City of Champions highlights amazing year for Detroit

Where do you start when talking about the rich history of Detroit sports?

Charles Avison will tell everyone that the only real answer to that question can be the year of 1935.

Detroit professional sports blew onto the scene in 1935 in the way of three first-ever championship seasons plus numerous other accomplishments by other individuals and teams.

It was a special time for the city and it is all documented through writing, pictures, and newspaper articles in Avison's book, Detroit City of Champions: The Story of the Most Important Season in Detroit Sports History.

The 31-year old Avison, who was born in Alma and lived in Mt. Pleasant in his early life, finished the book in late November of last year through his own Diomedea Publishing.

Avison came upon the project while looking through the 2003 Detroit Tigers media guide, when one of his friends pointed out the City of Champions footnote on one page.

Already looking for a subject to do a story on for a sports history class, Avison's interest in the year of 1935 Detroit athletics grew from there.

"I will go as far as to say that it is the greatest year in the history of American sports," Avison, who currently resides in Detroit, said. "No other city can boast major sports championships in three sports during the same season and that is in addition to all of the other great sports stories that are too numerous to mention. It was the ultimate accomplishment."

In 1935, the Detroit Tigers won their first championship by defeating the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. That was followed just over two months later when the Lions rolled to their first title via a stomping of the New York Giants.

Then in the spring of 1936, the Detroit Red Wings completed the trifecta when they downed the Toronto Maple Leafs in four games to win their first-ever Stanley Cup.

All while those teams were having dream seasons, Detroit's own Joe Louis went from boxing obscurity to internationally recognized as Avison's book depicts in its early chapters.

"The year was amazing. Detroit could literally boast a champion in every sport and there were few people with a bigger name in the world than Joe Louis," said Avison.

Avison also lets his readers deeper into the Detroit sports scene as the city boasted world champions or record holders in golf, tennis, sprinting, distance running, weight lifting, weight throwing, swimming, diving, speed boat racing, bowling, softball, fencing, billiards, and even checkers.

"Detroit sports fans are the greatest on earth, but the important thing I wanted to get across with this book is that not a lot of people know just how unbelievable and amazing 1935 was for the city," Avison said. "This story should be on the forefront of everyone's consciousness."

Beginning today, Avison will have an all-day tent set up at the Highland Festival in Alma to help promote the book.

To purchase the book online, go to detroitcityofchamps.com. It is also available at certain Barnes & Noble and Walden Bookstores across the state.

"I really encourage people to purchase it through my website. There are a lot of promotional items I give away along with the book and your copy will be individually signed," Avison said.