Ironton Tanks The Ironton Tanks were a semi - professional football team organized in 1919 in Ironton , Ohio . Their gives the story of the Tanks origin : " Semi - professional football began in Ironton in 1893 with a team known as the Irontonians . The Ironton Tanks , founded in 1919 , was a combination of two Ironton cross - town rival football clubs known as the Irish Town Rags and the Lombards . " Their name reflected both the town ' s deep roots in the iron industry and the desire of returning soldiers from World War I to run over their opponents . Historical significance . Based on their outstanding record of 85 wins , 19 losses , 14 ties , an undefeated season in 1922 , a state championship in 1926 and dual victories in 1930 over National Football League ( NFL ) powerhouses the Chicago Bears and New York Giants , the Tanks have a strong claim to being the best team to not play in the NFL . This motto is reinforced on the wall of Tank Stadium , where the story of the stadium opening proclaims " When the Tanks Were Tops " ( 2nd picture in photo gallery below ) . Their unmatched achievements in 1930 are recorded in a Professional Football Researchers Association ' s report on the 1930 season when talking about non - NFL teams : " None , however , matched the Ironton ( Ohio ) Tanks ' 1930 achievements . " Thanksgiving Day Game Tradition . The Tanks were the originators of what is now the National Football League Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day Game tradition . The Tanks first played a game the day after Thanksgiving with the Lombards , a crosstown rival on Friday Nov 26 , 1920 winning 26 - 0 . They began the actual string of Thanksgiving Day Games by defeating the Huntington Boosters 12 - 0 on Nov 30 , 1922 . The Tanks continued playing on this national holiday each year thru 1930 , which was the Tanks final season . Several Tank players ( including Glenn Presnell ) continued their football careers by joining the nearby Portsmouth Spartans who continued the annual tradition until their demise after the 1933 season . The Spartans assets were acquired and moved to Detroit where they were renamed the Lions . Asked by their new owner ( G . A . Richards ) about ways to improve ticket sales , the players replied that they always got a good turnout on Thanksgiving Day . He promptly scheduled the first Thanksgiving Day Game in Detroit ( actually the 13th consecutive game of the series ) . One thing that made it so notable was arranging NBC to broadcast the game , reaching a larger audience and developing a national clamor for repeats in later years . Local rivalries Perhaps more important to Ironton residents at the time were the local rivalries with other cities in the Ohio area , particularly Portsmouth , where the local sentiment was summed up by this quote “ ancient and hereditary foes ” . Despite being a small town , only about 1 / 3 the size of Portsmouth , the Tanks are referred to by Carl Becker refers as the dominant team of the era , " In the 1920s , the " famous " Ironton Tanks were the sovereigns of semi - professional football in the upper Ohio Valley , indeed even in the state of Ohio " . Other rivals in Ohio were the Ashland Armcos , Dayton Koors , several teams from Cincinnati , Columbus and Akron , but none appeared to have stirred the fans ' passion as did the different Portsmouth teams that appeared between 1920 and 1930 . Earle " Greasy " Neale The most colorful figure to be associated with the Ironton Tanks was their legendary coach Greasy Neale . He is the only person to have coached in the Rose Bowl ( 1922 ) , won the World Series ( Reds vs White Sox , 1919 ) and won an NFL title ( Philadelphia Eagles back to back 1948 - 49 ) . Greasy insisted his Reds won the scandal - plagued 1919 " Black Sox " Series because of better pitching . Glenn Presnell The best player for the Tanks is also not controversial , Glenn Presnell . Besides leading the Tanks to victories over the Giants and Bears , guiding the Portsmouth Spartans to the NFL regular season championship in 1932 , he helped the Detroit Lions to their first NFL championship in 1935 . Not only did he play both sides of the ball , Glenn Presnell held the NFL longest field goal record for 19 years , with a 54 yarder that beat the Green Bay Packers 3 - 0 . He led the NFL in scoring in 1933 with 64 points from TDs , field goals and points after TDs . He graduated from the University of Nebraska as an All - American in 1928 with a Bachelor ' s degree in Education and was honored with an Alumni award in 2003 at the age of 97 . Glenn was inducted into the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame , citing his three Letters as a Cornhusker , leading the nation in total yards as a senior , All - Missouri Valley two times , and twice being NFL All - pro . He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and named 34th out of Nebraska ' s top 100 athletes . Interesting trivia is that his wife helped choose the famous powder blue uniforms for the Detroit Lions when the team moved from Portsmouth , Ohio . However , Glenn ' s memory is challenged by the Lions official site Outside this minor controversy , Glenn and the Lions seemed to have gotten along well . He posed with a football from " Your Friends at the Detroit Lions " crowning him the " LionKing " . Many feel his NFL career itself deserved entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame , while others have said he was unfairly discriminated against because of his years with the Tanks . An online petition to support his entry to the Football Hall of Fame , in nearby Canton , Ohio , has also attracted attention , Note : Glen has been referenced in several publications as being named an All - American while at Nebraska . In studying the Nebraska football media guide , no individual records other than participantion and team win - loss is recorded for that time frame . The Nebraska media guide does show All - American award winners , and Glenn is not shown as on that list . No effort has been made to confirm directly with any sports officials at the University of Nebraska if this is correct . Also the Wikipedia reference for All - American awards for Glenn ' s years at Nebraska does not show him being awarded the honor . Again , the total evidence confirming his status in unclear . As evidence of Glenn ' s outstanding careet , it can be shown that his on the field performance both as a Tank , Spartan and Lion were exemplary and it shoud be noted that several other teams had shown interest in signing him unon the Tanks demise . Glenn Presnel was honored by the Lions in 1995 at halftime against the Packers as a member of the 60th anniversary of tht 1935 championship by being driven to the 50 yard ine in a Model T . Uniforms The Tanks uniform was also noteworthy , a distinctive blend of khaki pants and red jerseys , reminiscent of the 49ers today . They were nicknamed Big Red and the Big Red Machine and appear to be the first team to sport this intimidating moniker . The secrets of their success ; 1 ) Recruiting The answer to the most intriguing question about the Ironton Tanks , " How could they compete year after year with teams from the NFL and much larger cities ? " is found primarily with the leader of the early years Charlton " Shorty " Davies ( circled in the picture gallery ' s newspaper article below ) and his teammate at Ohio State , Bill Brooks . The early Tanks typically played without helmets and made fifty dollars a game but sometimes were not paid ( F . C . " Dutch " McCarthy , private conversation ) . However , they were able to attract top players by providing coaching and teaching jobs in the surrounding areas . Shorty Davies coached at Ironton High School . Glenn Presnell taught science at Ironton High School and coached at Russel . Other Tanks taught or coached at Hanging Rock , Pedro , Blackfork , South Point , Chesapeake , Coal Grove , Proctorville , Rome and Raceland . 2 ) Innovative Offense Although the Tanks operated out of the standard formation of the day , the single wing , they were able to use the pass , in part because of Presnell ' s threat to run from the tailback position . He credited his superior speed more than quick cuts . The ball was more round than today , which made a passing game even more difficult . Still the Tanks were able to innovate with " looping and angle charges still being used today by teams of the National Football League " . Preserving the Tank legend . The town of Ironton has maintained the legend of these proud footballers by designating the stadium with historical status and creating a fund for its maintenance in addition to a Tribute website with their complete schedule and results ] . Ironton native Dave Berry wrote a song in tribute to the professional football played in the region . Tank Stadium . The Ironton Tanks originally played in Beechwood Stadium but following through on local enthusiasm a stadium fund was created and Tank Stadium was built in 1926 . This stadium still stands today and is being used by Ironton High School . It is one of the last covered stadiums in use for high school football today . Tanks Schedule and Record by Year . 1919 2 - 1 - 1 1920 5 Wins - 1 Loss - 1 Tie 1921 7 Wins - 2 Ties 1922 9 Wins - 1 Tie 1923 10 Wins - 1 Loss 1924 11 Wins - 1 Tie 1925 9 Wins - 1 Loss - 2 Ties 1926 11 Wins - 1 Loss - 1 Tie 1927 6 Wins - 3 Losses - 2 Ties 1928 7 Wins - 1 Loss - 3 Ties 1929 5 Wins - 6 Losses 1930 7 Wins - 3 Losses