| Detroit (1920s NFL teams era) | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Founded | 1905 (Heralds/Tigers) 1925 (Panthers) 1928 (Wolverines) |
| Folded | 1921 (Heralds/Tigers) 1926 (Panthers) 1928 (Wolverines) |
| Stadium | Navin Field (Heralds, Tigers, Panthers) Dinan Field (Wolverines) |
| Headquartered | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Colors | Red, white (Heralds) Orange, black, white (Tigers) Blue, gold, white (Panthers) Blue, white (Wolverines) |
| Team history | |
Detroit Heralds (1905–1920) | |
| League / conference affiliations | |
| Ohio League (1911–1919) American Professional Football Association (1920–1921) National Football League (1925–1926, 1928) | |
Detroit had four early teams in theNational Football League before theDetroit Lions. TheHeralds played in 1920, and had played as an independent as far back as 1905. TheTigers, a continuation of the Heralds, played in 1921, folding midseason and sending their players to theBuffalo All-Americans. ThePanthers competed from 1925 to 1926 and theWolverines in 1928.
In 1905, severalUniversity of Detroit football players, led byBill Marshall, organized the Heralds as an amateur team afterthe university did not field a squad.[1][2] While the university's football team resumed play in 1906, the Heralds continued to play as an amateur team.[1][2] In 1911, the team dropped its amateur status and becamesemi-professional.[3][4] In 1916, several out-of-town players were brought in to replace some of the older players, several of whom had been with the Heralds since 1905.[3]
Despite not being based inOhio, the Heralds played many of their games against teams in theOhio League.[3] In 1917, the team recorded an 8–2 record, their only losses coming at the hands of the Ohio League championCanton Bulldogs anda military team fromBattle Creek.[3][5] The Heralds were a rarity in 1918; while most teams either stopped play or reduced their schedules to only local teams because ofWorld War I and theflu pandemic, the Heralds continued to play a full schedule and even travel to other cities, accruing a 6–2 record with both losses coming to the Ohio League championDayton Triangles.[3] In 1919, as the suspended teams resumed play and travel restrictions eased significantly, the Heralds went 1–4–2, including losses to theBulldogs and theMassillon Tigers.[6]
In 1920, the American Professional Football Association, predecessor to the National Football League, was established. While the Heralds did not officially join the association, they are listed in league standings for the season.[3][4] Overall, the Heralds went 2–3–3.[7]
The Heralds were reorganized into the Detroit Tigers, after the city'sMajor League Baseball team, for the1921 season.[1] However, after a tie and a win in their first two games, the Tigers lost the next five.[8] Several players complained about not getting paid and left the team during the season. As a result, the Tigers officially folded in mid-November. Its remaining players were given to theBuffalo All-Americans.[3]
In 1925, Detroit fielded its second NFL franchise, the Detroit Panthers. The team was organized by futureHall of Famer,Jimmy Conzelman.[9][10] Conzelman was aquarterback who had recently played with theDecatur Staleys,Rock Island Independents and theMilwaukee Badgers.[10] Conzelman served as the team's owner, coach, and starting quarterback.[9] The Panthers startedthe season 8–1. However, a 6–3 upset loss to theIndependents onThanksgiving Day knocked them out of first place and they ended the season in third with a 8–2–2 record.[11][12][13]
The Panthers hoped to build on their 1925 season, but they opened the1926 season with an 0–3 record. After rallying to a 4–0–2 record in their next six games, they lost their last three.[14] Conzelman gave up the franchise and joined theProvidence Steam Rollers asplayer-coach.[9][10]
.jpg)
Followingthe 1927 season, theCleveland Bulldogs were sold to a group of investors, who moved the team to Detroit.[9] Coached byLeRoy Andrews, the team was renamed the Detroit Wolverines. They were named after quarterbackBenny Friedman's alma mater, theMichigan Wolverines.[9] The Wolverines finished their1928 season in third place with a 7–2–1 record, losing only to theProvidence Steam Rollers and theFrankford Yellow Jackets, the NFL's first and second place teams.[15][16]
During the offseason,Tim Mara, the owner of theNew York Giants, was interested in acquiring Friedman. Rather than simply trade for Friedman, Mara bought the entire Wolverines franchise and promptly deactivated it, delivering Friedman and other star Wolverines players to New York.[3][9][17] The NFL would not return to the Motor City for six years, until thePortsmouth Spartans became the Detroit Lions in 1934.[18]
While the Lions are well known for playing on Thanksgiving Day, the other Detroit teams had a history of playing on Thanksgiving Day as well:
| Detroit Heralds / Tigers / Panthers / Wolverines Hall of Famers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | ||||
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| — | Jimmy Conzelman | HB/QB Coach | 1925–1926 | 1964[21] |
| — | Benny Friedman | QB | 1928 | 2005[22] |
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heralds | 1920 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9th | Bill Marshall |
| Tigers | 1921 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 16th | |
| Panthers | 1925 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3rd | Jimmy Conzelman |
| 1926 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12th | ||
| Wolverines | 1928 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | LeRoy Andrews |