Ohio inventions and firsts · First · 1919-1930
Ironton Tanks, a leading pro football team outside the NFL
The Ironton Tanks played from 1919 to 1930 and won 85 games, lost 19 and tied 14. They were unbeaten in 1922, won the state title in 1926 and beat the New York Giants 13-12 and the Chicago Bears in 1930.
At a glance
- Year
- 1919-1930
- Company
- Ironton Tanks
- Place
- Ironton, Lawrence County ZIP 45638 · Ironton · Lawrence County
Why it matters
Many Tanks then joined the Portsmouth Spartans, who moved to Detroit in 1934 and became the Lions. According to Wikipedia, former Tanks led by Presnell told the Lions' owner that Thanksgiving Day had always drawn good crowds in Ironton.
Who gets the credit is disputed
The Ohio claim. The Tanks played Thanksgiving Day games from 1922, and Wikipedia says former Tanks players led by Glenn Presnell told the Lions' new owner, when he asked how to sell more tickets, that Thanksgiving had always drawn crowds for them.
The other claims. History.com credits the Lions' Thanksgiving game to owner George A. Richards and does not mention Ironton, so the Tanks' part rests on the Wikipedia account.
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.