A Look at the Chicago Bears Bobblehead Giveaway
Red Grange
The Red Grange bobblehead was given out during the Bears’ first preseason game.
Grange was one of the most famous players in Bears’ history. He was the NFL’s first real star and his name helped bring football to the forefront of people’s minds.
The University of Illinois product came to the Bears shortly after his collegiate career had ended. He was a very popular player and several teams tried to steal him away from the Bears but Chicago won out.
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Professional football was not very popular or well-liked back then and the combination of Grange and George Halas set out to do something about it.
What was called a “Barnstorming Tour” was put together to help put the NFL on the map. And it worked. People saw professional football, most of them for the first time, and they liked what they saw. In essence, this tour helped save professional football.
Grange and his agent made a play to gain interest in the Bears but were refused. So, Grange decided to try to start his own team, the New York Yankees but that failed. They tried their go at football again forming another league but the league closed.
Ironically, Grange suffered a knee injury against Chicago. He then returned to the Bears in 1929 and played until 1934. He coached the running backs for the Bears until 1937 having turned down the head coaching position at one point.
Grange went on to an acting career afterward. He passed away in January of 1991.