Founded | 1928 |
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Relocated | 1934 to Detroit |
Based in | Portsmouth, Ohio |
League | National Football League (as of 1930 season) |
Team history | Portsmouth Spartans (1928–1933) Detroit Lions (1934–present) |
Team colors | Purple, gold, white |
Head coaches | Hal Griffen (1930) George "Potsy" Clark (1931–33) |
Owner(s) | Portsmouth National League Football Corporation Harry N. Snyder (largest shareholder) |
Home field(s) | Universal Stadium |
The Portsmouth Spartans were a professional American football team that played in Portsmouth, Ohio from their founding in 1928 to their relocation to Detroit in 1934. Originally drawing players from defunct independent professional and semi-professional teams, they joined the fledgling National Football League (NFL) in 1930. Their home stadium was Universal Stadium, known today as Spartan Municipal Stadium.
The team was sold to a new ownership group in 1934 and relocated to Detroit, where they were relaunched as the Detroit Lions — a team which remains part of the NFL today.