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DETROIT’S THANKSGIVING DAY TRADITION It was, legend says, a typically colorful, probably chilly, November day in 1622 that Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated the new world's bounty with a sumptuous feast. They sat together at Plymouth Plantation (they spelled it Plimouth) in Massachusetts, gave thanks for the goodness set before them, then dined on pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, maize, cranberry sauce, turkey and who knows what else. Actually, fish was just as predominant a staple. And history books say pumpkin pie really debuted a year later. But regardless of the accuracy of the details, that's how Thanksgiving Day is seen by Americans -- except Detroiters. They may have most of the same images as everyone else, but with a new twist that began in 1934. That's when Detroiters and their outstate Michigan compatriots found themselves at the dawn of an unplanned behavior modification, courtesy of George A. "Dick" Richards, owner of the city's new entry in the National Football League: The Detroit Lions. Larry Paladino, Lions Pride, 1993 Four generations of Detroiters have been a proud part of the American celebration of Thanksgiving. The relationship between Detroit and Thanksgiving dates back to 1934 when owner G.A. Richards scheduled a holiday contest between his first-year Lions and the Chicago Bears. Some 75 years later, fans throughout the State of Michigan have transformed an annual holiday event into the single greatest tradition in the history of American professional team sports. Indeed, if football is America’s passion, Thanksgiving football is Detroit’s passion. DETROIT AND THANKSGIVING DAY No other team in professional sports can claim to be as much a part of an American holiday as can the Detroit Lions with Thanksgiving. When you think of Thanksgiving, you think of football and the Lions. The Thanksgiving tradition is older than 24 current NFL franchises, and Detroit’s passionate affair with the annual Thanksgiving Day game is evidenced by its growing popularity. Year after year, Detroiters look forward to not only spending Thanksgiving with their families, but they also enjoy sharing that time with the Lions. The most recent illustration of this love affair has been shown by the support of the thousands of Lions’ fans who have flocked to the gates on Thanksgiving Day. With a sell out in this year’s game, the Lions have extended their Thanksgiving Day sellout streak to 17 consecutive games (since 1994). November 25, 2010 will mark the 71st edition of Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day tradition, and the passion continues to burn brighter than ever before. The 2010 game will be the ninth played at Ford Field after playing the previous 27 at the Silverdome. THE ORIGIN OF THE LIONS’ THANKSGIVING DAY GAME The game was the brainchild of G.A. Richards, the first owner of the Detroit Lions. Richards had purchased the team in 1934 and moved the club from Portsmouth, Ohio to the Motor City. The Lions were the new kids in town and had taken a backseat to the baseball Tigers. Despite the fact the Lions had lost only one game prior to Thanksgiving in 1934, the season’s largest crowd had been just 15,000. The opponent that day in 1934 was the undefeated, defending World Champion Chicago Bears of George Halas. The game would determine the champion of the Western Division. Richards had convinced the NBC Radio Network to carry the game coast-to-coast (94 stations) and additionally, an estimated 26,000 fans jammed into the University of Detroit Stadium while thousands more disappointed fans were turned away. Despite two Ace Gutowsky touchdowns, the Bears won the inaugural game 19-16, but a classic was born. Since 1934, 70 games have been played with the Lions holding a 33-35-2 (.485) record in the series. And each game, in its own way, continues to bring back memories of Thanksgiving, not only to Lions fans, but to football fans across the nation. LIONS THANKSGIVING LOGO Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day logo commemorates the club’s holiday tradition, which dates back to 1934. “We believe our Thanksgiving Day game is the oldest and greatest tradition in the NFL,” said Lions Vice Chairman Bill Ford, Jr. “This is a tradition that was started by the fans in Detroit and belongs to the fans in Detroit. “The Thanksgiving Day game is a family-oriented event that has been enjoyed by Detroiters for many decades. This logo is intended to appeal to our youngest fans while reminding our older fans of the great tradition established generations ago.” The logo features a cartoon lion and turkey sharing a football on a platter. Accompanying the design is the inscription “Lions Football & Thanksgiving: A Detroit Tradition since 1934.” The Lion featured in the logo is based on animated characters utilized by the club in the 1930s and ‘40s. THANKSGIVING DAY THOUGHTS A compilation of comments on the Detroit Thanksgiving Tradition through the years: "This game belongs to the fans. It belongs to the fans who grew up in Detroit and no longer live there, but plan their Thanksgivings around the game. It's a 65-year-old tradition. Most of the teams weren't even in existence 65 years ago. It's a big, big tradition in our area, and I think it would be absolutely criminal to lose it." --Lions Vice Chairman William Clay Ford, Jr. in the late 1990s “The longer it has continued, the more intrinsic the tradition has become, and now you have four generations of people who have made the Thanksgiving tradition a part of their lives. I am really excited about the fact that moving back to the city of Detroit, we will have an opportunity to hook up with the other great Detroit Thanksgiving tradition, which is the Thanksgiving Day parade. We have the opportunity to make it really an incredibly special day for metro Detroiters.” --Lions Vice Chairman William Clay Ford, Jr. “We started it here in Detroit and it’s been a tradition ever since to play a game on Thanksgiving. I don’t understand why anybody would complain about it. There’s no particular advantage to play that game at home as any other game. It’s been a tradition that (the fans in Michigan) want to keep.” --Glen Presnell, who passed away in 2004, was the last surviving member from the original Thanksgiving Day classic. Presnell was a back for the Lions from 1934-36. “This is one thing that has been steady and a lot of people really look forward to it. It’s just part of the day to watch the Lions play and, hopefully, watch the Lions win. It wouldn’t be right (to take the game way from Detroit). It wouldn’t be right to change it. No, that’s not going to happen. Now, it is sort of a normal part of life playing on Thanksgiving. It’s like it is a normal part of the Thanksgiving tradition. It’s like that is what I am supposed to do.” --Barry Sanders, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004 and Lions’ all-time leading rusher. “Thanksgiving and the Lions are like coming home to me. I have many fond memories of going to Tiger Stadium to watch the Lions. I grew up during the championship years of the ‘50s and I can remember a cold, cold Thanksgiving in 1956 when my father and my brother, Dennis, watched Tobin Rote bring the Packers from behind to beat the Lions. My family was as fine group of Lions’ fans as you could find. The first time I ever broadcast a Lions game was when I was doing the Rams’ game on Thanksgiving in ’67. Yes, coming to Detroit on Thanksgiving is very special to me.” --Dick Enberg, A native of Armada, Mich., and a Central Michigan University graduate, Enberg called the play-by-play action during several Thanksgiving Day games for NBC. “It’s such a tradition here in metropolitan Detroit. I think (the Lions) earned it going all the way back to the era with Green Bay when the Packers were favored year after year, and the Lions were always there to give them a tough game. I think the people in Detroit earned the right to still play on Thanksgiving Day. This is the day of the Detroit Lions.” --Charlie Sanders, Lions Assistant Director of Pro Personnel and all-pro tight end from 1968-77. “It’s always been great because of the tradition of it. Unfortunately, (certain owners) have tried to dismantle the great tradition that Detroit always had by installing other teams to play the Thanksgiving classic. But thank God for Mr. Tagliabue who said the Lions, as well as the Cowboys, will continue that tradition of Thanksgiving Day play.” --Lem Barney, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992. Barney was a cornerback for the Lions from 1966-76. “I feel the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day series had a lot to do with the overall popularity growth of professional football through the years. It literally has been a way of life for people in Detroit.” --Russ Thomas, played tackle for the Lions from 1946 through 1949 and later served as a coach, scout, Executive Vice President and General Manager for the club. He passed away in 1991. “The Thanksgiving Day game is always special to the players. I know it’s one of 16 games on the schedule, but I can’t help but get a little more excited for that game.” --Doug English, defensive lineman for the Lions from 1975-79 and 1981-85.

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