Information LookUpDetroit.com
Back to Home Page  

For a direct link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit 

Detroit is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the largest city in the state and is the county seat of Wayne County. Established in 1701 by French fur traders, it is best known today as the world's automotive center and an important music capital — legacies celebrated by the city's two familiar nicknames, Motor City and Motown.

Located along the Detroit River — French: Rivière du Détroit, i.e. "River of the Strait" — and across from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario, it is the center of a tri-county industrial zone (including Oakland and Macomb counties) that is among the most significant in the American Rust Belt.

Detroit is the United States' 11th most populous city, with 900,198 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau's 2004 estimate. This is half the population the city boasted at its peak in the 1950s, and Detroit leads the nation in terms of declining urban population. Residents are generally known as "Detroiters." "Detroit" is also sometimes used as shorthand for the Metro Detroit region, which is also unofficially referred to as "Southeast Michigan."

French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded a fort and settlement at the site of Detroit in 1701. The settlement was originally called Fort Pontchartrain d'Étroit after Louis Phélypeaux, the comte de Pontchartrain, minister of marine under Louis XIV and for the river that connects Lakes St. Clair and Erie. The British gained control of the area in 1760 following the French and Indian War and thwarted an Indian attack three years later during Pontiac's Rebellion. In 1796, Detroit and its surrounding areas passed to the United States, and from 1805 to 1847 Detroit was the territorial and state capitol of Michigan. Though Detroit fell to the British for a short time during the War of 1812 (see Siege of Detroit), it was recaptured by General William Henry Harrison in 1813. Detroit was incorporated as a city in 1815.

Situated strategically on a strait along the Great Lakes waterway, Detroit emerged as a key transportation center. The city grew steadily during the 1830s, and subsequent decades saw substantial growth in the shipping, shipbuilding, and manufacturing industries. A thriving carriage trade set the stage for the work of Henry Ford, who in 1896 built his first automobile. Ford's first plant was a rented workshop on Mack Avenue in Detroit; this was soon outgrown, and the first factory built and owned by Ford was constructed in 1904 on Piquette Avenue. The famous Model T Ford was conceived in this plant. By 1909, the Model T's success outstripped the Piquette plant's capabilities, and production was moved to Highland Park, an independent city within Detroit. Ford's manufacturing innovations as well as significant contributions from many other automotive pioneers such as William C. Durant, the Dodge brothers, and Louis Chevrolet solidified Detroit's status as the world's car capital, and the blossoming industry spurred the city's spectacular growth during the first half of the 20th century, drawing many new residents from the southern United States.

With the factories came high-profile labor strife, climaxing in the 1930s as the United Auto Workers initiated bitter battles with Detroit's auto manufacturers. The labor activism established during those years, which brought fame and notoriety to hometown union leaders such as Jimmy Hoffa and Walter Reuther, remains a key feature on the city's cultural and political landscape.

Detroit has endured a painful decline during the past several decades, and is often held up as a symbol of Rust Belt urban blight. The city's population has plummeted since the 1950s as residents moved to the suburbs, particularly following the 12th Street Riot in 1967. Court ordered busing accelerated the "white flight" from the city. Large numbers of buildings and homes were abandoned, with many remaining for years in states of decay. The percentage of black residents increased rapidly and the first black mayor, Coleman Young, was elected in 1973. Young's pugnacious style during his record four terms in office was not well received by many white Detroiters.

Injecting heroin grew in popularity in Detroit during the 1960s. Though use of the drug leveled off as the population declined, the Detroit gang Young Boys Inc. was formed. The 1980s introduced the widespread use of crack cocaine and produced collateral property crime as addicts stole to finance their purchases. Violence was common as competing drug dealers fought for territory. Ongoing urban renewal efforts have led to the razing of abandoned homes as well as the demolition or renovation of some abandoned skyscrapers and large buildings for new housing developments. An expedited process was implemented to remove abandoned homes near schools. With the large number of homes razed, sizeable tracts have reverted back to nature to become a form urban prairie. Wild animals have been spotted migrating from their destroyed former habitat in the suburbs to the city.[1]

"Renaissance" has been a perennial buzzword among generations of city leaders since the 1967 riots, coined with the construction of the Renaissance Center in the early 1970s. One of the city's high schools is named Renaissance High School. It was not until the 1990s that Detroit enjoyed somewhat of a bona fide revival, much of it centered downtown. A 1996 state referendum brought three casinos—MGM Grand Detroit, Motor City Casino, and Greektown Casino—with the goal of increasing tourism and stemming the flow of gambling dollars to the nearby Windsor, Ontario casino.

In 2000, amid some controversy, Comerica Park replaced historic Tiger Stadium as the home of the Detroit Tigers. And in 2002 Ford Field brought the NFL's Detroit Lions back into Detroit from Pontiac. The 2004 opening of the Compuware Center gave downtown Detroit its first significant new office building in a decade. Significant landmarks such as the Fox Theatre, Detroit Opera House, and the Gem Theater have been restored and now host concerts, musicals, and plays. Many downtown centers such as Greektown, Campus Martius Park and the Eastern Market, as well as the Michigan State Fairgrounds on the northern border, draw patrons and host activities.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 370.2 km² (142.9 mi²). 359.4 km² (138.8 mi²) of it is land and 10.8 km² (4.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.92% water. The elevation at the Coleman A. Young International Airport in northeastern Detroit is 190.8 m (626 feet).

Sitting atop a large salt mine [2], Detroit is located on the north bank of the Detroit River, between Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, in southeastern Michigan. It lies north of Windsor, Ontario, which is often referred to by residents of the city as their "neighbor to the south." Detroit features two border crossings: the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel that has motor vehicle and railroad access to and from Canada.

Detroit completely encircles the cities of Hamtramck and Highland Park. In its northeast corner are Harper Woods and the four cities and single village that make up the Grosse Pointes. Detroit has for years been culturally divided into East Side and West Side, with Woodward Avenue as the dividing line. The city is criss-crossed by three systems of roads: the original French roads running perpendicular to the river, radial roads from a Washington, D.C.-inspired system and true north-south roads from the Northwest Ordinance township system.

Detroit contains an eclectic combination of architectural styles. Art Deco buildings from the 1920s and 1930s are intermixed with more modern structures, notably in the downtown area and in the New Center adjacent to Wayne State University north of the downtown. Smaller commercial areas are interspersed amongst single-family homes and apartment complexes. The Eastern Market farmer’s market is the largest open-air wholesale/retail market of its kind in the United States with more than 150 businesses. Despite these commercial and residential areas, abandoned buildings and large tracts of empty land remain throughout the city — notably in the downtown area. In recent years, the city has undertaken efforts to demolish abandoned buildings to remove suspected criminal elements using the structures and to revitalize the city.

Detroit and the rest of southeastern Michigan have a typically Midwestern temperate seasonal climate, which is influenced by the Great Lakes. Winters are cold with moderate snowfall while summers can be warm and somewhat humid.[3] The average temperature in July is 83 °F (28 °C) and in January highs average 16 °F (−9 °C). Summer temperatures can top 100 °F (37 °C), and winter temperatures can drop well below 0 °F (−17 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from about two to four inches (44 to 92 mm), being heaviest in the summer months. Snowfall, which normally occurs from November to April, ranges from 1 to 10 inches (3 to 25 cm) per month.[4] The highest recorded temperature was 103.0 °F (39.0 °C) on June 25, 1988, while the lowest recorded temperature was −17.0 °F (−27.0 °C) on January 19, 1994.[5]

Detroit Lions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Franchise history

As the Portsmouth Spartans, the franchise played in an unscheduled NFL championship game against the Chicago Bears in 1932. The Spartans-Bears game was played because both teams ended the regular season with the same won-lost percentage (the Spartans finished at 6-1-4 while the Bears were 6-1-6; ties were not reckoned as part of the percentage in the NFL until 1972). Due to blizzard conditions in Chicago, the game was moved from Wrigley Field indoors to Chicago Stadium, which allowed for only an 80-yard field; some have called the contest the first arena football game. The Bears won, 9-0, and the resulting interest led to the establishment of Eastern and Western conferences and a regular championship game beginning in 1933.

Poor revenues and the Great Depression led to the team's move from Portsmouth to Detroit in 1934. That season, Detroit hosted its first ever Thanksgiving Day game, a tradition continued to this day.

Under quarterback Dutch Clark, Detroit won its first NFL championship in 1935. In 1943, the Lions and the New York Giants played to a 0-0 tie at Detroit - the last time an NFL game has ended with a scoreless tie.

Detroit enjoyed its greatest success in the 1950s. Led by quarterback Bobby Layne, they won the league championship in 1952, 1953, and 1957. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in each of those NFL Championship Games, but also lost to the Browns in the 1954 Championship Game

Motown soul singer Marvin Gaye made plans, after the death of duet partner Tammi Terrell, to join the Lions and go into football. He gained weight and trained for his tryout in 1970, but was cut early on. He remained friends with a number of the players, particularly Mel Farr and Lem Barney, who appear on his 1971 classic single "What's Going On."

In 1991, the Lions reached the NFC championship game after having been shut out 45-0 by the Washington Redskins on opening night, eventually going 12-4. They won their first division title in eight years, and got their first (and to date, only) postseason victory since 1957, when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 at the Silverdome. They lost to the Redskins in the NFC championship game, 41-10 (the Lions have never beaten the Redskins in Washington in twenty tries, going back to 1936). This was the first time a team that had been shut out in its opener had reached the conference title round.

The team has had considerable difficulty remaining competitive in recent years, going the entire 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons without a road victory, thus becoming the only team in NFL history not to win on the road for three consecutive entire seasons. The streak, encompassing 24 games (also an NFL record) came to an end on September 12, 2004, when the Lions defeated the Bears 20-16 at Soldier Field in Chicago. After starting the 2004 season 4-2, the Lions finished with a 6-10 record after numerous injuries hobbled many of their key players.

In the 2005 season, the Lions (whose home stadium, Ford Field, will be the site of Super Bowl XL) won their first game against division rival Green Bay (17-3), but were humiliated by the Bears in the second game (38-6). The Lions then lost a close game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a seemingly game winning touchdown was reviewed and controversially reversed (17-13). However, the Lions went to 2-2 after a win against the Baltimore Ravens (35-17). After a last-second loss to the Carolina Panthers (21-20), Jeff Garcia was named the starting quarterback, and he led the Lions to a 13-10 win over Cleveland in Week 7. However the Lions went into week 8 and lost to the Bears once again. The Lions did get a 29-21 win in week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals. However, losses to the Dallas Cowboys, 20-7, and the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, 27-7, pushed their regular season record to 4-7. As a result, head coach Steve Mariucci was fired a few days later on November 28, and Dick Jauron was named interim head coach.

Things only got worse for the Lions. They lost their Week 13 home game to the Minnesota Vikings 27-7 amidst chants from Lions' fans of "Fire Millen", a reference to embattled Lions' GM Matt Millen, and then dropped to 4-9 with a Week 14 road loss at Lambeau Field in overtime 16-13 to the Green Bay Packers. Even worse, they got man-handled at home on Week 15 by the Cincinnati Bengals (41-17). With this losing record, they will miss the post-season, and thus will be unable to play Super Bowl XL on its home turf.

Despite winning on the road against the New Orleans Saints 13-12 in the Alamodome, the Lions ended their season 5-11, with a 35-21 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. They were 1-4 under interim head coach Dick Jauron, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

 Complete Wikipedia Detroit Lions Entry

Detroit Tigers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Franchise history

The early years

The Detroit Tigers played their first game as a major league team in the American League on April 25, 1901 at Bennett Park in front of 10,000 fans against the Milwaukee Brewers. After trailing 13-4 entering the ninth inning, the team staged a dramatic comeback to win the game 14-13. The Tigers originally played in the minor Western League.

That 1901 team eventually finished third in the eight team league. Eleven years later, an elegant stadium was constructed on the site of Bennett Park and named Navin Field. In 1961, Briggs Stadium, as it was then known, was renamed Tiger Stadium. Tiger Stadium was used by the Tigers until the end of the 1999 season. Since 2000, the Tigers have played in Comerica Park.

The Cobb era

In 1905, the team acquired Ty Cobb, a fearless player with a mean streak, who would be considered one of the greatest of all-time. The addition of Cobb to an already talented team that included Sam Crawford, Hughie Jennings, Bill Donovan, and George Mullin quickly yielded results, as the Tigers won their first American League pennant in 1907.

In the teens and twenties, Cobb remained the marquee player on many Tigers teams that would remain mired in the middle of the American League. Cobb himself took over managerial duties in 1921, but during six years at the helm, his Tigers never had a record better than 86-68.

Glory in '68

The 1968 title, which occurred one year after the 1967 race riots ravaged Detroit, is thought to have helped to heal citywide tensions. The Tigers easily won the American League with many dramatic, come-from-behind victories during the regular season. In the "year of the pitcher", the controversial Denny McLain became the first pitcher since Dizzy Dean in 1934 to win 30 games with a 31-6 record.

In Game 1, McLain was overshadowed by Cardinals' ace Bob Gibson, who struck out 17 Tigers in a 4-0 shutout. The Tiger bats won the day in the second game, in St. Louis. Lolich held St. Louis to a single run on six hits and added a home run in his own cause. The Tigers lost badly in Games 3 and 4 at Tiger Stadium, 7-3 and 10-1. In Game 4, some accounts accused Tigers manager Mayo Smith of stalling in hopes that the game would be washed out by an approaching storm. With their backs against the wall, Lolich took the mound again in Game 5. The Tigers were eight outs away from elimination before a two-run single from Al Kaline and another RBI safety by Norm Cash gave Detroit a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish. As the series returned to St. Louis, McLain pitched on two days' rest. Any concerns about the Tigers' ace having a sore arm were quickly laid to rest. The Tigers scored 10 runs in the third inning, including a grand slam from Jim Northrup, in a 13-1 laugher. The deciding Game 7 pitted Lolich--pitching on two days' rest--against Gibson, and the Tigers struck first. Jim Northrup's triple scored Norm Cash and Willie Horton to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Catcher Bill Freehan added a double to give Lolich a 3-0 lead with nine outs to go. Don Wert's RBI single in the ninth added an insurance run, and a ninth-inning solo shot from Mike Shannon of St. Louis was the Cards' only response. Tim McCarver, the next batter, popped up to Freehan in foul territory and the Tigers were Champions of baseball again.

The Bless You Boys

From 1979 to 1995, the team was managed by the colorful, eccentric George "Sparky" Anderson, one of baseball's winningest managers. When Sparky came on board, he made the bold move of predicting a pennant winner within 5 years. He proved to be as good as his word.

The 1984 team started out at a record 35-5 pace (including Jack Morris throwing a no-hitter early in the season against the Chicago White Sox), and cruised to a franchise-record 104 victories. That team featured the great double play combination of shortstop Alan Trammell and second baseman Lou Whitaker; the duo would play together a record 19 seasons. The team also included Kirk Gibson, Chet Lemon, Larry Herndon, Morris, Dan Petry, Dave Rozema, the late Aurelio Lopez and relief ace Willie Hernandez, who won the 1984 American League Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player.

In the NLCS, a San Diego rally from 2-0 down prevented a fourth Cubs-Tigers series and meant the Tigers would open the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres in Trammell's home town. In Game 1, Larry Herndon hit a two-run dinger that gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Morris pitched a complete game with 2 runs on 8 hits, and Detroit took first blood. The Padres evened the series the next night despite pitcher Ed Whitson being chased after two-thirds of an inning after giving up three runs on five Tiger hits. Tiger starter Dan Petry didn't last long either, exiting the game after four and one-third innings when light-hitting veteran Kurt Bevacqua's three-run homer gave San Diego a 5-3 lead they would hold onto. When the series returned to the Motor City, the Tigers took charge. In Game 3, a two-out rally in the second inning led to four runs and the yanking of Padre starter Tim Lollar after one and two-thirds innings. The Padres, plagued by poor starting pitching throughout the series, never recovered and lost 5-2. Eric Show continued the parade of bad outings in Game 4, getting bounced after two and two-thirds innings after giving up home runs to Trammell in his first two at-bats. Trammell's homers held up with the help of another Morris complete game, and the Tigers held a commanding lead.

In Game 5, Gibson's two-run shot in the first inning would be the beginning of another early end for the Padres' starter Mark Thurmond. Though the Padres would pull back even, chasing Dan Petry in the fourth inning in the process, the Tigers retook the lead on a Rusty Kuntz sacrifice fly, doubled it on a solo homer by Parrish and then sealed the victory by Gibson's three-run homer off Goose Gossage in the eighth.

Tony Gwynn flied out to Larry Herndon to end the game and send Detroit into a wild victory celebration.

Stabilization and recovery

In 2000, the team left legendary Tiger Stadium, then tied with Fenway Park as the oldest active baseball stadium, in favor of the new Comerica Park. The argument over Tiger Stadium lasted over a decade, with team management reportedly reviewing options to move to the Detroit suburbs. This speculation was quieted by the purchase of the team to Mike Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Little Caesars pizza franchise. Many longtime fans complained that the "CoPa" lacked the charm of its predecessor, while others saw it as a necessary replacement of an aging facility.

In 2005, the Tigers spent a large sum for two prized free agents, Magglio Ordóñez and Troy Percival. Recently the Tigers traded pitcher Ugueth Urbina and Ramon Martinez to the Philadelphia Phillies for Plácido Polanco (and signed him for 4 years). The Tigers stayed on the fringes of contention for the American League wild card for the first four months of the season, but injuries and a lack of player unity doomed them to another losing record and cost Trammell his job.

On October 3, 2005, the Tigers fired Trammell after three seasons in which he failed to maintain continuous improvement, despite numerous free agent acquisitions. The 2005 Tigers ended the season in a tail spin and finished 71-91. The MVP of Detroit's 1984 World Series team had one year left on his contract. Detroit lost an AL-record 119 games in his first season as manager in 2003, then improved to 72-90 in 2004 following a wave of free agent acquisitions during the off-season. [1] On October 4, Jim Leyland replaced Trammell as the Tigers manager.

 Complete Wilipedia Detroit Tigers Entry

Detroit Pistons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Franchise history

Early history

The franchise was founded in 1941 in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Fred Zollner, owner of a General Motors subsidiary that manufactured piston parts. Lead by star forward George Yardley, the Fort Wayne Pistons were a popular franchise and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1954 and 1955, losing both times. In 1957, Zollner moved the team to Detroit, a much larger city that did not have an NBA franchise; the Detroit Gems, now the Los Angeles Lakers, left for Minneapolis after one season of existence. The new Detroit Pistons played in Olympia Stadium (home of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings at the time) for their first four seasons, then moved to Cobo Arena. The franchise was a consistent disappointment, struggling on both the court and the box office. In 1974, Zollner sold the team to Bill Davidson, who remains the team's principal owner. Displeased with the team's location in downtown Detroit, Davidson moved them to the suburb of Pontiac in 1978, where they played in the mammoth Silverdome, a structure built for professional football (the Silverdome was also the home of the Detroit Lions at the time).

The franchise's fortunes finally began to turn in 1981, when they drafted point guard Isiah Thomas out of Indiana University. In early 1982, they acquired center Bill Laimbeer in a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers and guard Vinnie Johnson from the Seattle SuperSonics. The three, along with later acquisitions Joe Dumars (a 1985 Draft Pick), Rick Mahorn, and Dennis Rodman, formed the core of a team that would rise to the top of the league. With their physical, intense style of play, the Pistons gained the nickname "Bad Boys."

The Pistons' first trip to the Finals saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After taking a 3-2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6. In that game, Isiah Thomas scored an NBA Finals record 25 points in the third quarter while playing on a severely sprained ankle. However, the Pistons lost that game, 103-102, after controversial foul was called against Bill Laimbeer. They then dropped another close contest in Game 7, 108-105.

The following year the franchise moved into the lavish Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons won a franchise record 63 games, rolled through the playoffs and into an NBA Finals rematch with the Lakers. This time the Pistons came out victorious in a four-game sweep to win their first NBA championship. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP.

The Pistons successfully defended their title in 1990. After cruising through the regular season and through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the team played a tough Eastern Conference Finals series against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls before winning in seven games. Advancing to their third consecutive NBA Finals, the Pistons faced the Portland Trail Blazers. After splitting the first two games at the Palace, the Pistons went to Portland, where they had not won since 1974, to play Games 3, 4, and 5. The Pistons summarily won all three games in Portland, clinching the title in Game 5 when Vinnie Johnson sank an 18-Foot Jumper with 00.7 seconds left in the game (this shot earned Johnson a new nickname in Detroit, 007, along with his original moniker, The Microwave). Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP.

The Pistons' championship run came to an end in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, when the team was defeated by the Chicago Bulls. After this, the franchise went through a lengthy transitional period, as key players either retired (Laimbeer in 1993 and Thomas in 1994) or were traded (Edwards, Johnson, Salley, and Rodman among others). The team quickly declined on court, bottoming out in the 1993-1994 season when they finished 20-62.

Grant Hill, who was drafted by the team in 1994, emerged as a gifted player and a perennial All-Star. However, the team was unable to win a playoff series under his leadership, losing to the Orlando Magic in 1996, the Atlanta Hawks in 1997 and 1999.

On November 19, 2004, the Pistons were involved in a massive brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills during a losing home game against the Indiana Pacers. After fouling Pistons' Ben Wallace, Pacer Ron Artest was hit by a cup while lying down on the scorer's table. This caused Artest to rush into the stands and attack some fans. Other Pacers such as Jermaine O'Neal fought with fans who had walked onto the court. A month later, five Pacers and seven fans were charged after being involved in the "basketbrawl."

The Pistons were considered a strong contender to win a second consecutive title in 2005. They won 54 games during the regular season, their fifth consecutive season of 50 or more wins. As the Second Seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, they easily defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 and then rallied from a 2-1 deficit to finish off the Indiana Pacers, 4-2. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons faced the Miami Heat. Once again Detroit fell behind, this time three games to two. However, the Pistons handily won Game 6 in Detroit and picked up a stunning 88-82 win in Game 7 in Miami to take the series 4-3 and become Eastern Conference Champions for the fifth time. In the process, the Pistons also became the first team to win a Game 7 of the Conference Finals on the road since the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals.

The Pistons faced the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. After splitting the first four games (with the home teams winning all four games), The Spurs got a shocking overtime win Game 5 at the Palace. Detroit answered by pulling off an equally shocking win in Game 6 in San Antonio. In the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 1994, however, the Pistons lost a hard-fought game to the Spurs, who clinched their third NBA championship.

Many believed that the Pistons were affected by off-court distractions during their attempt at defending the title. These included the brawl, as well as a number of issues involving coach Larry Brown.  In July 2005, Dumars and Brown agreed to a buyout of Brown's contract, which significantly reduced the amount of money Brown would receive for the remainder of the contract, but freed Brown to pursue any coaching job for the next season. He was subsequently named coach of the Knicks.

The Pistons countered by signing Flip Saunders as their new head man. The signing received mixed reaction from Pistons fans, who, while impressed with Saunders' credentials and accomplishments during the regular season, were wary of the playoff failures of the Minnesota Timberwolves, his previous team.

2005-2006 season

The Pistons have started off the 2005-2006 season with the NBA's best record. The team has established a franchise-best start with a record of 31-5 as of January 18, 2006. Many feel that the 2005-2006 Pistons are better equipped for a playoff run than last year's team, as they have embraced coach Saunders' wide-open offensive style while continuing to play the stifling, physical defense that they have become known for.

Also on November 30, The Pistons unveiled their new alternate road jerseys, which are red with "PISTONS" in white lettering and blue trim emblazened across the chest.

Complete Wikipedia Detroit Pistons Entry

Detroit Red Wings

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Franchise history

When the Western Hockey League folded after the 1925-26 WHL season, a deal was made so that two of the most successful of the teams in that league, the 1925 Stanley Cup champion Victoria Cougars, and the Portland Rosebuds (to become the Chicago Blackhawks) would jump to the NHL.  Since no arena in the Motor City was ready at the time, the newly-renamed Detroit Cougars played their first season in Windsor, Ontario. For the 1927-28 season, the Cougars moved into the new Detroit Olympia, which would be their home rink until December 15, 1979.

In 1930 the Cougars were renamed the Falcons, but their woes continued, usually finishing near the bottom of the standings. When James Norris Sr. bought the team in 1932 the team was renamed the Detroit Red Wings. James Norris Sr. was a member of a cycling group out of Montreal known as the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association. Because of the team’s location in Detroit, the Motor City, Norris took the MAAA’s logo of a winged cycle wheel and transformed it into the first version of the Red Wings logo as we know it today.

The Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 1936, defeating Toronto in four games. In 1946, one of the greatest players in hockey history came into the NHL with the Red Wings. Gordie Howe, a right-winger from Floral, Saskatchewan, only scored seven goals and 22 points in his first season; and wouldn't reach his prime for a few more years. By his second season, Howe was paired with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay to form what would become one of the great lines in NHL history--the "Production Line." Linday's 33 goals propelled the Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept by the Maple Leafs. Detroit reached the Finals again the following season, only to be swept again by Toronto. 

The Wings returned to the top in 1950, with Pete Babando scoring the game winner in double overtime of game 7 to beat the Rangers in the Finals.

After being upset by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1951 semifinals, Detroit won its fifth Cup in 1952, with the Production Line of Howe, Abel and Lindsay joined by second-year goalie Terry Sawchuk. Abel left the Wings for Chicago following the season, and his spot on the roster was replaced by Alex Delvecchio.

The 1952 playoffs featured the start of a Red Wings tradition - the octopus throw. The owner of a local fish market threw one from the stands and onto the ice. The eight legs were symbolic of the eight playoff wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time. They swept both of their opponents that year.

Following another playoff upset in 1953 at the hands of the Bruins, the Red Wings won back to back Stanley Cups in 1954 (over Montreal, when Habs defenseman Doug Harvey redirected a Tony Leswick shot into his own net) and 1955 (also over Montreal in seven games).

The legendary Gordie Howe retired in 1971. Howe returned to pro hockey shortly after to play with his two sons Mark and Marty Howe. (Mark would later join the Red Wings at the end of his career). Detroit lost Howe to the upstart World Hockey Association in 1972. Through the decade, with Mickey Redmond having two 50-goal seasons and Marcel Dionne starting to reach his prime (which he didn't attain until he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings), a lack of defensive and goaltending ability continually hampered the Wings

During the 1979-80 NHL season, the Wings left the Olympia for Joe Louis Arena. In 1982, after 50 years of family ownership, Bruce Norris sold the Red Wings to Mike Ilitch, founder of Little Caesars Pizza.

In 1983 the Wings drafted a center from Cranbrook, British Columbia named Steve Yzerman. He led the team in scoring in his rookie year, and started the Wings' climb back to the top. That season, with John Ogrodnick scoring 42 times and Ivan Boldirev and Ron Duguay also with 30-goal seasons, Detroit made the playoffs for the first time in six years.

Scotty Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, joined the Red Wings in 1993. In his second season, the lockout-shortened 1994-95 NHL season, he guided Detroit to its first Finals appearance in 29 years. They were swept by the New Jersey Devils.

After a third-round playoff loss to the new Colorado Avalanche in 1996, Detroit, joined by Brendan Shanahan and Larry Murphy during the season, once again reached the Finals in 1997, beating the Philadelphia Flyers in four straight games. It was the Wings' first Stanley Cup since 1955, breaking the longest drought in the league at that time.

Tragedy struck the Wings days after their championship. Vladimir Konstantinov suffered a brain injury in a car accident, and his career had to come to an abrupt end. Their 1997-98 season, which also ended in a Cup victory (a sweep over the Washington Capitals), was dedicated to Konstantinov, who came out in his wheelchair that night to touch the Cup.

During the 2004 offseason, the Wings focused on keeping players they already had instead of being active on the free agent market. They re-signed Selke Trophy-winning forward Kris Draper, who had just had a career season, to a four year deal, and captain Steve Yzerman to a one year deal. They also re-signed Brendan Shanahan, Jiri Fischer, Jason Williams, and Mathieu Dandenault as well head coach Dave Lewis, despite his poor playoff record. Deals were not reached with veteran defensemen Chris Chelios and Mathieu Schneider or star forward Pavel Datsyuk before the NHL owners triggered their lockout on September 15. There also was a parting of ways with veteran forward Brett Hull, who signed with the Phoenix Coyotes as did forward Boyd Devereaux.

2005 Season

The Red Wings are on a record setting start to the 2005-2006 season. They are currently tied for first in the league with a 30-12-3 record and have 63 points as of January 14, 2006. (NHL Standings.) Manny Legace started his own legacy in October. With Osgood out, Legace became the starter and set an NHL record with most wins, 10, in the month of October. The Red Wings went on to have a very impressive 11-1-0 record in October. The Red Wings tied a league record with the most points after 14 games, 25 points. They also tied their franchise's record with most consecutive wins

 Complete Wikipedia Detroit Red Wings Entry

Tiger Stadium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

History

In 1895, Detroit Tigers owner George Vanderbeck had a new ballpark built at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull avenues. That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield and bleachers surrounding the infield. At the time, some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope.

In 1911, new Tigers owner Frank Navin ordered a new steel-and-concrete baseball park on the same site that would seat 23,000 to accommodate the growing numbers of fans and on April 20, 1912, Navin Field was opened, the same day as the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park.

Over the years, expansion continued to accommodate more people. In 1935, following the death of Frank Navin, new owner Walter Briggs oversaw the expansion of Navin Field to a capacity of 36,000 by extending the upper deck to the foul poles and across right field. By 1938, the city had agreed to move Cherry Street, allowing left field to be double-decked, and the now-renamed Briggs Stadium had a capacity of 53,000.

Also in 1938, the NFL's Detroit Lions began a relationship that allowed them to host their home games at Briggs Stadium. They would play there through the 1974 season, before moving to the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac.

In 1961, new owner John Fetzer took control of the stadium and gave it its permanent name: Tiger Stadium. Under this name, the stadium witnessed World Series championship seasons in 1968 and 1984.

The stadium gained a reputation in the 1970s and 1980s for its aging facilities and obstructed views, but was beloved by local baseball fans for its historic feel. Box and most reserved seats were close to the action. During the 1990s as plans began to construct a new park, many campaigned to save the stadium.

On September 27, 1999, the final Detroit Tigers game was held at Tiger Stadium. Following the game, an emotional ceremony with past and present Tigers greats was held to mark the occasion. The Detroit Tigers moved to the newly constructed Comerica Park for their 2000 season leaving Tiger Stadium largely unused.

On July 24, 2001, a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Game between the Motor City Marauders and the Lake Erie Monarchs was played at Tiger Stadium. It was in an effort by a local sports management company that is seeking to bring a minor-league franchise to Detroit in the Frontier League.

In August 2001, the HBO TV movie 61* was filmed in Tiger Stadium. To make the field appear to be Yankee Stadium, the seats were painted green and a third deck and skyline of the Bronx were added through the use of CG. In the credit roll at the end of the film, Yankee Stadium is listed as a character played by Tiger Stadium. Ironically, it was at Tiger Stadium that Roger Maris hit his first home run of his record-breaking 1961 season.

It was also depicted in the movies Tigertown, a baseball movie, and (as Briggs Stadium) in Raging Bull as the site of two of Jake LaMotta's championship boxing matches.

Since the departure of the Detroit Tigers the city of Detroit has spent nearly $4 million maintaining Tiger Stadium with no interest from any developers in transforming or using the aged park.

Complete Wikipedia Tiger Stadium Entry

Gordie Howe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Playing Career

Howe made his NHL debut in 1946 at the age of 18, playing right wing for the Detroit Red Wings. He quickly established himself as a great goal scorer and a gifted playmaker. Using his great physical strength, he was able to dominate the opposition in a career that spanned five decades. In a feat unsurpassed by any athlete, in any sport, Gordie Howe finished in the top five in scoring for twenty straight seasons. It was said that a Gordie Howe hat trick was a goal, an assist, and a fight.

Howe led Detroit to four Stanley Cups and to first place in regular season play for seven consecutive years (1948-9 to 1955-6), a feat never equalled in NHL History. During this time Howe and his linemates, Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay were known collectively as "The Production Line", both for their scoring and as an allusion to Detroit auto factories. The Red Wings were consistently contenders throughout the 1950s and early 1960s but began to slump in the late 60s.

After twenty-five years, a chronic wrist problem forced him to retire, and he took a job in the Red Wings front office. However, a year later he was offered a contract to play with the Houston Aeros of the newly formed World Hockey Association, who had also signed his sons Mark and Marty to contracts. Dissatisfied with not having any meaningful influence in the Red Wings' office, he underwent an operation to improve his wrist and make a return to hockey possible, and he led his new team to consecutive championships. In 1974, at the age of 46, Howe was selected as the WHA's most valuable player.

When the WHA merged with the NHL in 1979, the 51-year-old Howe signed with the Hartford Whalers for one final season, competing in all 80 games of the schedule. Another milestone in a remarkable career was reached in 1997 when Howe played professional hockey in a sixth decade. He was signed to a one-game contract by the Detroit Vipers of the IHL and, almost 70 years old, made a stirring return to the ice for one shift.

His most productive seasons came during an era when scoring was difficult and checking was tight, yet Howe ranks third in NHL history with 1,850 total points, including 801 goals and 1,049 assists. Careerwise, when his goals and assists from both the NHL and the WHA regular seasons are combined, he ranks first in goals with 975. Howe would also become good friends with Wayne Gretzky, who had idolized Howe as a young player, and who would later break many of Howe's scoring records and milestones.

At the time of his retirement, Mr. Hockey's professional totals, including playoffs, for the NHL and WHA combined, were first. He finished with 2421 games played, 1,071 goals, 1,518 assists, and 2,589 points. Wayne Gretzky has since passed him in goals (1,072), assists (2,297), and points (3,369), but not games played (1,788). It is unlikely that anyone will surpass Howe's total professional games played. Mark Messier retired only 11 NHL games behind Howe at 1,756, but this is still a far cry from 2,421 total professional games.

Howe has been married to Colleen Joffa since April 15, 1953; two of their sons, Marty and Mark, were his teammates on the Houston Aeros and the Hartford Whalers. Colleen is the founder of the Detroit Junior Red Wings, the first junior hockey team in the U.S.

Complete Wikipedia Gordie Howe Entry

Joe Louis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Biography

Early life and career

The son of Monroe Barrow, a cotton picker, and Lilly Reese, a homemaker, Louis became interested in boxing after the Barrows moved to Detroit in 1924. He went on to win Michigan's Golden Gloves title, after which he turned professional in 1934. Louis made his debut on July 4 of that year, knocking out Jack Kracken in the first round at Chicago, Illinois that night. He won 12 fights that year, all in Chicago, 10 by knockout. Among his opponents in 1934 was Art Sykes, a top contender.

Ascendency

In 1935, he boxed 13 more times, and started touring the United States and Canada. He won each of his fights, and he began to face better opposition, beating former world Heavyweight champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer, and former Carnera world title challenger Paolino Uzcudun. His last four bouts that year were exhibitions in Canada, as one fight versus Isodoro Castagana, supposed to take place December 29 at Havana, Cuba, was suspended.

He began 1936 knocking out Charlie Retzlaff in the first round. In his next fight, however, he was matched with former world Heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, who was thought to be fading when he upset Louis by a knockout in 12 at New York. The German had studied Louis and discovered that he dropped his right hand after throwing his legendary left jab. Schmeling managed to weather Louis's pummeling long enough to exploit this weakness and bring down Louis. Louis and his supporters were devastated.

Schmeling now deserved a fight for the title, but was denied a chance to challenge the world champion in large part due to his relatively weak ties to the German Nazi Party.

That year Louis had four more bouts, winning all of them, and three exhibitions. Among the boxers he defeated were former Heavyweight champ Jack Sharkey and Eddie Simms, who turned and asked the referee to take a walk on the roof with him after a hit from Louis. The referee stopped the fight right away.

1937 came by, and after a ten round decision win over Bob Pastor, Louis was matched with world champion James J. Braddock in Chicago for the World Heavyweight title. Louis was dropped in round one, but he got up and became the world champion by knocking Braddock out in round eight. He said after the fight, however, that he would not feel like a world champion until he beat one man: Schmeling. Louis retained the title three times, outpointing the capable Welshman Tommy Farr and knocking out Nathan Mann in three and Harry Thomas in five.

The rematch with Schmeling finally took place, on June 22, 1938. This time the fight was hyped on both sides of the Atlantic, and many fans around the world saw this fight as a symbol: Louis representing the American interests and Schmeling, who was wrongly seen as a Nazi, fighting for Germany and white supremacy.

The fight itself ended quickly. With his superior speed, Louis retained his title by a knockout in the first round, avenging his only loss up until that time and achieving something not too many African-Americans of the era imagined anyone could do: becoming a national hero both for the white and the black population. Louis was black, so when he won the title, he had become an example to his fellow black Americans. But by beating a German boxer, Louis won over whites too, something very hard to do during the 1930s and 1940s in the United States.

Louis joined the Army from 1942 to 1945 and spent that whole period travelling around Europe visiting with the fighting troops and boxing in exhibitions. During this time, he became a national spokesman for the Army, inviting young men to join in and help their country in the war. He even acted in a couple of movies, produced by the Army to entice men to go to the war. After he came back to keep defending his title in 1946, Louis looked somewhat slower in his fights, and his best years seemed to have gone. He still managed to fend off every challenger until he retired for the first time, after the second Walcott bout. On March 1, 1949 Louis announced his retirement from boxing.

1950's

In 1950, burdened by I.R.S. debt, he announced a comeback and was promptly given a chance to recover his title, but he lost a 15 round unanimous decision to world champion Ezzard Charles, who had won the title after Louis left it vacant. He kept boxing, and in his next fight he beat fringe contender Cesar Brion by a decision in 10. Seven more wins followed, including a rematch with Brion and a decision over fellow hall of famer Jimmy Bivins. In 1951, however, he would box what would be his final fight: In front of a national television audience, Louis lost by a knockout in eight rounds to the future world Heavyweight Champion, Rocky Marciano. Louis did not embarrass himself that night, but it was obvious his best years had gone by. He retired with a record of 68 wins and 3 losses, with 54 wins by a knockout.

Complete Wikipedia Joe Louis Entry

United Auto Workers (UAW)

History

The UAW was founded in May 1935 in Detroit, Michigan under the auspices of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) after years of agitation within the AFL for organizing unions within major industries. The AFL had focused on organizing small craft unions since its founding in 1881 by Samuel Gompers, but at its 1935 convention, a caucus of industrial unions led by John L. Lewis formed the Committee of Industrial Organizations, the original CIO, within the AFL. Within one year, the AFL suspended the unions in the CIO, and these, including the UAW, formed the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

The UAW was one of the first major unions that was willing to organize African-American workers, which increased its ability to garner enough support to win recognition through election -- despite the racial prejudice of many workers. The UAW rapidly found success in organizing with the sit-down strike -- first in a General Motors plant in Atlanta, Georgia in 1936, and more famously in the Flint sit-down strike that began on December 30, 1936. That strike ended in February 1937 after Michigan's governor Frank Murphy played the role of mediator, negotiating recognition of the UAW by General Motors. The next month, auto workers at Chrysler won recognition of the UAW as their representative in a sit-down strike.

The UAW's next target was the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford had promised that "The UAW would organize Ford over my dead body." Ford selected Harry Bennett to keep the union out of the company, and the Ford Service Department was set up as an internal security, intimidation, and espionage unit within the company, and quickly gained a reputation of using violence against union organizers and sympathizers. It took until 1941 for Ford to agree to a collective bargaining agreement with the UAW. By the end of the year, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor dramatically changed the nature of the UAW's organizing.

The UAW's Executive Board voted to make a "no strike" pledge to ensure that the war effort would not be hindered by strikes, and that pledge was later reaffirmed by the membership.

After the war, Walter Reuther won the race to be president of the UAW, and served for almost 25 years -- from 1946 until his death in an small airplane accident in 1970 -- leading the union during one of the most prosperous periods for workers in U.S. history. In the 1960s, the UAW used its strategy of negotiating a contract with one major auto maker and applying it to the other to secure a number of new benefits for auto workers, including fully paid hospitalization and sick leave benefits at General Motors, profit sharing in American Motors. The UAW also grew to include workers in other major industries such as the aerospace and agricultural-implement industries.

During this time, UAW members became one of the best paid groups of industria