Detroit Lions: Truly Cursed Or Just Bad Luck?
Bobby Layne is considered one of the most beloved quarterbacks in Detroit Lions history.
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And if you believe he did indeed place a curse on the Lions when he was traded in 1958 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, some could say he is also the most hated.
The debate has gone back and forth regarding whether he actually placed a curse on the Lions.
Granted, he was none to happy when he found out he was traded.
It is rumored that he said the Lions wouldn’t win in 50 years.
What has been verified he did say was “I’d like to win a championship for the Steelers and for myself and shove it down Detroit’s throat!”
Since then, Detroit has not won a championship in over 50 years and in 10 playoff appearances, have recorded only one win.
Since everyone seems to have an opinion about the curse, I’ve put together this slide show starting with a bit of history on the Lions and some examples of what the curse may or may not have caused over the years.
The last slide is a bit of a surprise, just for your entertainment.
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Acknowledgment – Much of the research can be found on The Curse of Bobby Layne website.
The Detroit Lions began life in 1929 as the Porstmouth Spartans and were an instant hit beating the established Ironton Tanks twice.
Because of the success of the Spartans, the National Football League awarded them full membership in 1930.
The best known game the Spartans played was against the Green Bay Packers in 1932.
Called the Iron Man game because head coach Potsy Clark wanted to prove the Spartans were a better team than the Packers, he refused to make any substitutions against the defending champions and the Spartans won 19-0 using only 11 players for the entire game.
Another game of notoriety was an unscheduled NFL Championship game against the Chicago Bears, also in 1932.
Blizzard conditions forced the game indoors to Chicago Stadium which was capable of allowing only an 80-yard field.
Side-note—this game could be considered the first arena football game.
In 1933, despite having success on the field, the Spartans suffered from poor revenues and the Great Depression.
On the verge of folding, George Rogers, owner of the WJR radio station, purchased the team and renamed them the Detroit Lions in recognition of the city’s professional baseball team, the Detroit Lions.
The Lions won their first NFL Championship in 1935 with the great Earl “Dutch” Clark at the helm.
Many believe the Detroit Lions were the originators of the Thanksgiving Day tradition.
The Ironton Tanks played the first Thanksgiving Day game in 1922.
They continued playing every Thanksgiving until 1932, their final season.
Many of the Ironton players joined the Portsmouth Spartans who continued to play on Thanksgiving until sold to George Richards in 1934.
Richards asked the players about ways to increase ticket sales and they answered they always had good turnouts on Thanksgiving Day.
Richards scheduled the Lions to play Thanksgiving that year and the tradition was carried on.
