Charles Frederick “Chuck” DeShane is a 1937 Creston High School graduate who played football at Alabama and in the NFL.
He was born December 10, 1918 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, but he grew up in Grand Rapids and earned All-City honors in his junior and senior football seasons at Creston High.
DeShane was the starting quarterback at the University of Alabama in 1939 and 1940 and earned All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior.
After graduating from Alabama, DeShane returned to Grand Rapids and was Creston’s head football coach from 1942-1944 until leaving that position to embark on a career with the Detroit Lions.
He signed with the Lions in 1945 and played four seasons, the first two as quarterback and linebacker before coach Gus Dorais installed the T-formation offense. For his final two seasons, DeShane shifted to guard. In 1949, DeShane was named to the New York Daily News All-NFL Second Team.
During the off-seasons and after his NFL career, DeShane was a railroad conductor and a security broker with Paine Webber. He passed away in Grand Rapids on November 5, 2006 at age 87.