Harold "Red" Grange (1903-1991) rose to national fame as a halfback for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. As a result of his speed and his ability to evade opponents, he became known as "The Galloping Ghost." On Oct. 18, 1924, in a game against the University of Michigan Wolverines -- who were undefeated during the two previous seasons -- Grange scored four touchdowns in the first 12 minutes of play and ran an incredible 402 yards of offense to a 39 to 14 victory. Grange was a three-time All-America, earning that distinction in 1923, 1924 and 1925.

Grange's professional career began on Thanksgiving Day in 1925 when he first played for the Chicago Bears. His transition from college football brought both publicity and credibility to a then-struggling National Football League (NFL). During the 1926 season, Grange briefly played in the rival American Football League. After an injury in 1927 that kept him off the field through 1928, he returned to the Bears from 1929 to 1934. As a result of his football fame, Grange was a celebrity, starring in two films in the late 1920s:  One Minute to Play and A Racing Romeo. Grange appeared as himself in a 1931 film serial appropriately titled The Galloping Ghost.