Sports in Chicago
Chicago is the home of many professional sports teams and one of four U.S. cities to have teams from the five major American professional team sports (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer). Chicago is also the only city in the United States with five teams from the four major league sports located within city limits, the most in the country.
The city was the official United States nominee for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Its rivals were Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, with the International Olympic Committee selecting Rio de Janeiro as the 2016 Olympics site in October, 2009.[1] Chicago also hosted the 1959 Pan American Games.
Chicago has been named as the Best Sports City by Sporting News three times in 1993, 2006, and 2010.
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[edit] Chicago teams
The following is a list of active, professional Chicago sports teams by year of establishment:
[edit] Baseball
[edit] Major league
Chicago is one of four metro areas in the United States that has two Major League Baseball teams, the other three being Los Angeles, New York, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and is one of only two, along with New York, which has both teams in the central city.
The Chicago Cubs of the National League play at Wrigley Field, which is located in the north side neighborhood of Lakeview, the western part of which is commonly referred to as "Wrigleyville." The Cubs are the oldest team to play continuously in the same city since the formation of the National League in 1876.
The Chicago White Sox of the American League play at US Cellular Field, which is located in the South Side neighborhood of Armour Square. They have played in Chicago since the formation of the American League in 1900.
[edit] Minor league
The Chicago metropolitan area is home to the Kane County Cougars, a Class-A minor league baseball team that plays in suburban Geneva, Illinois as part of the Midwest League; the Gary SouthShore RailCats, members of the independent American Association, the Schaumburg Boomers, Joliet Slammers and Windy City ThunderBolts (based in Crestwood), members of the independent Frontier League; and the Lake County Fielders (based in Zion), members of the North American League. The McHenry County K-Nines (based in Woodstock) are slated to join the Frontier League in 2013.[citation needed]
[edit] Basketball
[edit] Men's leagues
The Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association is a professional basketball team. One of the team's most well-known players, Michael Jordan, led the Bulls to six NBA championships in eight seasons in the 1990s. Other well known Bulls that helped them win the championships were Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen. The new generation of Bulls, "The Baby Bulls", have made it to the playoffs in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. In 2007, they swept the defending champs, the Miami Heat. In 2010, they made it to the Eastern Finals, losing to the Miami Heat. The players on the team included Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, Brian Scalabrine, Keith Bogans, Taj Gibson, Kurt Thomas, C. J. Watson, Ömer Aşık, and Joakim Noah.
[edit] Women's leagues
Chicago is home to the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association.
[edit] Football
[edit] Men's leagues
The Chicago Bears of the National Football League play at Soldier Field. The Bears' history includes many NFL personalities, including owner George Halas, players Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Jim McMahon, William "Refrigerator" Perry, Walter Payton, and coach Mike Ditka. The Bears are one of the original teams of the NFL, founded by Halas in 1919 in Decatur, Illinois. They currently have the most players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 26. In the 2006 season, the Bears made it to the Super Bowl. They were led by coach Lovie Smith. The Green Bay Packers and Bears rivalry dates back the 1920s, and is one of the most intense in American professional sports. The NFC North, which the Bears are a part of, is sometimes referred to as the NFC Norris Division, a mimic to the NHL's old Norris Division. The Chicago Bears have rivalries with the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, similar to the Blackhawks' rivalries with the Red Wings, the North Stars, and the I-55 Rivalry with the St. Louis Blues hockey team.
The Chicago metropolitan area is also home to the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League, playing at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The Rush was established in 2001 and, making the playoffs each year of the team's existence. The Rush won its first championship in 2006, ArenaBowl XX. Chicago was also home to the Chicago Bruisers from 1987 to 1989, an original team in the AFL's inaugural season in 1987. The Bruisers hosted ArenaBowl II.
[edit] Women's leagues
Chicago is home to the Chicago Force of the Independent Women's Football League.
Chicago is also home to the Chicago Bliss of the Lingerie Football League.
[edit] Ice hockey
The Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League is the city's professional ice hockey team, and are an Original Six team. Some well-known players include: Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, Keith Magnuson, Glenn Hall, Denis Savard, Steve Larmer, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, and Ed Belfour. The Blackhawks have one of the most exciting young teams in the NHL. They are led by young forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, veteran stars Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp star defensemen Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and goaltender Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 on June 9th. The Blackhawks receive national attention for the intense rivalries with the Detroit Red Wings, also an Original Six team. Other rivalries include the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, the Nashville Predators with St. Louis being former Norris Division rivals.
The Chicago metropolitan area is also home to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, the Chicago Express of the ECHL, and the Chi-Town Shooters of the All American Hockey League. The Chicago Wolves have been very successful, making numerous playoff appearances and winning the Turner and Calder cups many times. Playing in suburban Bensenville are the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, a Tier One Junior Hockey league, the only tier one junior league in the United States.
[edit] Roller derby
Chicago is home to two all-female roller derby leagues; Chicago Outfit Roller Derby and Windy City Rollers of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.
[edit] Rugby League
Chicago Stockyarders rugby league team will be playing in 2010'sAMNRL's War at the Shore in a 7s match against the Northern Raiders.[3]
[edit] Rugby Union
The Chicago Griffins and Chicago Lions both play in the Rugby Super League
[edit] Soccer
The Chicago Fire, a member of Major League Soccer, have won one MLS Cup and four U.S. Open Cups since 1998. The Fire played at Soldier Field until 2006, spending parts of two seasons at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville. They now play at Toyota Park, located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, near Midway Airport. The Fire have historically drawn an attendance average of over 15,000 fans per game.[4] Some notable former players are Cuauhtémoc Blanco from Mexico, Brian McBride from the USA, and Peter Nowak from Poland – a demonstration of the team's international flavor.
[edit] Softball
Chicago is home to the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch softball league.
[edit] Wrestling
The Chicago area has also played host to the WWE's WrestleMania multiple times, most recently for WrestleMania 22. Five-time world champion CM Punk is a Chicago native who still lives in the city.
[edit] Former teams
[edit] Baseball
- Chicago Columbia Giants (Negro National League)
- Chicago Unions (Negro National League)
- Chicago Union Giants (Negro National League)
- Leland Giants (Negro National League)
- Chicago American Giants (Negro National League)
- Chicago Whales (Federal League)
[edit] Basketball
- Chicago Bruins (American Basketball League)
- Chicago American Gears (National Basketball League)
- Chicago Stags (National Basketball Association)
- Chicago Packers (also known as the Chicago Zephyrs; currently the Washington Wizards) (National Basketball Association)
- Chicago Majors (American Basketball League
- Chicago Express (World Basketball League
- Chicago Rockstars (American Basketball Association)
- Chicago Skyliners (American Basketball Association)
- Chicago Soldiers (American Basketball Association)
- Chicago Twisters (Women's American Basketball Association)
- Chicago Hustle (Women's Professional Basketball League)
[edit] Football
- Arizona Cardinals (National Football League)
- Chicago Tigers (National Football League)
- Chicago Bulls (American Football League)
- Chicago Fire (World Football League)
- Chicago Winds (World Football League)
- Chicago Blitz (United States Football League)
- Chicago Enforcers (XFL)
- Chicago Bruisers (Arena Football League)
[edit] Hockey
[edit] Lacrosse
[edit] Soccer
- Chicago Spurs (National Professional Soccer League)
- Chicago Mustangs (United Soccer Association)
- Chicago Horizons (Major Indoor Soccer League)
- Chicago Sting (North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League)
- Chicago Vultures (American Indoor Soccer Association)
- Chicago Shoccers (American Indoor Soccer Association)
- Chicago Power (American Indoor Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League)
- Chicago Storm (Major Indoor Soccer League)
- Chicago Red Stars (Women's Professional Soccer)
- Chicago Riot (Major Indoor Soccer League)
[edit] College sports
Seven NCAA Division I schools reside in the Chicago metropolitan area. The DePaul Blue Demons, Loyola Ramblers, Chicago State Cougars, and UIC Flames all play within the city limits.
The Northwestern Wildcats, Northern Illinois Huskies, and Valparaiso Crusaders are all programs that play in the surrounding area. Northern Illinois is a Division I Bowl Subdivision school along with Northwestern, which is the lone BCS school in the Chicago area. Although the Illinois Fighting Illini are located two and a half hours south, they have a huge following in Chicago.
The Big Ten Conference is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge.
[edit] See also
- Arlington Park
- Chicagoland Speedway
- Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
- Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Chicago Marathon
- Multiple major sports championship seasons
[edit] References
- ^ Bergen, Kathy; Washburn, Gary (May 11, 2006). "City out to prove Olympic mettle". Chicago Tribune: p. 1.
- ^ http://www.chicagolions.com/locations/lions-for-hope-clubhouse-and-field/
- ^ http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/rugby_league/War_at_the_Shore_i.shtml
- ^ "USA Major League Soccer - Attendance - 2008". ESPN Soccernet. Soccernet.espn.go.com. 2008-11-23. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance?league=usa.1&year=2008&&cc=5901. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
