Lion or Tiger statue at Michigan & 14th

[hubbardfarmer]

I just had dinner with my aunt, who grew up around Michigan and 15th St. She remembers a statue of a lion [[maybe a tiger?) around Michigan and 14th. She thought it was a tribute to the Detroit Lions. This would have been in the early 1950s, I'm guessing. No one else remembered anything about it. Does anyone on DetroitYES have any recollection of such a statue? Thanks!

[Ray1936]

It was a tiger, but it wasn't a tribute to the ball club. A large number of statues of tigers on large pedestals [[probably 8 x 12 or even larger) were put around town during the war years with the slogan "Buy War Bonds". The tiger was supposed to show the toughness of the U.S. There was one at Grand River and Sorrento, next to the Tower Theatre. They stayed in place for a few years after the war, and were pretty well all removed by 1950.

[hubbardfarmer]

Thanks, Ray1936, my aunt will be vindicated and her family will be relieved to know she isn't going senile!