The 1930 Portsmouth Spartans season was the inaugural season for the Portsmouth Spartans in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL), joining on July 12, 1930. Despite holding a 4–1–1 record going into Week 6, tied for 2nd in the league, the Spartans managed only 1 more win as they finished 5–6–3, seventh in the NFL. The Spartans scored 176 points which ranked third in the NFL, while the defense allowed 161 points which was eighth in the league.. The last remaining active member of the 1930 Portsmouth Spartans was running back Father Lumpkin, who retired after the 1937 season.

Roster

Schedule

Regular season

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Newark Tornadoes

In Week 1 of their inaugural season, the Spartans hosted the Newark Tornadoes. No scoring was seen in the first half, but the Tornadoes threatened to score in the second quarter, getting down to the Spartans 3-yard line. A fumble recovery and a six-yard loss had the Tornadoes try for a 5-yard field goal attempt, but the

drop kick A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. It involves a player intentionally dropping the ball onto the ground and then kicking it either (different sports have different definitions) 'as it rises from the first bounce' ( rugby ...

missed wide. In the second half, Bill Glassgow returned a punt from their own 45 to the Tornadoes 20-yard line. But the drive ended on a fumble recovered by the Tornadoes. On the Spartans ensuing drive, two gains of 15 yards and 10 yards set up the 11-yard touchdown pass from Glassgow to

Chuck Bennett Charles Henry Bennett (August 9, 1907 – June 9, 1973) was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the Indiana University football team from 1926 to 1928 and won the 1928 Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the mo ...

to put the Spartans up 7–0. Moving into the fourth quarter, Ray Novotny threw a pass to Byron Eby that went for 55 yards and the touchdown, bringing the Portsmouth lead to 13–0 after a blocked extra point. With three minutes left in the game, Newark's Ted Mitchell intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards before being tackled. The Tornadoes scored on a 15-yard rushing touchdown to bring the score to 13–6, which was the final.

Week 2: vs. Brooklyn Dodgers

In Week 2, the Spartans hosted the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

. The Spartans got the ball to start the game, but turned it over on downs. On Brooklyn's ensuing drive,

intercepted a pass, returning it for a touchdown to put the Spartans up 6–0. The second half resulted in no scoring with a good amount of fumbling. Late in the third quarter, Father Lumpkin intercepted a pass, bringing it to Brooklyn's 47-yard line. A Bennett rush to the 29-yard line ended the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Bill Glassgow ran into the endzone for the score to bring the Portsmouth lead to 12–0, which was the final.

Standings

References

External links

1930 Portsmouth Spartans at Pro Football Reference1930 Portsmouth Spartans at jt-sw.com1930 Portsmouth Spatans at The Football Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:1930 Portsmouth Spartans Season Portsmouth Spartans Portsmouth Spartans Detroit Lions seasons