With Detroit Lions fans enjoying another exciting season while dreaming of a Super Bowl victory, the has opened a timely, colorful exhibit highlighting the team鈥檚 early championship years at the museum鈥檚 new permanent exhibition space, The City of Champions Gallery.
In partnership with the Detroit Lions and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 鈥溾 explores the franchise鈥檚 roots, its first title in 1935, the team鈥檚 period of dominance in the 1950s where they won world championships in 鈥52, 鈥53 and 鈥57, and touches upon the Dan Campbell led Lions of today.
Ninety years ago, WJR radio owner G.A. Richards bought the NFL鈥檚 Portsmouth Spartans franchise and moved the newly named Detroit Lions to the Motor City where they would play at Dinan Field, the University of Detroit鈥檚 football stadium on West McNichols before moving to Briggs Stadium in 1938.
Led by triple-threat tailback Earl 鈥淒utch鈥 Clark, who quickly became the team鈥檚 first gridiron hero, in just their second season in 1935 the Lions captured their first world championship.
The impressive exhibit which runs until August of 2025 displays rarely seen artifacts on loan from the Pro Football Hall of Fame including among many others, Dutch Clark鈥檚 game used jersey, pants, silver leather helmet and cleats, Joe Schmidt鈥檚 cleats and game ball, the game used jerseys of fellow Hall of Famers Bobby Layne, Doak Walker and Barry Sanders, along with trophies, game programs, period photographs, and equipment of current players. Audio and video displays also tell the franchise鈥檚 story.
The new permanent exhibition space named the City of Champions Gallery is a welcome new addition to the museum.
鈥淥ver the years it鈥檚 become apparent that sports stories attract audiences and we have so many in Detroit,鈥 says Tracy Irwin, the museum鈥檚 Chief Exhibitions and Enrichment Officer. 鈥淰isitors told us that they wanted to see more sports exhibits so we are providing it. They have been very excited about the Lions exhibit.鈥
In the last few years the museum presented exhibits using numerous artifacts for the 50th anniversary of the 1968 World Champion Detroit Tigers, the 25th anniversary of the 1997 Detroit Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup, and most recently 鈥淭hirty-Five/20,鈥 an exhibit that told the story of the Detroit Pistons鈥 first and most recent championships.
Every year the museum hosts City of Champions Day when a Detroit sports story is told.
The 1935鈥36 seasons were a special time for the Motor City as the Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings all won their first championships. At that time the Michigan governor declared Detroit the 鈥淐ity of Champions鈥 with an official proclamation.
The Gridiron Heroes exhibit is included with admission to the Detroit Historical Museum, which is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, students, active military and first responders, and $6 for kids over the age of 6.
The Detroit Historical Museum听is located at (NW corner of Kirby) It is open to the public听Wed.鈥揝at. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.鈥5 p.m.
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