• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Development
  • Food+Drink
  • Things To Do
  • Doing Good
  • Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • History
  • Lists

Daily Detroit

What To Know And Where To Go In Southeast Michigan

Header Right

  • PODCAST
  • NEWSLETTER
  • SUPPORT
  • ARCHIVE
  • CONTACT
  • LISTEN ON:
  • APPLE PODCASTS
  • SPOTIFY
  • GOOGLE PODCASTS
  • STITCHER
  • Submit An Idea To Daily Detroit
  • Get Your Daily Detroit Newsletter
  • Listen To The Daily Detroit Podcast
  • Contact Us
  • LISTEN ON:
  • APPLE PODCASTS
  • SPOTIFY
  • GOOGLE PODCASTS
  • STITCHER

Documentary On Legendary Detroit Bar, The Lindell AC, Airs Thursday

You are here: Home / City Of Detroit / Documentary On Legendary Detroit Bar, The Lindell AC, Airs Thursday

Aug 22, 2018 by Sven Gustafson

Fans of Detroit watering holes of yore, take note: A documentary about the legendary Lindell AC sports bar makes its TV debut Thursday night on Detroit Public Television.

It’s called “Meet Me At the Lindell: The Story of America’s First Sports Bar.” The 44-minute documentary from director Jason Danieliwicz first screened in 2017 at the Freep Film Festival.

The Lindell AC was famous for many reasons, including for being a place where professional athletes showed up and mingled with common folk — something that’s virtually unheard of in today’s big-money sports era.

Greek immigrant Meleti Butsicaris and his sons, Johnny and Jimmy, purchased the bar in 1949, when it was part of a seedy hotel called the Lindell. Legend has it that New York Yankees infielder Billy Martin suggested they adopt a sports theme, using framed photographs and donated game mementos.

The bar quickly became a favorite gathering place for local and visiting athletes from all four professional sports leagues, and for journalists. It relocated just down the street in 1963 and became the Lindell AC, short for “Athletic Club,” a nod to the much tonier Detroit Athletic Club across town.

The list of famous names who drank in the bar is a long one and includes Martin, who fought his own player in the alley behind the bar; Gordie Howe; Al Kaline; Andre The Giant; Mickey Mantle; and Sonny Eliot; and, in a famous photograph, an actual elephant.

Photo via Meet Me at the Lindell Facebook page

The Lindell AC closed in 2002, a victim of plans for the Rosa Parks Transit Center.

“Meet Me At the Lindell” airs Thursday, August 22 at 9 p.m. on Detroit Public Televisio, Channel 56..

FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail

Filed Under: City Of Detroit, Culture, History

Be In The Know In About 20 Minutes A Day

“Thanks for your excellent coverage! Daily Detroit is part of my morning routine and as a lifelong metro area resident I appreciate your focus.”

– Jessica

Be like Jessica and keep up on the news, stories, and people that are pushing the Motor City forward on the Daily Detroit podcast. Free in your podcast app of choice:

Apple logoGoogle logoSpotify logoAmazon logoPocketcasts logoStitcher logoOvercast logoIheartradio logoRss logo
Previous Post: « PODCAST: Lindell AC Documentary Is Coming To TV, Wayne State Developments & Your Detroit News
Next Post: Detroit Restaurant Gets Nod For Having One Of Top 10 Vegan Seafood Dishes In Country »

Primary Sidebar

Support the businesses & orgs that keep us on the air!

Fusion Marketing

Media funded by listeners serves our listeners. Become a member, get swag!

Support this podcast

PODCAST: Soccer + Sports w/ Fletcher Sharpe

How To Get A College Scholarship Through eSports — Competitive Video Gaming

Coronavirus Outbreak Hits Whole Foods In Detroit’s Midtown

PODCAST: Hate Has No Home Here; Pistons & Detroit City FC News w/ Fletcher Sharpe

PODCAST: Previewing the new Portillo’s w/ Karen Dybis + Stories to know around town

PODCAST: Michigan’s Growing Cannabis Business; QLINE Leadership Change and More

PODCAST: Blake Griffin Benched; UM Hoops Success & More w/ Fletcher Sharpe

PODCAST: Remembering Mary Wilson Of The Supremes

PODCAST: Jefferson East’s New Community HQ w/ Josh Elling

PODCAST: Michigan Central Restoration Update Plus 4 Things To Know In Metro Detroit

Get our newsletter covering what to know & where to go in Metro Detroit in your inbox!


Footer

Popular Topics

Belle Isle Brush Park Business Cars CBD City 5 City Of Detroit Corktown Crowdfunding Culture Development Doing Good Eastern Market East Riverfront Education Events Featured Ferndale Food + Drink Fun Green Hamtramck History Lifestyle Lists Macomb County Midtown New Center News Newsflash Oakland County Opinion Podcasts Policy Royal Oak Shopping Southwest Detroit Sports Staff Picks Tech Things To Do Transit University District Video Wayne County

On Social Media

Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On LinkedinCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Youtube
  • Submit An Idea To Daily Detroit
  • Get Your Daily Detroit Newsletter
  • Listen To The Daily Detroit Podcast
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 · Daily Detroit · 1420 Washington Blvd, Suite 301 · Detroit, MI 48226

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!