FOOTBALL • 1923-25

As its first legitimate star, Red Grange is credited with establishing the popularity of professional football. A charter member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, Grange was a three-time consensus All-American from 1923-25 and considered by many still today to be the greatest collegiate football player of all time. The 1924 B1G Silver Football Award. Grange’s legendary No. 77 was retired after the completion of his final game at Illinois. He was named a member of the Walter Camp Foundation’s All-Century team in 1989. After his final game at Illinois, Grange signed with the Chicago Bears, owned by Illinois alumnus George Halas. During an age when professional football rarely saw crowds of more than a few thousand, Grange attracted 36,000 spectators for his pro debut on Thanksgiving Day at Wrigley Field; 10 days later 73,000 watched him play at New York’s Polo Grounds. 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 was named to The Sporting News All-Time Team, the Big Ten Diamond Anniversary Team, the Walter Camp All-Century Team and UI All-Century Team. In 2010, he was named the No. 1 Icon in Big Ten history by the Big Ten Network. Grange died in 1991 at the age of 87.