Zane Grey (1872–1939) was born in Zanesville, Ohio, a city named for a Revolutionary War hero who was his ancestor. After attending the University of Pennsylvania on a baseball scholarship, he started a dentistry practice in New York City and wrote in the evenings. An avid outdoorsman, Grey found his inspiration in the American West, and his bestselling novels, including the iconic Riders of the Purple Sage, established the conventions and the enduring popularity of the Western genre.