abington ghost mascot

History with Mike: The story of Harold ‘Red’ Grange and the Abington Galloping Ghosts

July 5th, 2023 | By Ryan Genova

According to local historian Michael Leibrandt, Abington Senior High School adopted the Galloping Ghost mascot after Harold “Red” Grange visited the Township in 1931. Grange was allegedly a teammate of a former Abington coach. A member of the NFL Hall of Fame, Grange played for the Chicago Bears and the short-lived New York Yankees from 1925–1934. He was the first player to play professional and collegiate football at the same time and his signing with the Bears helped legitimize the NFL.

He was nicknamed the “Galloping Ghost” after the sports journalist Grantland Rice wrote a short poem about him:

A streak of fire, a breath of flame Eluding all who reach and clutch; A gray ghost thrown into the game That rival hands may never touch; A rubber bounding, blasting soul Whose destination is the goal — Red Grange of Illinois! Grantland Rice

According to Deadspin.com’s article titled “ Why Grantland Rice Sucked “, Rice “was a pandering mythmaker who wrote verse and prose the way Thomas Kinkade paints carriage lanes,” as well as a known racist whose father was a cotton dealer and whose grandfather was a Confederate veteran. Whether or why the high school adopted Rice’s politics is a matter of debate. Many consider the original logo and mascot to look like a Klansman; as such, the mascot has been a longtime source of controversy and inspired a 2018 petition written to Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher. An excerpt:

Unfortunately, the depiction of Abington’s mascot is insensitive to the multicultural communities of people who reside in the school district. The Galloping Ghost was a football player, the mascot is a Klansman. “No place for hate” is a proclamation Abington stands by.

Prior to Grange’s nickname becoming the school’s mascot in the 1930s, Abington was represented by “The Maroons”, which gave the school the colors it still wears today.

Before they were “The Maroons”, the school may have gone without a logo or mascot for a period of time. According to EasternPAFootball.com , “The Ghosts apparently began playing with some other mascot, or none, in 1912; and for the first six seasons played 7 or fewer games a season, as was the case for most schools with early historical starts. An 8-1 season in 1921 was the first major successful season.” Abington Senior High School’s mascot remains a Galloping Ghost to this day, though the rider on horseback has been modified, as seen in this ice hockey team logo:

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Information partially provided by Michael Leibrandt, local historian

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History with Mike: The story of Harold ‘Red’ Grange and the Abington Galloping Ghosts

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ESPNHS Football

The 13 scariest high school nicknames.

• Mark Tennis

Whether it’s Halloween or Friday the 13th, there are some schools that might have an edge just by their nickname. Here are 13 of the scariest school mascots and nicknames in the country. Originality was a key consideration so that’s why we have no Dragons, Red Devils or Blue Devils.

And so the scariest mascot names, in alphabetical order, are:

Abington Galloping Ghosts (Abington, Pa.)

We also found several Grey Ghosts in the land, but the Galloping Ghosts were named in honor of football legend Red Grange, nicknamed the “Galloping Ghost.”

Bad Axe Hatchets (Bad Axe, Mich.)

This could be the alma mater of Jason Voorhees, the fictional murderer in the Friday the 13th series of films. There may not be a better combination of a school name and the nickname anywhere in the nation.

Belfry Bats (Belfry, Mont.)

The Bats still exist as the nickname for this school, but since the school is so small it now competes as a co-op with Red Lodge (Red Lodge, Mont.).

Cathedral Phantoms (Los Angeles, Calif.)

There are a couple of other Phantoms out there, such as Phoebus (Hampton, Va.), but the one in California was actually built on an old cemetery that was relocated more than 100 years ago.

Gabbs Tarantulas (Gabbs, Nev.)

We could have put Spiders or Scorpions on this list, but a tarantula with its hairy body is definitely more gross.

Glynn Academy Terrors (Glynn, Ga.)

Yes, the football team even plays its games in a stadium known as Death Valley.

Hyde Leadership Howling Wolves (Hamden, Conn.)

There are many variations of wolves nicknames around the country, including Wolf Pack, Wolverines, etc., but Howling Wolves is much more unique. It would be fun to see how this school fares when the moon is full.

Pahoa Daggers (Pahoa, Hawaii)

This school is small and doesn’t play football, but does field teams in boys volleyball where “kills” are made by the Daggers.

Salem Witches (Salem, Mass.)

Brewer of Maine also is nicknamed Witches, but Salem is obviously more well-known for its Witches.

Sleepy Hollow Headless Horsemen (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.)

This school is always among the best in every high school nickname list we’ve ever done.

South Eugene Axemen (South Eugene, Ore.)

We would like to see the Axemen one day go against the LaPorte Slicers of LaPorte, Ind.

Warren County Screaming Devils (Warrenton, Ga.)

This is the same school that was unfortunately in the news earlier this month when coach David Daniel had to be hospitalized after he was hit in the side of his face by a helmet during a post-game brawl.

Yuma Criminals (Yuma, Ariz.)

The school got its copy-written nickname because from 1910 to 1913 classes were held in an old prison after the school’s first building burned down.

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unique high school mascots argument of judgment. abington galloping ghosts

• UNIQUE HIGH SCHOOL MASCOTS Argument of Judgment. ABINGTON GALLOPING GHOSTS

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school colors blue

Ambridge bridge company, speedy teams, alvas teams, city of anaheim, ambridge bridgers, apopka blue darters, ashland clockers.

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UNIQUE HIGH SCHOOL MASCOTS

Argument of Judgment

ABINGTON GALLOPING GHOSTS

Abington honors early football great Red Grange,

nicknamed the “Galloping Ghost,” who was a

teammate of a former coach at Abington. After a visit

by Grange to the area in the 1950’s, the high school

decided to name its teams after him.

WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

A Leatherneck is another name for a marine. WIU

is a top Law Enforcement program in the nation

along with a high population of ROTC members.

ALVA GOLDBUGS

This name was inspired by the school’s principal in

the 1920’s. He was a great admirer of Edgar Allan

Poe and especially liked Poe’s “The Gold Bug.” He

conceived the idea of awarding paper goldbugs to

outstanding and talented students. The name soon

applied to Alva’s teams.

ANACONDA COPPERHEADS

The old Anaconda Copper Company located in

town may be the source for this nickname.

AMBRIDGE BRIDGERS

The town is named for the Ambridge Bridge

Company, which was once located in Ambridge. The

mascot is a bridge worker.

ANAHEIM COLONISTS

The city of Anaheim was created by German

immigrants in 1857 as a wine-making colony.

APOPKA BLUE DARTERS

This is a term for a blue-winged, pigeon-sized bird

that is known for darting through wooded areas.

Chosen in 1932 because it matched the school colors

(blue and white) and its small size and aggressive

nature seemed appropriate for the school’s rather

small but speedy teams.

ASHLAND CLOCKERS

Commemorates Ashland resident Henry Warren’s

invention of the electric clock, which was

manufactured in the city.

Aeroelastic Galloping

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Abington School District to discuss mascot

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Breaking News

Verdict: dump truck driver convicted of murder in crash that killed pregnant lansdale woman and her unborn child.

ABINGTON — At a recent meeting of the Abington School baord broadcast on YouTube, Dr. Jeffrey Fecher gave a statement regarding concerns raised to him over the past several weeks about the Abington Senior High School Galloping Ghost mascot.

Dr. Fecher referenced the mascot’s history dating back to the early 1930s and the unacceptable depictions of the Ghost that emerged in the mid-20th century, but are no longer in use today. Dr. Fecher shared the steps that Abington School District has taken since that time to remove such imagery, as these representations are offensive and painful to the school community. He reaffirmed Abington School District’s commitment to fostering positive and safe learning environments for all students, and explained that the mascot would be a priority topic next school year for the newly established Superintendent’s Committee for Equitable Practices, led by District Equity Officer Dr. Kristopher Brown.

Honors presented

Dr. Toni Butz, Director of Teaching and Learning, and members of the Teaching and Learning Department, presented the 2020 Silver Pen and Math Achievement Awards. The Silver Pen Award, sponsored by the Abington Educational Foundation (AEF), recognizes sixth grade elementary students who have exhibited outstanding writing abilities. The annual mathematics awards highlight winners of various mathematics competitions from across Abington School District’s seven elementary schools, as well as, Abington Junior High School.

Budget approved

Dr. Fecher and Mr. Christopher Lionetti, Business Manager, presented three versions of the budget: one that conformed to the state’s 2.6% index, one that included no tax increase, and another that was a 1.3% increase. The board ultimately voted to adopt the budget for the 2020-2021 school year in the amount of $168,238,648 with no tax increase.

The board approved a Health and Safety Plan for Summer Sports and Activities. Angelo Berrios and Todd Vaccaro, Athletic Director, provided a presentation on the Health and Safety Plan for Summer Sports and Activities. In order to promote the safe and orderly operation of the district’s athletic program during the COVID-19 pandemic, the board approved the Abington School District Health and Safety Plan for Summer Sports and Activities, effective July 6, 2020.

The board awarded a contract to Trox for the purchase of 2,241 Chromebooks for implementation of a one-to-one initiative at the seven elementary schools in grades 4-6. As referenced in the district’s Digital Transformation Plan, this purchase will provide device mobility and accessibility for all students in grades 4-6, and is identified in the plan as the third phase of one-to-one device implementation that will extend from grades 4-12 with take-home devices and grades K-3 with classroom sets of devices. Purchase of the devices at this time was recommended in order to ensure sufficient device availability for students’ return to school in the fall and preparedness in the event of additional school closure next school year. The devices would be used for instruction in a brick-and-mortar classroom setting or home environment.

Contracts were also awarded to:

? Incident IQ LLC for a help desk and asset management system as part of the implementation of the one-to-one Chromebook initiative

? ClassLink for a single sign-on solution that will allow students to use one login to access all of their digital learning tools

? CDW Government LLC for wireless access point additions and replacements

The next board meeting will be7:30 p.m., August 11.

— Compiled by Allie Artur, submitted by Abington School District

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This Day In History › Birth of Red Grange

Birth of Red Grange

Howard Edward “Red” Grange was born on June 13, 1903, in Forksville, Pennsylvania.  Considered one of football’s greatest running backs and one of the best college football players of all time, he was a three-time all-American and two-time NFL champion.

Grange was a talented athlete from a young age.  During his four years in high school, he earned 16 varsity letters in football, basketball, and track.  Grange scored 75 touchdowns and 532 points for the football team alone.  He developed speed on the track and agility, coordination, and ball-handling skills on the basketball court.  Grange also delivered ice to help support his family, a job that earned him the nicknames “Ice Man” and “the Wheaton Ice Man” (he was living in Wheaton, Illinois at the time).

Grange went on to attend the University of Illinois, where he joined the track, basketball, and football teams.  In three seasons at the University of Illinois, Grange scored 31 touchdowns, rushed for 3,637 yards, and was named all-American three times.  He became known as the Galloping Ghost in 1924 when he scored five touchdowns against Michigan, four in the first 12 minutes of play.  Damon Runyan wrote that Grange was “three or four men, and a horse rolled into one for football purposes.  He is Jack Dempsey, Babe Ruth, Al Jolson, Paavo Nurmi and Man o’ War.”

During his college career, Grange played in 20 games, caught 14 passes for 253 yards, completed 40 of 82 passes for 575 yards, and scored at least one touchdown in almost every game.  He was also featured on the cover of Time magazine in October 1925.  He was the first recipient of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award, and in 2008, ESPN named him the best college football player of all time.

In 1925, Grange joined the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL).  He was the last player to play on both college and NFL teams in the same season.  The Red Grange Rule was passed the following year to prevent future players from doing this.  In late 1925, Coach George Halas took the team on a grueling “barnstorming” tour.  This let thousands of new professional football fans see Grange in action and greatly stimulated public interest in the sport.  Some credited Grange with helping to save the NFL and professional football.

In 1926, Grange helped found the New York Yankees football team and the American Football League, both of which were short-lived.  When Grange suffered a knee injury in 1927, it affected his running game.  He missed the 1928 season but returned to the Bears in 1929.  Grange said, “I did develop into a pretty good defensive back, however.”  In 1932, with the Iceman’s touchdown, the Bears beat the Portsmouth Spartans for the NFL championship.  Grange retired from playing in 1934 and worked as backfield coach for the Bears until 1937.

At the height of his football career, Grange also explored acting.  He appeared in a 1926 silent film, One Minute to Play , the 1927 racing film, A Racing Romeo , and the 1931 12-part series The Galloping Ghost , in which he performed his own stunts.  After leaving football in 1937, Grange worked as a motivational speaker, sports announcer, and insurance broker.  He was also president of the National Girls Baseball League and served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.  He developed Parkinson’s and died on January 28, 1991.

Grange is considered one of football’s greatest running backs.  Grange is often included on “top players” lists and in 1969 was the only unanimous choice of the Football Association of America’s All-Time All-America team.  The University of Illinois has a 12-foot statue of Grange and Pennsylvania’s Abington High School named their mascot the Galloping Ghost after him.  In 1978, he was the first person other than a referee to flip the coin at the Super Bowl.

Discover what else happened on This Day in History .

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1 responses to "birth of red grange", 1 thought on “birth of red grange”.

Marvelous player and All-Around sportsman! I’m glad to see that the earlier players are not being forgotten for their achievements when more current players are being praised as if they were Gods…

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Table of Contents

Why is Abington a ghost?

Abington Senior High School’s mascot is a Ghost. The name comes from the late Harold “Red” Grange, a standout professional football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who visited the school in 1931, three years after he was petitioned to run for congress as a Republican and refused.

What is Kaukauna High School mascot?

Galloping Ghost The Kaukauna High School sports’ mascot, ”Galloping Ghost”, evolved from an interesting history of athletic events and competitors beginning with the legendary Harold ”Red” Grange.

What time does Abington high school start?

Abington High School 7:25 AM – 1:57 PM.

What famous person went to Abington High School?

Robert Lane Saget (May 17, 1956 – January 9, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, television host, and director. His television roles include Danny Tanner on the ABC sitcom Full House (1987–95) and its Netflix sequel Fuller House, and hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos from 1989 to 1997.

Is Abington High School Good?

Abington High School is ranked #1,247 in the National Rankings. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college. Read more about how we rank the Best High Schools.

Why is Kaukauna called ghost town?

The first origin claims a local sportswriter referred to the Kaukauna football team as “ghosts” in an article. The writer had predicted a Kaukauna win over the Appleton Terrors based on the fact that Kaukauna was lighter and would trample Appleton with speed.

Who is The Galloping Ghost?

In sport’s Golden Age, he was football’s golden boy. Red Grange was the name, though he was commonly known as The Galloping Ghost. While it’s a shame they don’t make nicknames like that any more, it’s even more disappointing they don’t make many players like the three-time All-American halfback.

What grades are in Abington Middle School?

OVERVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. Abington Junior High School provides educational services to all of the students in the district assigned to grades seven, eight, and nine.

Is Abington PA a good school district?

Abington has been ranked the 49th best school district in Pennsylvania for 2020.

How much did Abington High School cost?

The project had a cost of $96.4 million, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay up to nearly $50.2 million.

What is Kaukauna famous for?

The city now known as Kaukauna was known as “The Lion on the Fox” during the 1880s. The city was officially incorporated in 1885. Charles A. Grignon was given Wisconsin’s first land deed and then built a mansion on the northern side of Kaukauna, which now operates as a museum of the Outagamie County Historical Society.

Who owns Galloping Ghost?

Doc Mack Galloping Ghost Arcade

Where is the largest arcade in the US?

Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, USA, is home to the largest games arcade in the world – Funspot. As of 12 January 2016, it had 581 classic and new games over three floors, and was founded in 1952 by Bob Lawton.

Does Abington have school choice?

The School Committee this week voted to opt out of the state’s School Choice program, which allows students to attend school in a different community, according to Superintendent Peter Schafer.

What does the word Kaukauna mean?

place of pike Kaukauna is a Native American word and in various languages means “portage”, “long portage”, “place where pickerel are caught”, and “place of pike”.

Why is Kaukauna called Electric?

Kaukauna become known as the “Electric City” because of its ability to harness the waters of the Fox River to produce electricity.

Where is the largest arcade in the world?

Funspot was officially named the “Largest Arcade in the World” by Guinness World Records at the 10th Annual International Classic Video Game and Pinball Tournament, held from May 29 through June 1, 2008….Funspot Family Fun Center.

Where is the oldest arcade in the world?

Funspot Family Fun Center

Is the Galloping Ghost open?

Welcome to Galloping Ghost Arcade Unlike most arcades, we do not use quarters or tokens. All of our games are set to FREE PLAY! We charge a $20 door fee and then you can come in and play ALL the games for as long as you want! We are open until 2AM daily (EVERYDAY including all holidays)!

Are Abington MA schools good?

Abington High School is ranked #5,559 in the National Rankings. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college. Read more about how we rank the Best High Schools.

Why is the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot a bobcat? Here's what to know about D. Baxter

D. Baxter the Bobcat is the furry but fiery Arizona Diamondbacks' mascot that fans rooting for the team’s National League Championship Series pursuit are sure to have seen around Chase Field.

Almost as old as the team itself, Baxter pays tribute to the Diamondbacks' 25 years in the Valley with his unique origin.

Why is the Diamondbacks mascot a bobcat and not a snake?

From the team’s inception in 1998 until 2005, the Diamondbacks' stadium was known as Bank One Ballpark, commonly referred to by its nickname “The BOB.”

Baxter got his name in the summer of 2000 when the son of former second baseman Jay Bell told his dad that the team should have a “BOB” cat mascot.

How did D. Baxter the Bobcat get his name?

The name D. Baxter, like “BOB” cat, is a play on words to represent the DBacks' nickname.

After Bank One merged with New York-based JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2005, Chase assumed the naming rights, and the stadium's name was changed to Chase Field. Even through the name change, Baxter remained a constant throughout the team’s home games.

Bobcats are native throughout Arizona, especially in the central and southern parts of the state.

Where can fans meet D. Baxter the Bobcat?

When he’s not making his way around Chase Field to get crowds hyped for the game, Baxter can be found during every home game's fourth inning at his “Den,” located in the Sandlot on the stadium’s upper concourse, where he signs autographs and takes photos with fans.

Baxter also acts as the team’s official ambassador for the Diamondbacks organization, making appearances at schools and community events throughout the Valley.

Why is the Diamondbacks mascot not a snake?

The team's mascot may have been chosen by a child, but the team's name itself came from the public.

Jerry Colangelo, the former majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, and an investor group held a  statewide name-the-team contest  in 1995 before they were awarded a Major League Baseball franchise for the state.

The group took out a full-page ad in the sports section of The Arizona Republic on Feb. 13. The person who submitted the winning entry would win a pair of lifetime tickets, according to  Venom Strikes .

The Diamondbacks' first two years were spent without a formal mascot, with behind-the-scenes difficulty about how to make a snake with legs work for a mascot costume, according to MLB.com .

The Diamondbacks relied heavily on their "D" and snakehead logo during this time before the idea for Baxter came in 2000, but the snake remains a popular secondary mascot on most of the team's logos.

What's the history of the Diamondbacks' name?

"We have the plans, we have the fans — every base has been covered. Except for one: We need a name. That's where we need your help. Name Arizona's baseball team. Season tickets," reads  The Republic article .

After thousands of submissions, the team name was selected — the "Diamondbacks."

Other finalists included the names Phoenix, Scorpions, Rattlers and Coyotes. 

The name also works as a reference to a baseball diamond.

What is a diamondback?

A Western diamondback is a rattlesnake native to the region. It is known for injecting a large amount of venom when it strikes, as well as for the prominent diamond pattern on its back. 

What to know about the Diamondbacks logo

The DBacks' primary logo is an italicized block letter A with a snake pattern on the side. If you look closely, you’ll see the inside of the A is the shape of a snake’s head with a snake’s tongue.