Communiqué
WOUB’s short “Foothill Features” documentary about the Portsmouth Spartans will be screened at Shawnee State University in April
< < Back toATHENS, OH – Shawnee State University and WOUB are partnering to hold a screening event of the Foothill Features digital short called The Iron Men: Portsmouth, Ohio’s NFL Legacy. The event will be held at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University in Portsmouth at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22.
“We are thrilled to be able to take this short documentary to Portsmouth and show people in the community the wonderful history of this trailblazing football team,” said WOUB Community Engagement and Membership Manager Cheri Russo.
From 1930 to 1933, four short seasons, the Portsmouth Spartans found themselves in some of the most defining moments of early NFL history. From the infamous Iron Man Game to playing in the first championship game, the first indoor game and the game that made the hash mark a permanent fixture of the league, the Spartans were a critical piece to establishing the NFL we know today.
“The team went on to become the Detroit Lions in 1934, but their legacy lives on in Portsmouth within the walls of Spartan Municipal Stadium, which is still standing,” said WOUB Producer/Director Chris Flanery. “The Foothill Features short documentary tells the story of the team and its impact on the NFL, along with what is being done today to preserve its history.”
The screening of the film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Flanery and Shawnee State Portsmouth Spartans Expert Andrew Feight.
“The primary goal of Foothill Features is to highlight the stories of the region and encourage people to take greater ownership and curiosity of their community,” said Flanery.
The event is free and open to the public. You can register for the event online here: https://bit.ly/PortsmouthSpartansScreening Registration is preferred but not required.