| Team: | Portsmouth Spartans |
| Year: | 1930 |
| Record: | 5–6–3 |
| League Place: | 7th NFL |
| Coach: | Hal Griffen |
| Stadium: | Universal Stadium |
| Previous: | none |
| No Prevseason: | true |
| Shortnavlink: | Spartans seasons |
The 1930 Portsmouth Spartans season was the inaugural season for the Portsmouth Spartans in the National Football League (NFL), joining on July 12, 1930.[1] Despite holding a 4–1–1 record going into Week 6, tied for 2nd in the league, the Spartans managed only 1 more win as they finished 5–6–3, seventh in the NFL. The Spartans scored 176 points which ranked third in the NFL, while the defense allowed 161 points which was eighth in the league..[2] The last remaining active member of the 1930 Portsmouth Spartans was running back Father Lumpkin, who retired after the 1937 season.
| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 14 | Newark Tornadoes | W 13–6 | 1–0 | Universal Stadium | Recap | |
| 2 | Brooklyn Dodgers | W 12–0 | 2–0 | Universal Stadium | Recap | ||
| 3 | October 5 | Chicago Cardinals | T 0–0 | 2–0–1 | Universal Stadium | Recap | |
| 4 | Frankford Yellow Jackets | W 39–7 | 3–0–1 | Universal Stadium | Recap | ||
| 5 | October 12 | at Minneapolis Red Jackets | L 0–13 | 3–1–1 | Nicollet Park | Recap | |
| 6 | Chicago Bears | W 7–6 | 4–1–1 | Universal Stadium | Recap | ||
| 7 | October 26 | at Chicago Cardinals | L 13–23 | 4–2–1 | Comiskey Park | Recap | |
| 8 | November 2 | at Green Bay Packers | L 13–47 | 4–3–1 | City Stadium | Recap | |
| 9 | New York Giants | L 6–19 | 4–4–1 | Universal Stadium | Recap | ||
| 10 | November 9 | at Staten Island Stapletons | T 13–13 | 4–4–2 | Thompson Stadium | Recap | |
| 11 | at Frankford Yellow Jackets | L 6–7 | 4–5–2 | Frankford Stadium | Recap | ||
| 12 | November 30 | at Chicago Bears | L 6–14 | 4–6–2 | Wrigley Field | Recap | |
| 13 | December 7 | Minneapolis Red Jackets | W 42–0 | 5–6–2 | Universal Stadium | Recap | |
| 14 | December 14 | Green Bay Packers | T 6–6 | 5–6–3 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
In Week 1 of their inaugural season, the Spartans hosted the Newark Tornadoes. No scoring was seen in the first half, but the Tornadoes threatened to score in the second quarter, getting down to the Spartans 3-yard line. A fumble recovery and a six-yard loss had the Tornadoes try for a 5-yard field goal attempt, but the drop kick missed wide. In the second half, Bill Glassgow returned a punt from their own 45 to the Tornadoes 20-yard line. But the drive ended on a fumble recovered by the Tornadoes. On the Spartans ensuing drive, two gains of 15 yards and 10 yards set up the 11-yard touchdown pass from Glassgow to Chuck Bennett to put the Spartans up 7–0. Moving into the fourth quarter, Ray Novotny threw a pass to Byron Eby that went for 55 yards and the touchdown, bringing the Portsmouth lead to 13–0 after a blocked extra point. With three minutes left in the game, Newark's Ted Mitchell intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards before being tackled. The Tornadoes scored on a 15-yard rushing touchdown to bring the score to 13–6, which was the final.[3]
In Week 2, the Spartans hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Spartans got the ball to start the game, but turned it over on downs. On Brooklyn's ensuing drive, Chuck Bennett intercepted a pass, returning it for a touchdown to put the Spartans up 6–0. The second half resulted in no scoring with a good amount of fumbling. Late in the third quarter, Father Lumpkin intercepted a pass, bringing it to Brooklyn's 47-yard line. A Bennett rush to the 29-yard line ended the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Bill Glassgow ran into the endzone for the score to bring the Portsmouth lead to 12–0, which was the final.[4]