Paying Tribute to the Past

On an unseasonably warm November day in Superior, Wisc., 12-year-old Harry “Bud” Grant and his grade school buddies decided to go duck hunting on Yellow Lake. 

They loved the outdoors, and having been raised in mostly cold weather, the chance to feel warm this late in the fall was a pleasant surprise. What these three young hunters didn’t expect was that severe weather was heading their way. 

In a matter of moments, temperatures dropped from 65 degrees to below freezing with snow and gale force winds. 

The unexpected turn forced them to seek shelter. Two found a nearby farmer’s home, while Grant — walking along the railroad tracks in the white out blizzard conditions — found another place. 

His decision to brave the storm, handle the harsh weather and follow the railroad grade saved his life. The storm, famously called the Armistice Day Blizzard, lasted two days and resulted in 154 deaths, 85 of whom were duck hunters. The storm lowered 27 inches of snow in the Midwest. 

Grant then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. While training, Grant was recruited to play football for legendary Hall-of-Fame Browns and Bengals coach Paul Brown. 

Once discharged, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota, playing three sports and becoming a nine-time letter winner. From college to playing professionally, Grant competed in the NFL and the CFL before becoming the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers without any coaching experience. 

Grant would go on to win four Grey Cup Championships (the highest honor in Canadian Football) as head coach, leading the Minnesota Vikings to hire him as their new head coach in March of 1967. 

During his 17-year career as the head man for the Vikings, Grant took his team to four Super Bowls (though he never won one) and accumulated 158 wins over that span, eventually earning a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame. 

During his time in Minnesota, Grant has seen the ownership change hands several times. He always remained part of the organization as an executive and an ambassador for the team. He never mettled in the decision-making process or pretended he was still the head coach. He was giving of his time, experience and love for the Vikings. 

When the Vikings, under their new Wilf family ownership, built a state-of-the-art facility for the staff and players, they included an office for Grant, who passed away in 2023 at the tender age of 93. 

It wasn’t for him to work from, rather to honor his contributions to their team. Though Grant is no longer with us, the Vikings have not touched his office, keeping it as it was the last time he was in the building. 

One of the cornerstones of a great culture is a linage from the past to the present. Great cultures create a sense of belonging, making the new understand the old. 

None of the younger players on the Vikings or their coaching staff have any idea who Grant really was or how he coached. All they knew was he was part of the Viking history; they knew his name and that he never wore a jacket outdoors in the chilling weather. 

Grant was associated more for his toughness and unwillingness to give in to weather than his brilliant coaching career. The Wilf Family wanted to show respect to Grant, not take ownership of the past, and spread the credit to those who helped build a great family-like tradition. 

Grant’s life was a testament to his hard work, his toughness and his dedication to his craft, which are what the Wilf family believes is important to their culture. By giving Grant an office, the Vikings created a sense of belonging and advanced their culture. 

When an organization honors its past members, it strokes the fire of the present members. 

People feel their work will be remembered and honored. 

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