Foothill Features

Portsmouth, Ohio has a rich football history, from fielding a semi-pro team led by Jim Thorpe in 1927 to a short but defining run in the NFL from 1930 to 1933. That NFL team, known as the Spartans, found themselves at some of the most defining moments in early NFL history, including the legendary Iron Man Game and playing in the first championship game in league history – a game that was also the first ever indoor game and that made the hash mark a permanent fixture in all future contests. The team went on to become the Detroit Lions in 1934, but their presence is still felt in Portsmouth inside the walls of the still-standing Spartan Municipal Stadium.