The First Star: Red Grange

The First Star: Red Grange

1.What experiences from Red Grange's Childhood do you think were most influential in shaping his trademark reserved and quiet demeanor that he became known for? Explain why.

I believe that the biggest influence in shaping his trademark reserved and quiet demeanors were his parents. Red Grange's mother died after a procedure on her teeth caused a hemorrhage and she wasn't taken to the hospital in time and she passed away. Growing up without a mother was very hard on Grange. He was already a quiet child but after his mother passed, he became even more introverted. Furthermore, his father, Lyle, was a quiet and reserved man himself. He was known as a man of few words and those traits passed to Red. Lyle tried to compensate for the passing of their mother, but he taught them to "work hard. Don't show off. Talk with your actions, not your lips. Never back down if you are wronged, even if you lose the fight. Always do the right thing, even if it's the hard thing." Red lived his life based on these premises that his father taught him.

3. What adversities did Grange face when he first moved to Champaign and what steps did he take to overcome them?

Some adversities that Grange faced when he first arrived to Champaign were overcoming his lack of confidence. He believed that he didn't have the size to play on the collegiate level. He originally didn't even want to try out for the freshman team, but his older fraternity brothers' heard about Grange's talent and forced him to try out. The first day he showed up to tryouts, he noticed how big the players were that he actually left. But his fraternity brothers forced him to go back the next day, where he found out that he was so much faster and agile than anyone else. This was the first time that Grange realized that he could compete on the collegiate level. Also, he had to overcome the fact that he was going to leave his life behind him and start a new one all by himself. He had to leave his father, who was the only man that Grange ever tried to make proud. He also had to leave his brother behind who was also his best friend. Grange always took care of his brother and now he would have to get used to him not being around anymore.

4. What were some of the biggest draws of the Michigan versus Illinois game and how did it affect college football?

Some of the biggest draws of the Michigan versus Illinois game were that the two teams were undefeated in the year before and that they never played each other; they tied for the Big Ten Championship. Illinois finished at number one in the country and Michigan was the number two. Also, Michigan hadn't been defeated in twenty games and the