A century ago, three-time All-American Harold Edward “Red” Grange abruptly left the University of Illinois to don the navy and orange of the Chicago Bears. In October, a jersey from the “Galloping Ghost’s” Hall of Fame NFL tenure will be open for bids. It’s believed to be the only jersey from Grange’s nine-season career ever offered at public auction.
The cream-colored road jersey worn by Grange circa 1933-34 — with navy and orange stripes on the sleeves and “77” in felt letters on the front and back — will be auctioned by Christie’s on Oct. 22 as part of “American greats: Vintage sports and Hollywood from the Dr. G.B. Espy collection.”
The cream-colored road jersey worn by Harold “Red” Grange circa 1933-34 with navy and orange stripes on the sleeves and “77” in felt letters on the front and back will be auctioned by Christie’s on Oct. 22, 2025, as part of “American greats: Vintage sports and Hollywood from the Dr. G.B. Espy collection.” (CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2025)
One unique feature of Grange’s jersey is its modification — a crotch strap that was originally part of the garment was removed when it was issued to the Pennsylvania native. Several small holes and stains could be due to its use in games during the later years of his career.
The jersey’s authenticity has been verified by MEARS and assigned a grade of A8 — two points from perfection — for wear and tear consistent with other examples from the time period.
It’s estimated to sell for up to $300,000 — or roughly what Grange was paid in today’s dollars to play in his first Bears game on Thanksgiving Day 1925, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s a bigger chunk of change than the quarter per touchdown Grange’s father — who was chief of police in Wheaton — offered him each time he scored a touchdown at Wheaton High School.
By Grange’s own admission to the Tribune, he made about $100,000 in cash (about $1.8 million in today’s dollars) after leaving Illinois, where he once scored five touchdowns in a 39-14 victory against Michigan. Yet in a 1929 interview with the Tribune, Grange cautioned that a big payday marks athletes as prey.
“The public giveth, but the public also taketh away, and a man who suddenly makes a fortune in the sport business must write off thousands of dollars for expenses which never occur to a man growing rich in hides and tallow, furniture and carpets or drugs and sundries,” he said.
Grange sustained a knee injury in 1927 that greatly affected his speed. He sat out the next season and joined the vaudeville circuit but returned to George Halas’ team in 1929. He turned down an offer from Halas to become the team’s head coach after his last game in January 1935.
Grange owned a night club on Sheridan Road, became a sales manager of a bottling company, sold insurance and was a radio and TV sportscaster before he retired to Florida. He died in 1991 at age 87.
Chicago Bears players on Aug. 23, 1934: Johnny Sisk, from top left, Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange and Carl Brumbaugh; George Musso, from bottom left, Joe Zeller, Ookie Miller and Zuck Carlson. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)
There is no documentation as to how Grange’s jersey became part of the collection of Goodman Basil “G.B.” Espy III, an Atlanta obstetrician-gynecologist and humanitarian who collected sports, Hollywood and radio memorabilia. He died in November 2024 at age 89. The Tulane University alumnus’ life was chronicled by author Rick Hill in “The Apostle.”
A check of the Tribune’s archives shows Grange wearing a similar jersey in a team photo from 1933 — the same year the Bears beat the New York Giants 23-21 at Wrigley Field in the first NFL championship game.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/24/red-grange-chicago-bears-jersey-auction/
