The First Thanksgiving Day Football Game in Detroit

Photo depicting a play during the November 29, 1934 Lions vs. Bears game.  Lions players include #14 George Christensen and #5 Ace Gutowsky.

 

In 1934, Detroit radio entrepreneur George A. Richards purchased the National Football League’s Portsmouth, Ohio Spartans for $7,952.08. Richards moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Lions. Disappointed with the first season’s attendance, which never exceeded 15,000, Richards hatched the idea of a Thanksgiving Day game.  To generate additional interest, Richards, who owned radio stations including Detroit's WJR, arranged for a national radio broadcast of the game.

Program from the November 26, 1936 Thanksgiving Day game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions.

 

In order to draw a crowd, the undefeated and defending World Champion Chicago Bears were scheduled as the opponent for the November 29, 1934 contest.

Black and white film negative depicting a football pileup in a Lions vs. Bears game, possibly the first Thanksgiving Day game.  (c. 1934)

 

Although the Lions entered the Thanksgiving game with a 10-1 record, having defeated teams including the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Chicago Cardinals, and the Boston Redskins, the Bears won 19 – 16.   The Bears went on to finish the season 13 - 0, an NFL record that held until 1972.

Panoramic composite of four photographs of University of Detroit stadium taken during the November 29, 1934 game.

 

George Washington "Tarzan" Christensen (December 13, 1909 - July 1, 1968) was the captain of the first Detroit Lions team in 1934.