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ran ill k I i i J il LB L J BF> 1 1 B BB 1 it B SMART BOOKS FOR YOUMG FANS iL ■ •iff Ini BY MARK STEWART N ORWOOD H ouse # Press Chicago, Illinois Norwood House Press P.O. Box 316598 Chicago, Illinois 60631 For information regarding Norwood House Press, please visit our website at: www.norwoodhousepress.com or call 866-565-2900. All photos courtesy of Getty Images except the following: Icon SMI (4, 14, 32), National Chicle (6, 16, 28), Bowman Gum Co. (7, 21, 25, 38, 40), Black Book Partners (10, 14, 23, 31, 35 top right, 43 top), Topps, Inc. (1 1, 18, 30, 34, 35 top left, 37, 42 both, 45), TCMA Ltd. (15), Exhibit Supply Co. (20), Author’s Collection (33), Salada Foods (35 bottom), Detroit Lions/NFL (39), SCH Publications (41), Matt Richman (48). Cover Photo: Icon SMI The memorabilia and artifacts pictured in this book are presented for educational and informational purpos and come from the collection of the author. Editor: Mike Kennedy Designer: Ron Jaffe Project Management: Black Book Partners, LLC. Special thanks to Topps, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Stewart, Mark, 1960- The Detroit Lions / by Mark Stewart. p. cm. — (Team spirit) Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: “A revised Team Spirit Football edition featuring the Detroit Lions that chronicles the history and accomplishments of the team. Includes access to the Team Spirit website which provides additional information and photos”—Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-1-59953-522-7 (library edition : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-60357-464-8 (ebook) 1. Detroit Lions (Football team)—History—Juvenile literature. I. Title. GV956.D4S76 2012 96.332’640977434-dc23 2012018316 © 2013 by Norwood House Press. Team Spirit® is a registered trademark of Norwood House Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Detroit Lions is a registered trademark of The Detroit Lions, Inc. This publication is not affiliated with The Detroit Lions, Inc., The National Football League, or The National Football League Players Association. Manufactured in the United States of America in North Mankato, Minnesota. 205N—082012 COVER PHOTO: The Lions get into a huddle on offense to call a play. Table of Contents CHAPTER PAGE Meet the Lions.4 Glory nays.6 Home Turl.12 Oressed tor Success.14 We Won!.16 Go-To Guys.20 Calling the Shots.24 One Great nay.26 legend Has It.28 It Heally Happened.30 Team Spirit.32 Timeline...34 Fun Facts.36 Talking Football.38 Great nebates.40 For the Hecord.42 Pinpoints.44 Glossary.46 Overtime.47 Index.48 ABOUT OUR GLOSSARY In this book, there may be several words that you are reading for the first time. Some are sports words, some are new vocabulary words, and some are familiar words that are used in an unusual way. All of these words are defined on page 46. Throughout the book, sports words appear in bold type. Regular vocabulary words appear in bold italic type. Meet the Lions ere is an old saying in football that “defense wins championships.” Fans of the Detroit Lions know this to be true. Great defense is what makes them stand up and cheer their loudest. That says a lot, because the Lions have had some great runners, passers, and receivers over the years. The truth is that winning football games takes a full team effort. For more than 75 seasons, the Lions have been putting talented players on the field. When they work together as one, the results have been amazing. This book tells the story of the Lions. They are similar to the animal they’re named after. The Lions are a family, and they work as a team. Every year, their goal is to become the kings of the National Football League (NFL). If their opponents lose focus for just an instant, they had better look out—the Lions will make a meal of them! Quarterback Matthew Stafford has words of advice for his favorite target, Calvin Johnson. The Lions have had many great passers and receivers over the years. Glory Days I n the early days of professional football, many of the best teams weren’t part of the NFL. Instead, they were based in small cities where they were the “only game in town” for sports fans. The Portsmouth Spartans were just such a team. They played in southern Ohio, near the borders of Kentucky and West Virginia. The Spartans were very good—so good, in fact, that they were invited to join the NFL in 1930. The Spartans nearly won the league championship in 1931 and 1932. They were one of the NFL’s toughest teams. Coach Potsy Clark once decided he would use the same 11 players for all 60 minutes of a game against the Green Bay Packers. The Spartans won 19—0. The Packers had been the NFL champions the year before! Portsmouth had a running attack that was almost unstoppable. Linemen Ox Emerson and George Christensen opened up holes for