• 9:28
  lived
• 9:29
  the
• 9:29
  New
• 9:29
  York
• 9:29
  Yankees.
• 9:29
  A
• 9:30
  short
• 9:30
  lived
• 9:30
  First
• 9:31
  American
• 9:31
  Football
• 9:31
  League.
• 9:32
  A
• 9:32
  knee
• 9:32
  injury
• 9:33
  in
• 9:33
  1927
• 9:33
  nearly
• 9:34
  ended
• 9:34
  his
• 9:34
  career.
• 9:35
  He
• 9:35
  sat
• 9:35
  out
• 9:35
  all
• 9:36
  of
• 9:36
  1928
• 9:37
  when
• 9:37
  the
• 9:37
  Yankees
• 9:38
  folded.
• 9:38
  Greens
• 9:39
  returned
• 9:39
  to
• 9:39
  the
• 9:39
  Bears
• 9:39
  in
• 9:40
  1929
• 9:41
  and
• 9:41
  he
• 9:42
  was
• 9:42
  no
• 9:42
  longer
• 9:42
  the
• 9:42
  Galloping
• 9:43
  Ghost.
• 9:43
  He
• 9:44
  was
• 9:44
  a
• 9:44
  diminished
• 9:45
  version
• 9:45
  of
• 9:45
  himself.
• 9:45
  A
• 9:46
  blocker,
• 9:46
  a
• 9:46
  decoy,
• 9:47
  a
• 9:47
  veteran
• 9:47
  who
• 9:47
  contributed
• 9:48
  in
• 9:48
  smaller
• 9:49
  ways.
• 9:49
  But
• 9:50
  what
• 9:50
  that
• 9:50
  diminished
• 9:51
  version
• 9:52
  still
• 9:52
  helped
• 9:53
  The
• 9:53
  Bears
• 9:53
  win
• 9:53
  two
• 9:54
  NFL
• 9:54
  championships
• 9:55
  in
• 9:55
  1932
• 9:55
  and
• 9:56
  33.
• 9:56
  The
• 9:57
  1933
• 9:57
  title
• 9:58
  game,
• 9:58
  the
• 9:58
  first
• 9:59
  official
• 9:59
  NFL
• 10:00
  championship
• 10:00
  game
• 10:00
  in
• 10:00
  league
• 10:01
  history.
• 10:01
  Grange
• 10:02
  made
• 10:02
  the
• 10:02
  game
• 10:03
  saving
• 10:03
  tackle
• 10:03
  on
• 10:03
  a
• 10:04
  final
• 10:04
  play,
• 10:04
  stopping
• 10:05
  the
• 10:05
  Giants
• 10:05
  Dale
• 10:06
  Burnett
• 10:06
  on
• 10:07
  a
• 10:07
  one
• 10:07
  yard
• 10:07
  line.
• 10:08
  Now
• 10:08
  the
• 10:08
  man
• 10:08
  who
• 10:08
  had
• 10:09
  once
• 10:09
  scored
• 10:09
  four
• 10:09
  touchdowns
• 10:10
  in
• 10:10
  12
• 10:10
  minutes
• 10:11
  won
• 10:11
  a
• 10:11
  championship
• 10:11
  with
• 10:12
  his
• 10:12
  shoulder
• 10:12
  pads
• 10:13
  instead
• 10:13
  of
• 10:13
  his
• 10:13
  legs.
• 10:14
  And
• 10:14
  then
• 10:15
  by
• 10:15
  the
• 10:15
  end,
• 10:16
  none
• 10:16
  of
• 10:16
  it
• 10:17
  mattered.
• 10:17
  The
• 10:17
  booze,
• 10:18
  the
• 10:18
  headlines,
• 10:19
  the
• 10:19
  accusations
• 10:19
  of
• 10:20
  selling
• 10:20
  out
• 10:20
  because
• 10:20
  the
• 10:21
  NFL
• 10:21
  was
• 10:22
  no
• 10:22
  longer
• 10:22
  fighting
• 10:22
  for
• 10:23
  survival.
• 10:23
  It
• 10:23
  had
• 10:24
  a
• 10:24
  televised
• 10:24
  contracts
• 10:25
  on
• 10:25
  the
• 10:25
  horizon.
• 10:26
  It
• 10:26
  had
• 10:26
  stadiums
• 10:27
  filling
• 10:27
  every
• 10:27
  Sunday.
• 10:28
  It
• 10:28
  had
• 10:28
  a
• 10:29
  generation
• 10:29
  of
• 10:29
  athletes
• 10:30
  who
• 10:30
  grew
• 10:30
  wanting
• 10:30
  to
• 10:30
  be
• 10:31
  red
• 10:31
  range
• 10:31
  and
• 10:32
  who
• 10:32
  no
• 10:32
  longer
• 10:32
  saw
• 10:33
  anything
• 10:34
  shameful
• 10:34
  in
• 10:34
  accepting
• 10:35
  money
• 10:35
  to
• 10:35
  play
• 10:35
  the
• 10:36
  game
• 10:36
  that
• 10:36
  they
• 10:36
  love.
• 10:37
  Now
• 10:37
  here's
• 10:38
  the
• 10:38
  number
• 10:38
  that
• 10:38
  tells
• 10:38
  the
• 10:39
  story
• 10:39
  better
• 10:39
  than
• 10:39
  any
• 10:39
  other
• 10:40
  narration.
• 10:41
  In
• 10:41
  1925,
• 10:41
  before
• 10:42
  Grange
• 10:42
  signed,
• 10:43
  the
• 10:43
  average
• 10:43
  Chicago
• 10:44
  Bears
• 10:44
  home
• 10:44
  attendance
• 10:45
  was
• 10:45
  roughly
• 10:45
  6,500.
• 10:47
  6,500
• 10:49
  people
• 10:49
  in
• 10:49
  a
• 10:49
  city
• 10:50
  of
• 10:50
  3
• 10:51
  million.
• 10:51
  The
• 10:52
  NFL
• 10:52
  was
• 10:52
  an
• 10:52
  afterthought,
• 10:53
  a
• 10:53
  niche
• 10:54
  curiosity
• 10:54
  trailing
• 10:55
  baseball,
• 10:55
  college
• 10:56
  football,
• 10:56
  boxing,
• 10:56
  horse
• 10:57
  racing,
• 10:57
  tennis,
• 10:58
  golf
• 10:59
  and
• 10:59
  even
• 10:59
  professional
• 11:00
  wrestling
• 11:00
  in
• 11:00
  America
• 11:01
  sports
• 11:01
  hierarchy.
• 11:02
  But
• 11:02
  when
• 11:02
  grange
• 11:03
  retired
• 11:03
  in
• 11:03
  1934,
• 11:04
  professional
• 11:05
  football
• 11:05
  was
• 11:05
  a
• 11:06
  national
• 11:06
  institution.
• 11:07
  He
• 11:07
  did
• 11:07
  not
• 11:07
  save
• 11:08
  the
• 11:08
  NFL
• 11:08
  alone.
• 11:09
  George
• 11:09
  Hallis,
• 11:10
  Tim
• 11:10
  Mara
• 11:10
  and
• 11:11
  others
• 11:11
  deserve
• 11:11
  their
• 11:11
  share
• 11:11
  of
• 11:11
  the
• 11:12
  credit.
• 11:12
  But
• 11:12
  Grange
• 11:13
  was
• 11:13
  the
• 11:13
  spark.
• 11:13
  He
• 11:14
  was
• 11:14
  the
• 11:14
  first
• 11:14
  star
• 11:15
  who
• 11:15
  proved
• 11:15
  that
• 11:15
  professional
• 11:16
  football
• 11:16
  could
• 11:16
  sell
• 11:17
  tickets,
• 11:17
  that
• 11:18
  a
• 11:18
  player
• 11:18
  could
• 11:18
  be
• 11:18
  worth
• 11:19
  a
• 11:19
  fortune,
• 11:19
  and
• 11:19
  that
• 11:20
  the
• 11:20
  game
• 11:20
  was
• 11:20
  not
• 11:20
  merely
• 11:21
  a
• 11:21
  pale
• 11:21
  imitation
• 11:22
  of
• 11:22
  the
• 11:22
  college
• 11:23
  version,
• 11:23
  he
• 11:24
  was
• 11:24
  proof.
• 11:24
  Now,
• 11:25
  Red
• 11:25
  Grange
• 11:25
  was
• 11:25
  a
• 11:25
  member
• 11:26
  of
• 11:26
  the
• 11:26
  Pro
• 11:26
  Football
• 11:26
  hall
• 11:26
  of
• 11:26
  Fame's
• 11:27
  inaugural
• 11:27
  class
• 11:27
  in
• 11:28
  1963
• 11:28
  alongside
• 11:29
  Jim
• 11:29
  Thorpe,
• 11:30
  George
• 11:30
  Hallis,
• 11:30
  Johnny
• 11:31
  Unais.
• 11:31
  And
• 11:31
  he
• 11:31
  lived
• 11:32
  long
• 11:32
  enough
• 11:32
  to
• 11:32
  see
• 11:32
  the
• 11:32
  super
• 11:33
  bowl
• 11:33
  become
• 11:33
  a
• 11:34
  cultural
• 11:34
  phenomenon
• 11:35
  to
• 11:35
  he
• 11:35
  died
• 11:35
  in
• 11:36
  1991
• 11:36
  at
• 11:36
  the
• 11:37
  age
• 11:37
  of
• 11:37
  87.
• 11:38
  But
• 11:38
  perhaps
• 11:38
  the
• 11:39
  most
• 11:39
  truest
• 11:39
  measure
• 11:40
  of
• 11:40
  his
• 11:40
  impact
• 11:40
  is
• 11:41
  not
• 11:41
  in
• 11:41
  Canton.
• 11:42
  It
• 11:42
  is
• 11:42
  on
• 11:42
  every
• 11:42
  college
• 11:43
  player
• 11:43
  who
• 11:43
  ever
• 11:44
  declared
• 11:44
  for
• 11:44
  the
• 11:44
  draft,
• 11:45
  every
• 11:45
  free
• 11:46
  agent
• 11:46
  contract
• 11:46
  negotiated
• 11:47
  on
• 11:48
  a
• 11:48
  5050
• 11:48
  split,
• 11:49
  every
• 11:50
  young
• 11:50
  athlete
• 11:50
  who
• 11:51
  understood.
• 11:51
  Because
• 11:52
  Grange
• 11:52
  proved
• 11:53
  at
• 11:53
  first
• 11:53
  that
• 11:54
  your
• 11:54
  body,
• 11:54
  your
• 11:54
  talent,
• 11:55
  your
• 11:55
  labor
• 11:55
  is
• 11:56
  worth
• 11:56
  something,
• 11:56
  that
• 11:57
  you
• 11:57
  not
• 11:57
  do
• 11:57
  not
• 11:58
  own
• 11:58
  the
• 11:58
  colleges
• 11:59
  you
• 11:59
  owe
• 11:59
  your
• 11:59
  future
• 12:00
  and
• 12:00
  the
• 12:00
  game
• 12:01
  belongs
• 12:01
  to
• 12:01
  the
• 12:02
  people
• 12:02
  who
• 12:02
  play
• 12:02
  it.
• 12:03
  When
• 12:03
  he
• 12:04
  signed
• 12:04
  the
• 12:04
  contract
• 12:04
  in
• 12:05
  1925,
• 12:05
  five
• 12:06
  days
• 12:06
  after
• 12:06
  his
• 12:06
  last
• 12:07
  college
• 12:07
  game,
• 12:08
  a
• 12:08
  national
• 12:08
  howling
• 12:09
  at
• 12:09
  his
• 12:09
  back.
• 12:10
  Red
• 12:10
  Granger
• 12:10
  is
• 12:10
  not
• 12:11
  betraying
• 12:11
  football.
• 12:12
  He
• 12:12
  was
• 12:12
  building
• 12:12
  a
• 12:13
  better
• 12:13
  version
• 12:13
  of
• 12:14
  what
• 12:14
  the
• 12:14
  world
• 12:14
  would
• 12:15
  come
• 12:15
  to
• 12:15
  love.
• 12:16
  The
• 12:16
  galloping
• 12:17
  ghost
• 12:17
  ran
• 12:17
  straight
• 12:17
  into
• 12:18
  the
• 12:18
  unknown.
• 12:18
  And
• 12:18
  when
• 12:19
  he
• 12:19
  arrived,
• 12:19
  the
• 12:20
  rest
• 12:20
  of
• 12:20
  us
• 12:20
  were
• 12:20
  already
• 12:21
  there,
• 12:21
  waiting
• 12:22
  for
• 12:22
  the
• 12:22
  kickoff,
• 12:23
  for
• 12:23
  the
• 12:23
  next
• 12:24
  cutback,
• 12:24
  for
• 12:25
  a
• 12:25
  game
• 12:25
  that
• 12:25
  finally
• 12:26
  looked
• 12:26
  like
• 12:26
  the
• 12:26
  future.
• 12:28
  Next
• 12:28
  time
• 12:28
  on
• 12:28
  the
• 12:28
  Gridiron
• 12:29
  timeline,
• 12:29
  we
• 12:29
  travel
• 12:30
  to
• 12:30
  the
• 12:30
  year
• 12:30
  1936,
• 12:31
  the
• 12:32
  year
• 12:32
  the
• 12:32
  NFL
• 12:32
  held
• 12:32
  its
• 12:33
  first
• 12:33
  NFL
• 12:33
  draft.
• 12:34
  A
• 12:34
  room
• 12:34
  full
• 12:34
  of
• 12:35
  owners,
• 12:35
  a
• 12:35
  chalkboard
• 12:36
  and
• 12:36
  a
• 12:36
  strangest
• 12:37
  selection
• 12:37
  process
• 12:38
  ever
• 12:39
  devised.
• 12:39
  Jay
• 12:40
  Burwanger,
• 12:40
  the
• 12:41
  first
• 12:41
  pick
• 12:41
  in
• 12:41
  NFL
• 12:41
  history,
• 12:42
  Heisman
• 12:42
  Trophy
• 12:43
  winner
• 12:43
  that
• 12:43
  year,
• 12:43
  never
• 12:44
  played
• 12:44
  a
• 12:44
  single
• 12:44
  down
• 12:45
  in
• 12:45
  a
• 12:45
  league,
• 12:45
  and
• 12:45
  a
• 12:46
  franchise
• 12:46
  named
• 12:46
  after
• 12:47
  a
• 12:47
  shipbuilding
• 12:48
  company,
• 12:48
  was
• 12:48
  born.