City of Champions Day celebrates many firsts for Detroit's professional athletes, teams
The 1936-37 sports season was a banner year for Detroit's professional teams and athletes: The Tigers won the World Series, Joe Louis was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, the Detroit Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup, and the Detroit Lions won its first National Championship.
Those achievements will be celebrated on Saturday, April 20, at the Detroit Historical Museum's annual City of Champions Day commemoration.
The museum will offer free admission and a full day of activities. One of the highlights will be when three local icons will cast their hands in cement and their names and handprints will be added to the permanent display at the museum's Legends Plaza.
Here's a run down on the day's festivities:
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Detroit History Podcast presents: He howled. He threw fire. And The Sheik dominated Detroit-area wrestling in the 1960s. The Detroit History Podcast kicks off its sixth season with a telling of his life and impact on popular culture. View video and images of the Sheik while listening to the story of The Sheik at this podcast launch party. Born Ed Farhat, The Sheik, grew up in Michigan and was a star high school football player. As a wrestler, his weapons included sharpened pencils and flying fireballs. He died in 2003 and was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame in 2007.
12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Visit with 25-year Detroit radio veteran Jamie Flanagan who co-hosts Detroit City of Champions Podcast with author/historian Charles Avison. The Detroit City of Champions podcast looks at the stories behind the 33 championships that took place in Detroit during the ‘35-’36 season.
1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Jeremy Dimick, Detroit Historical Society’s Director of Collections and Curatorial, will share the amazing sports story of the 1935–36 season, along with artifacts.
2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Three Detroit icons cast their hands in cement. Their names and handprints will be added to Legends Plaza for permanent display. They are: Greg Kelser, sports analyst and broadcaster for the Detroit Pistons; Huel Perkins, Emmy Award-Winning former news anchor for Fox 2; and Mickey Redmond, color commentator for the Detroit Red Wings.
Following the 1935-36 sports season, Michigan's governor declared Detroit the City of Champions, and the Detroit Historical Society, which runs the museum, has been celebrating the day after since.
Here's what earned Detroit the City of Champions designation:
World Series win
The Detroit Tigers won the World Series in 1935, beating the Chicago Cubs 4-2 for the series title.
Heavyweight crown
Joe Louis became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1937. The son of sharecroppers in Alabama, his family moved to Detroit in 1926. He died in 1981.
Wings win Cup
The Detroit Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 1936, winning the series 3-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They went on to win the championship the following year, defeating the New York Rangers 3-2 in the series.
Football champs
The Detroit Lions won their first National Championship in 1935, defeating the New York Giants, 26-7, to take the title.
Contact Jennifer Dixon: jbdixon@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Historical Museum says free admission on City of Champions Day
