Grinnell College Athletics

Francis Dale “Hap” Moran ’26 was a prolific multi-sport athlete at Grinnell before becoming one of the most accomplished professional athletes to ever attend the College. At Grinnell, he starred in both basketball and football where he was known for his incredible speed and versatility. An All-Missouri Valley Conference selection in football, Moran excelled at just about everything from rushing to returning kicks to passing. It was noted that he, along with his favorite receiver and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Morgan Taylor ’26, helped lead the Pioneers to wins over Kansas and  Iowa State in their senior seasons. A run against Coe College got Moran mentioned in the Spalding NCAA Record Book of Famous Runs from 1873-1926. Moran was also All-Missouri Valley Conference in basketball. Additionally, he represented Grinnell in the 16-pound shot put at the Drake Relays, an event he won at the All-West Track Meet in 1921. After Grinnell, Moran signed with the Frankford Yellow Jackets of the National Football League where he immediately earned the starting halfback spot and was their second-leading scorer on their way to being crowned the 1926 NFL Champions. In 1929, Moran signed for the New York Giants where in 1930 he set the NFL record for longest run from scrimmage. It remained an NFL record for nine years and a franchise record for 75 years until it was broken by Tiki Barber in 2005. In 1931, he was the leading scorer for the Giants and selected to the All-Pro team. During his final season in 1933, he set another NFL record, this time for most receiving yards in a single game. Over the course of his career, Moran started at halfback, tailback, wingback, quarterback, defensive back, linebacker and kicker. After retiring as a player, he quickly moved to coaching where in 1936 he led the Paterson Panthers to the American Professional Football Association championship. Moran later left football to work for the U.S. Treasury in procurement until 1942, and was involved in several WPA projects. He then joined Western Electric Company until his retirement in 1966. He was also an active member in the Reformed Church of America and ordained as a Deacon and Elder of the church.