The Detroit Lions were once known as the Portsmouth Spartans, playing for Portsmouth, Ohio. This team was founded in 1929 and kept their nickname until 1933. They formally became members of the NFL in 1930, in spite of the financial troubles that came as a result of the Great Depression. But with Portsmouth being a small city, the team had to relocate to Detroit in 1934, when they were renamed the Lions. It’s thought that the name came as a nod to the Tigers, the city’s baseball team. They have since won 4 NFL championships, 4 Conference Championships and 4 Division championships. They have also appeared 14 times in the playoffs.
The Lions play their home games in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit is commonly called Motor City, being the American center for automotive production. The nickname has also been used in the music industry and is actually the nickname for one of the most important musical influences of all time – Motown. Detroit is also a city that has some of the nation’s most important structures, many of which are included on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the St. Joseph, St. Mary and St. Anne de Detroit Catholic churches. It is also home to Eastern Market and the Fox Theatre and plays host to several events, including the Motor City Music Conference, the Concert of Colors, Woodward Dream Cruise and the Detroit International Jazz Festival.
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