ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — The sound of a 1915 tugboat horn is a familiar one to neighbors in one St. Clair Shores neighborhood.
"When you hear my neighbor's horn go off, you know exactly what's going on," Donna Case said.
It's the sound of victory. A signal that the Detroit Lions have just won a game.
"I hook them up to my air compressor and man, they'll wake up the neighborhood," Steve Gayton said.
Steve is the man behind the horn. He's been blowing it after every Lions win for the past 11 years. He says it's a homage to his memories at Pontiac Silverdome.
"[My dad and I] would go there and they would always have horns blowing all the time and everything. And of course, I have tugboat horns, so I decided, 'hey, why not keep the tradition alive right here at home,'" he said.
The sound of Steve's horn can be heard for miles.
“It's so loud that you go to the gas station and people down there are talking about it, and I'm like 'oh my goodness, that’s my husband,'" Nicole Reeks said.
It's even got him some recognition on a St. Clair Shores Facebook page.
"Not sure who you are, but, whoever is near Masonic and Jefferson that blows the train horn after the Lions victories … I love it," St. Clair Shores resident Nicholas Handy wrote to the FB group. That post garnered 700 likes.
“And I was kinda proud, like 'see! We’re working as a team and people are getting excited about the Lions winning,'” Steve's wife, Nicole, said.
Steve says during this current football season, his neighborhoods have gotten more riled up and excited about their home team.
“I think the horns are definitely part of the camaraderie around here in the neighborhood of the Lions game. I know the kids love it," he said.
And those kids, Steve, and the rest of his neighbors are hoping that Steve will blow that horn once again this Sunday.
"Oh yeah, we’re definitely gonna give it some extra salutes!"
