Throughout the first 50 years of NIU sports, Reino Nori was the best. Standing only 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing in at 155 pounds, Nori won 17 varsity letters in five sports (football, basketball, wrestling, baseball and track). The “Flyin’ Finn” is a member of the NIU All-Century Team and played professional football with the Detroit Lions, Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago Bears.

He first joined the Lions as a free agent in 1936. Nori joined the Dodgers in 1937 and the Chicago Bears in 1938. He was a charter member of the NIU Hall of Fame.