Lewis R FreemanLewis Ransome Freeman was an American adventurer, writer, and war correspondent who produced more than twenty volumes about his adventures, as well as numerous articles. Freeman was born in Genoa Junction, Wisconsin, the son of Otto Freeman and Maria(Clary) Freeman, and grew up in Pasadena, California. He graduated from Stanford University in 1898, after earning letters in football, baseball, tennis, and track. In 1897, while still a Stanford student, he coached the football team at the University of Southern California. E. C. LaRue invited Freeman to participate in the 1923 United States Geological Survey (USGS) of the Colorado River at Grand Canyon. He had operated a boat during the USGS's 1922 survey of Glen Canyon. Freeman's extravagant articles about the 1922 trip contributed to his invitation to participate in the 1923 tour. Freeman's nickname on the Grand Canyon trip was "The Gorilla." While portaging their boats at Lava Falls, the group witnessed a breathtaking up and down spike in river flow. By September 17, 1923, the Colorado River was flowing at a modest 9,380 cubic feet per second. Read More Read Less