George Albert Richards

George Albert Richards

Detroit Lions Owner (1934 – 1940)

George Richards was born in Crete, Illinois. Richards became prominent in the Detroit area initially as an auto dealer. In the late-1920’s he ventured into the broadcast business by forming Goodwill Stations Inc. and in 1928 purchased WJR turning it into a powerful 50,000 watt station. Buoyed by this success he purchased radio stations in Cleveland (WGAR) and Los Angeles (KMPC). In 1934 he purchased the Portsmouth Spartan football team and moved it to Detroit renaming it the Detroit Lions. The team employed some of the best players in the league and had great initial success and on December 15, 1935 won its first NFL championship, one of three Detroit teams to win a championship in the 1935-1936 sport season. Richards was also the driving force behind the tradition of the Lions playing on Thanksgiving Day. Richards was forced to sell the team in 1940 due to a health condition. George Richards was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1976. He passed away May 28, 1951 at 62 years of age.