![National Football League an early history and the Portsmouth Spartans. Portsmouth OH Travels - YouTube National Football League an early history and the Portsmouth Spartans. Portsmouth OH Travels - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7JtLDRuYaEg/sddefault.jpg)
National Football League an early history and the Portsmouth Spartans. Portsmouth OH Travels - YouTube
![Tom Horsman on Twitter: "My favorite fun fact about Portsmouth though is that the Detroit @Lions were originally based here and were known as the Portsmouth Spartans. They played at Spartan Memorial Tom Horsman on Twitter: "My favorite fun fact about Portsmouth though is that the Detroit @Lions were originally based here and were known as the Portsmouth Spartans. They played at Spartan Memorial](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXYmnCsXkAIpE1w.jpg:large)
Tom Horsman on Twitter: "My favorite fun fact about Portsmouth though is that the Detroit @Lions were originally based here and were known as the Portsmouth Spartans. They played at Spartan Memorial
![In Portsmouth, Ohio, birthplace of the Detroit Lions, a piece of football history endures - The Athletic In Portsmouth, Ohio, birthplace of the Detroit Lions, a piece of football history endures - The Athletic](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2019/10/10131220/IMG_1633.jpg)
In Portsmouth, Ohio, birthplace of the Detroit Lions, a piece of football history endures - The Athletic
![Appalachian Roots Of NFL, Super Bowl Celebrated - West Virginia Public Broadcasting : West Virginia Public Broadcasting Appalachian Roots Of NFL, Super Bowl Celebrated - West Virginia Public Broadcasting : West Virginia Public Broadcasting](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0b57a42/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/1760x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6a%2F06%2Fb53929ab49ed803480ddbadd49da%2Feurich.jpg)