Graham Powell Smith (October 18, 1898 – June 3, 1967) was an American businessman sportsman and industrialist who was general manager of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) and vice president of Arlington Park.

Smith was born on October 18, 1898, in Burlington, Iowa to P. W. and Lina Lloyd (Patterson) Smith.[1]

In 1927, Smith was elected vice president of the Pearsons-Taft Company and was put in charge of the company's new branch in New York City.[2][3] In 1933, he was appointed receiver of Commonwealth Light & Power.[4] From 1934 to 1941 he was a vice president of F. C. G. Importers.[1]

In 1941, Smith was named general manager of the Detroit Lions.[5] He resigned shortly before the 1942 NFL season to enter the United States Marine Corps. On December 2, 1942, he married Eleonore Rose Thompson of Chicago at Marine Corps Base Quantico.[6] In 1944 he was part of a group that included Bing Crosby and Frank Mandel (cousin of Lions owner Fred L. Mandel Jr.) that sought a National Football League franchise for Los Angeles.[7]

In 1944, Smith became vice president of Davis & Smith, a Chicago importer and distributor. The following year he became vice president and director of Indiana Steel Products.[1] In 1949 he was elected president of the newly formed Powell Announcer Co., which manufactured magnetic recording devices.[8] He also served as vice president of Arlington Park.[9]

Smith retired to Los Gatos, California, where he died on June 3, 1967.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Who's Who in Commerce and Industry. A.N. Marquis & Company. 1948. p. 1279.
  2. ^ "Eugene M. Stevens on Illinois Merchants Board". Commercial West. January 15, 1927. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Opens Branch Office". The Wall Street Journal. February 4, 1927.
  4. ^ "Commonwealth Light & Power Co". The Wall Street Journal. January 16, 1933.
  5. ^ Sanders, Charlie (2005). Charlie Sanders's Tales from the Detroit Lions. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 150. ISBN 9781582619101. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Graham Smith, Lions' Ex-Official, Is Wed". Detroit Evening Times. December 16, 1942. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Four Seek Head Coaching Berth With Boston Pro Football Team". The Boston Globe. January 13, 1944.
  8. ^ "Trade Directory". Billboard. December 10, 1949. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ^ Reports of Cases at Law and in Chancery Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Illinois. Supreme Court, State of Illinois. 1957. p. 59.
  10. ^ "Graham P. Smith". Chicago Tribune. June 7, 1967. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
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