What’s up with Michigan pro sports teams being named after cats? Let’s take a look at how the major Detroit teams got their names.
How Detroit Pro Sports Teams Got Their Names
When the Tigers first started out in 1894 they were the Detroit Ballclub, but in 1895 a Detroit newspaper referred to them as the “Tigers.” This was a reference to the Detroit Light Guard military unit, who got the nickname “Tigers” for their bravery during the Civil War. At that time, the Detroit Light Guard was one of the most popular organizations in the history of the city. It wasn’t until 1920 before their uniforms had a Tiger on them.
The Detroit Lions were originally from Portsmouth, Ohio. That is why their first name was the Portsmouth Spartans. In 1934, the team moved to Detroit and became the Lions as a nod to the Tigers.
Detroit Red Wings…that’s not a cat. Well, before the Detroit’s NHL team was called the Red Wings, they had a few other names with the first being the Cougars from 1926 to 1930. The team’s name then changed to the Falcons for two years before becoming the Red Wings.
There was another Detroit team that donned the name “Cougars” in 1967, which were a professional soccer team but that only lasted for a year.
Getty Images for UFL
Getty Images for UFL
When the Michigan Panthers first came out in 1982 as a USFL team, they played at the Pontiac Silverdome. The team only lasted 2 years but did win a championship. This was another team that used the cat theme already started by the Tigers and Lions.
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The Michigan Panthers returned as a USFL team in 2022 but played their games in Birmingham, Alabama. The Panthers returned to Detroit in 2023 when the USFL merged with the XFL.
What’s Behind Michigan’s Obsession With Feline Team Names?Recently a poster on the Michigan Reddit page asked the question, “What’s up with Michigan sports teams named after cats?” After some digging, it appears the trend started with the Tigers, being named after the Detroit Light Guard military unit who were referred to as the Tigers for their bravery. The rest of the sports teams just followed with the feline theme for their teams.
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