The 1947 Detroit Lions season was their 18th in the league. The team improved on their previous season's output of 1–10, winning three games.[1] They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season.
Before the season
Draft
| 1947 Detroit Lions draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Glenn Davis * | HB | Army | 1946 Heisman Trophy winner |
| 2 | 12 | Russ Thomas | T | Ohio State | |
| 3 | 14 | Jim Kekeris | T | Missouri | |
| 4 | 24 | Charley Hoover | C | Vanderbilt | |
| 5 | 26 | Bob Chappuis | TB | Michigan | Remained in college |
| 6 | 36 | Bernie Gallagher | G | Penn | Signed with Los Angeles Dons (AAFC) |
| 7 | 46 | Ed Grain | G | Penn | Joined the AAFC |
| 8 | 56 | Harvey James | C | Miami (FL) | |
| 9 | 66 | Kale Alexander | T | South Carolina | Remained in college |
| 10 | 76 | Bump Elliott | B | Michigan | Remained in college |
| 11 | 86 | Pete Sullivan | T | Detroit | |
| 12 | 96 | LaVerne Camarata | B | Iowa State | |
| 13 | 106 | Walt Vezmar | G | Michigan State | |
| 14 | 116 | Dick Hagen | E | Washington | |
| 15 | 126 | J.W. Meeks | B | East Texas State | |
| 16 | 136 | Reed Nilsen | C | BYU | |
| 17 | 146 | Tommy James * | DB | Ohio State | |
| 18 | 156 | Ralph Maugham | E | Utah State | |
| 19 | 166 | Buryl Baty | B | Texas A&M | |
| 20 | 176 | Elmer Madar | E | Michigan | Signed with the Baltimore Colts (AAFC) |
| 21 | 186 | J. T. White | E | Michigan | |
| 22 | 196 | Carl Schuette | LB | Marquette | |
| 23 | 206 | Steve Cipot | T | St. Bonaventure | |
| 24 | 216 | Bill Cadenhead | B | Alabama | |
| 25 | 226 | Jim Cody | T | East Texas State | |
| 26 | 236 | Earl Maves | WB | Wisconsin | Played for Lions in 1948 |
| 27 | 246 | Bill Hillman | B | Tennessee | |
| 28 | 256 | Arch Kelly | E | Detroit | |
| 29 | 266 | Bob Tulis | T | Texas A&M | |
| 30 | 276 | Howard McAfee | T | Tulane | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Game recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 21 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | L 10–17 | 0–1 | Forbes Field | Recap | |
| 2 | September 28 | at Chicago Cardinals | L 21–45 | 0–2 | Comiskey Park | Recap | |
| 3 | October 5 | at Boston Yanks | W 21–7 | 1–2 | Fenway Park | Recap | |
| 4 | October 12 | Los Angeles Rams | L 13–27 | 1–3 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 5 | October 19 | at Chicago Bears | L 24–33 | 1–4 | Wrigley Field | Recap | |
| 6 | October 26 | at Green Bay Packers | L 17–34 | 1–5 | City Stadium | Recap | |
| 7 | November 2 | New York Giants | W 35–7 | 2–5 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 8 | November 9 | Chicago Cardinals | L 7–17 | 2–6 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 9 | November 16 | Washington Redskins | W 38–21 | 3–6 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 10 | November 23 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 17–28 | 3–7 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Recap | |
| 11 | November 27 | Chicago Bears | L 14–34 | 3–8 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 12 | December 7 | Green Bay Packers | L 14–35 | 3–9 | Briggs Stadium | Recap | |
| 13 | Bye | ||||||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | |||||||
Standings
| NFL Western Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Chicago Cardinals | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 7–1 | 306 | 231 | W2 | |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 4–4 | 363 | 241 | L2 | |
| Green Bay Packers | 6 | 5 | 1 | .545 | 5–3 | 274 | 210 | L1 | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 259 | 214 | W2 | |
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 0–8 | 231 | 305 | L3 | |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Players
- Stan Batinski, guard
- Ben Chase, guard
- Ted Cook, end
- Ted Cremer, end
- Bob DeFruiter, halfback
- Robert Derleth, tackle
- Chuck DeShane, guard
- Bill Dudley, halfback
- Jack Dugger, tackle
- Leon Fichman
- John Greene, end
- George Hekkers
- Ralph Heywood, end
- Bill Hillman
- Bob Ivory
- Tommy James, defensive back
- Elmer Jones, guard
- Pete Kmetovic, halfback
- Les Lear, tackle
- Clyde LeForce, quarterback
- Elmer Madarik, halfback
- Joe Margucci, halfback
- Kelly Mote, end
- Reed Nilsen
- Bill O'Brien, halfback
- Mitchell Olenski, tackle
- Merv Pregulman, center
- Ken Reese
- Floyd Rhea, offensive lineman
- Dave Ryan, quarterback
- John Sanchez, tackle
- Cecil Souders, end
- Ed Stacco, tackle
- Dick Stovall, center
- Steve Sucic
- Frank Szymanski, center
- Russ Thomas, tackle
- Walt Vezmar, guard
- Bill Ward, guard
- Joe Watt, halfback
- Bob Westfall, fullback
- Bob Wiese, back
- Camp Wilson, fullback
- Roy Zimmerman, quarterback
References
- ^ 1947 Detroit Lions
- ^ "1947 Detroit Lions Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 2, 2020.