Portsmouth, Ohio

] cite web|url=http://www.portsmouthspartans.org|title=Portsmouth Spartans Historical Society|accessdate=2007-05-16|author=Chris Murphy] . Despite their success, the team could not survive in the NFL's smallest city in the depths of the Great Depression; it was sold and moved to Detroit in 1934, where it survives today as the Detroit Lions.

The Portsmouth Explorers were one of the original teams in the Frontier League, a non-affiliated minor league baseball organization. The Explorers played in the league's first three seasons, from 1993 to 1995. In 1938, Portsmouth was also the home of the Portsmouth Red Birds, a minor league team owned by the St. Louis Cardinals.

In the late 90's Portsmouth was home to the Superstar Wrestling Federation before its demise. More recently Revolutionary Championship Wrestling has made its home in Portsmouth airing on local TV station WQCW. Revolutionary Championship Wrestling in Portsmouth has featured such wrestling stars as Big Van Vader, "The King" Jerry Lawler, Demolition Ax, "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, "Wildcat" Chris Harris, and Ivan Koloff.

Media

Portsmouth is a dividing line of numerous television markets, which includes the Columbus, Cincinnati, and Huntington-Charleston markets. There are two local television stations in Portsmouth which is W66CZ - The Zone & WQCW, a CW affiliate. Portsmouth is also served by the local PBS station, WPBO, which is a WOSU Columbus extension. Local radio stations WIOI, WNXT, WPAY, WZZZ, and WHRR-LP serve the radio listeners in the city. Portsmouth is also served by three newspapers. The [http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/ Portsmouth Daily Times] is the city's only daily newspaper. The [http://www.communitycommon.com/ Community Common] is a free bi-weekly newspaper and the [http://www.thesciotovoice.com/ Scioto Voice] is a weekly newspaper, which is mailed to subscribers. The [http://www.ssuchronicle.com/ University Chronicle] is the student-led newspaper at Shawnee State University.

Notable residents from Portsmouth and surrounding areas

* Dale Bandy - Ohio University basketball coach
* Al Bridwell - former Major League Baseball player
* Kathleen Battle - opera singer
* Gene Bennett - baseball scout and executive for Cincinnati Reds
* Earl Thomas Conley - country music singer and songwriter
* Martin Dillon - musician and operatic tenor
* Chuck Ealey - former football player for University of Toledo
* Bill Harsha - Ohio politician for the U.S. House of Representatives (1961-1981)
* Larry Hisle - former Major League Baseball player, currently employed with Milwaukee Brewers Organization
* Rocky Nelson - former Major League Baseball player
* Al Oliver - former Major League Baseball player
* Wally Phillips - former Chicago radio personality
* Branch Rickey - baseball executive, signed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers
* Vern Riffe - Ohio politician (1959-95), Speaker of the House (1975-94)
* Barbara Robinson - American author
* Roy Rogers - singer and cowboy movie star
* Ted Strickland - Ohio governor
* Gene Tenace - former Major League Baseball player
* Stuff Smith - Jazz musician
* Josh Newman - Major League Baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
* Steve Free - ASCAP Award Winning Applachian Musician

ister cities

Portsmouth has three sister cities, as designated by the [http://www.sister-cities.org/ Sister Cities International] :

ee also

*List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.portsmouth.oh.us/ Official Website]
* [http://www.portsmouth.org/ Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.portsmouthcvb.org/ Portsmouth-Scioto County Convention & Visitors Bureau]
* [http://www.ohiobyways.com/Ohio_River/Portsmouth/scenic_byway_portsmouth_murals.htm/ Portsmouth Mural Project as part of Ohio River Scenic Byway]
* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/oh/Scioto/state.html/ National Register of Historical Places-unofficial website]