2015 DETROIT LIONS MEDIA GUIDE
1QYXoLC
1QYXoLC
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
SIGNIFICANT DATES<br />
June 30, 1934 George A. Richards heads group<br />
that purchases Portsmouth<br />
(Ohio) Spartans for $7,952.08 and<br />
moves team to Detroit.<br />
Sept. 23, 1934 Lions play first NFL game,<br />
beat New York Giants 9-0 at<br />
University of Detroit Stadium<br />
before 12,000.<br />
Nov. 25, 1934 Lions suffer first defeat, 3-0<br />
to Green Bay, after winning 10<br />
straight games, including seven<br />
consecutive shutouts.<br />
Nov. 29, 1934 Lions play first of traditional<br />
Thanksgiving Day home games,<br />
losing to the Bears, 19-16, before<br />
26,000.<br />
Dec. 9, 1935<br />
<strong>DETROIT</strong> <strong>LIONS</strong><br />
Lions defeat New York Giants,<br />
26-7, for first Championship.<br />
Sept. 9, 1938 Detroit defeats Pittsburgh, 16-7,<br />
in the first game played at the<br />
Lions’ new home, Briggs (later<br />
renamed Tiger) Stadium.<br />
Nov. 24, 1940 Finishing the season with 514<br />
yards, Byron “Whizzer” White<br />
becomes the first Lion to claim<br />
the NFL rushing title.<br />
Feb. 10, 1943 Gus Dorais named head coach of<br />
Lions, after a successful tenure<br />
at the University of Detroit.<br />
Jan. 15, 1948 Syndicate headed by Edwin J.<br />
Anderson purchases Detroit<br />
franchise for $165,000 and names<br />
“Bo” McMillin general manager<br />
and head coach.<br />
Dec. 2, 1949<br />
Anderson elected president of<br />
Lions.<br />
Dec. 20, 1950 “Buddy” Parker succeeds<br />
McMillin as head coach.<br />
Dec. 21, 1952 Lions defeat Los Angeles<br />
Rams, 31-21, for NFL’s National<br />
Conference title.<br />
Dec. 28, 1952 Lions win first championship<br />
since 1935 with a 17-7 victory<br />
over the Browns in Cleveland<br />
before 50,934.<br />
Dec. 27, 1953 Detroit wins second straight<br />
championship with a 17-16<br />
decision over Cleveland in Detroit<br />
before 54,577.<br />
Aug. 12, 1957 Parker resigns suddenly as<br />
head coach and assistant coach<br />
George Wilson succeeds him the<br />
next day.<br />
Dec. 28, 1957 Detroit claims fourth<br />
championship on 59-14 victory<br />
over Cleveland before 55,263 in<br />
Detroit.<br />
Jan. 23, 1961 William Clay Ford elected<br />
president of Lions.<br />
Sept. 7, 1963 Former Lions’ great Earl “Dutch”<br />
Clark becomes a charter member<br />
of the new Professional Football<br />
Hall of Fame.<br />
Jan. 10, 1964 William Clay Ford takes over<br />
as Lions’ sole owner after<br />
purchasing franchise for $4.5<br />
million.<br />
Jan. 7, 1965<br />
Harry Gilmer appointed head<br />
coach, replacing George Wilson.<br />
Mar. 10, 1966 After 13 seasons, Joe Schmidt<br />
retires to become Lions’<br />
linebacker coach.<br />
Jan. 11, 1967 Schmidt named Lions’ head<br />
coach, succeeding Gilmer.<br />
Dec. 26, 1970 Lions edged by Dallas, 5-0, in<br />
first playoff game since 1957.<br />
Oct. 24, 1971 Wide receiver Chuck Hughes<br />
dies on field during game after<br />
suffering a heart attack.<br />
Dec. 17, 1972 Linebacker Wayne Walker plays<br />
in his Detroit-record 200th game<br />
with the Lions, a 34-17 win<br />
against the Los Angeles Rams.<br />
Jan. 12, 1973 Schmidt resigns as head coach.<br />
Jan. 26, 1973 Don McCafferty named Lions’<br />
head coach.<br />
July 28, 1973 Joe Schmidt, former Lions<br />
linebacker and head coach, is<br />
enshrined in the Pro Football Hall<br />
of Fame.<br />
July 28, 1974 McCafferty dies of heart attack.<br />
Aug. 3, 1974<br />
Rick Forzano named Lions’ head<br />
coach.<br />
Aug. 23, 1975 Lions play the first game in their<br />
new home, Pontiac Metropolitan<br />
Stadium (later renamed Pontiac<br />
Silverdome).<br />
Oct. 4, 1976 Forzano resigns as head coach.<br />
Oct. 5, 1976 Tommy Hudspeth named interim<br />
head coach.<br />
Feb. 9, 1977 Hudspeth named head coach.<br />
Jan. 11, 1978 Monte Clark named head<br />
coach and director of football<br />
operations.<br />
Apr. 29, 1980 Lions choose Oklahoma’s Billy<br />
Sims with the first overall pick in<br />
the NFL draft.<br />
Jan. 8, 1983<br />
Detroit qualifies for first playoff<br />
appearance in 12 seasons, but<br />
loses 31-7, at Washington. The<br />
Redskins went on to win Super<br />
Bowl XVII.<br />
Dec. 31, 1983 After claiming club’s first NFC<br />
Central title, a last-second field<br />
goal attempt fails as Detroit<br />
drops a 24-23 playoff game at<br />
San Francisco.<br />
Dec. 19, 1984 Monte Clark and his coaching<br />
staff are released.<br />
Feb. 6, 1985<br />
Darryl Rogers named head<br />
coach after a successful 20-year<br />
college coaching career.<br />
Nov. 13, 1988 Darryl Rogers released from his<br />
duties as head coach.<br />
Nov. 14, 1988 Defensive coordinator Wayne<br />
Fontes named interim head<br />
coach.<br />
Dec. 22, 1988 Fontes named head coach.<br />
Dec. 26, 1989 General Manager Russ Thomas<br />
retires.<br />
Dec. 27, 1989 Chuck Schmidt is named<br />
Executive Vice-President and<br />
Chief Operating Officer.<br />
Nov. 17, 1991 Guard Mike Utley suffers<br />
paralyzing neck injury in Detroit’s<br />
21-10 win over the Rams. His<br />
“Thumbs Up” sign as he was<br />
carried from the field inspires his<br />
HISTORY
Change language