Portsmouth Spartans
The Portsmouth Spartans began play in 1928 as a collection of players from defunct independent professional and semi-professional teams. These athletes had no permanent home before the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, stepped in to organize them. The team operated without a league affiliation during its first two years of existence. Local residents agreed to fund a new stadium comparable to those found along the Ohio River just one year after formation. This community effort signaled serious intent to join the major leagues. The National Football League granted the city a franchise on the 12th of July 1930. That approval marked the official transition from an independent outfit to a member of the fledgling NFL. The Spartans played their first scheduled game at Universal Stadium on September 14. With fewer than 43,000 residents living there in 1930, Portsmouth became the second smallest city in the league. Only Green Bay had a smaller population at under 38,000 people. During that inaugural season, the Spartans compiled a record of five wins, six losses, and three ties. They finished tied for seventh place among eleven total teams.
Portsmouth residents voted to build a football stadium that matched facilities in neighboring communities along the Ohio River. This decision came shortly after the team formed in 1928. The structure was named Universal Stadium and served as the home field for the franchise throughout its time in Ohio. Today, the site is known as Spartan Municipal Stadium. The construction represented a significant financial commitment from the local community. It provided a dedicated venue for games before the team joined the NFL. The facility hosted the Spartans' first professional match on the 14th of September 1930. Without this building, the team might not have secured the necessary infrastructure to compete at a higher level. The stadium stood as a symbol of civic pride during a period when small towns rarely supported professional sports. Its existence allowed the Spartans to operate with a sense of permanence despite their independent origins. The venue remained central to the team's identity until they departed for Detroit in 1934.
At the end of the 1931 season, the Green Bay Packers refused to play a game scheduled since before the season began. The Packers held the best record in the league at twelve wins and two losses. The Spartans finished with eleven wins and three losses, placing them second overall. Lee Joannes, president of the Packers, stated there was no logical reason to face the Spartans. This refusal created a crisis that forced changes across the entire league. The dispute led to a new regime where scheduling occurred by a three-person committee designated by the NFL itself. Ratification by three-fourths of all teams became required before any season could proceed. Ad hoc scheduling by individual teams ended following this incident. The conflict eventually resulted in NFL teams playing only other NFL teams. This structural shift prevented future refusals from disrupting the competitive balance of the league. It established a centralized authority over match arrangements rather than leaving decisions to individual club presidents.
An early highlight of the 1932 season featured an iron man game against the Green Bay Packers. Spartans coach Potsy Clark refused to make even a single substitution during the contest. He used only eleven players for the entire duration of the match. Portsmouth won the game nineteen points to zero against the defending NFL champion. This performance demonstrated exceptional endurance and tactical discipline under pressure. At the end of the season, the Spartans tied for first place in the league with the Chicago Bears. Their record stood at six wins, two losses, and four ties. That tie prompted what would later be known as the first NFL playoff game. Blizzard conditions in Chicago forced the move from Wrigley Field's outdoor field to the indoor arena at Chicago Stadium. The stadium allowed for only an eighty-yard field due to space constraints. The Bears ultimately won the game nine points to zero. A touchdown pass from Bronko Nagurski to Red Grange proved to be the key play. The resulting interest led to the establishment of Eastern and Western Divisions starting in 1933.
Blizzard conditions in Chicago meant the championship game moved from Wrigley Field to the indoor field at Chicago Stadium. The venue allowed for only an eighty-yard playing surface due to its confined dimensions. The Bears defeated the Spartans nine points to zero in that historic matchup. A touchdown pass from Bronko Nagurski to Red Grange became the defining moment of the contest. This event marked the inaugural playoff game in National Football League history. The outcome determined the champion between the two teams tied atop the standings. Prior to the 1972 season, ties did not count in the standings. Therefore, the Bears finished with six wins, one loss, and six ties while the Spartans had six wins, one loss, and four ties. Both teams were considered tied ahead of the Packers who held ten wins, three losses, and one tie. The playoff format established a precedent for future postseason competition. It created a mechanism to decide champions when regular season records ended in a deadlock. The success of this experiment led to the formation of divisions beginning in 1933.
Despite their success on the gridiron, the Spartans fought to survive off the field during their final years. The team accumulated severe debt that threatened its continued existence. Players received shares in the company instead of receiving salaries due to the financial crisis. In 1934, a group led by George A. Richards announced they had purchased the franchise. Richards owned Detroit radio station WJR at the time. He moved the team to Detroit for the 1934 season. Richards renamed the squad the Detroit Lions to honor the local baseball team. His goal was to build a team that would become the king of the NFL. The relocation marked the end of the Portsmouth era which lasted from 1928 until 1934. The new ownership structure resolved the debts that had plagued the original organization. The franchise continues today as part of the modern National Football League.
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Common questions
When did the Portsmouth Spartans begin play?
The Portsmouth Spartans began play in 1928 as a collection of players from defunct independent professional and semi-professional teams. These athletes had no permanent home before the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, stepped in to organize them.
What stadium did the Portsmouth Spartans use for their games?
Portsmouth residents voted to build Universal Stadium which served as the home field for the franchise throughout its time in Ohio. The facility hosted the Spartans' first professional match on the 14th of September 1930 and is now known as Spartan Municipal Stadium.
Why did the Green Bay Packers refuse to play the Portsmouth Spartans in 1931?
Lee Joannes president of the Packers stated there was no logical reason to face the Spartans despite the team finishing with eleven wins and three losses. This refusal created a crisis that forced changes across the entire league including new scheduling rules designated by the NFL itself.
How many substitutions did Potsy Clark make during the 1932 iron man game against the Green Bay Packers?
Spartans coach Potsy Clark refused to make even a single substitution during the contest and used only eleven players for the entire duration of the match. Portsmouth won the game nineteen points to zero against the defending NFL champion.
When did the Portsmouth Spartans relocate to Detroit and become the Lions?
In 1934 a group led by George A. Richards announced they had purchased the franchise and moved the team to Detroit for the 1934 season. Richards renamed the squad the Detroit Lions to honor the local baseball team and his goal was to build a team that would become the king of the NFL.