Sunday, January 19, 2014

Cities' Finals Appearances As Of Super Bowl XLVIII

Note that this only includes cities that currently have a team in MLB, the NFL, the NBA and the NHL. Not the WNBA, or any soccer league. And if I count Canadian cities, then I'm going to have to go way back into pre-NHL Stanley Cup history, and into that of the Grey Cup, both of which are, to put it politely, complicated. For similar reasons, I'm only counting baseball Pennants won from the 1901 founding of the American League onward, and not the 1914-15 Federal League.

I will also do this for the teams that won the titles of the AFL, the ABA and the WHA, even though they had no chance to play the champions of the established league in their sport.

I will also do this even for the teams that no longer exist. Example: Minneapolis has reached the NBA Finals with the Lakers, who moved to Los Angeles in 1960, so that team is still included; however, the New York State cities of Rochester and Syracuse, though each won an NBA Championship, no longer have a team in any of the 4, and thus are not counted.

With NFL teams, I'm using the calendar year in which the season began. For example, for the Seahawks and Broncos, both reaching the Super Bowl today, it will be "2013," not "2014." For all other sports, it's the year in which the season ended: For the Heat and Blackhawks, it will be "2013."

Ties will be broken by most World Championships won, and then by most recent appearance.

1. New York (including New Jersey & Long Island), 120: 1904, '05, '11, '12, '13, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24, '33, '36, '37, '51 and '54 baseball Giants; 1916, '20, '41, '47, '49, '52, '53, '55, '56 Dodgers; 1921, '22, '23, '26, '27, '28, '32, '36, '37, '38, '39, '41, '42, '43, '47, '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '57, '58, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '76, '77, '78, '81, '96, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '03 and '09 Yankees; 1927, '33, '34, '35, '38, '39, '41, '44, '56, '58, '59, '61, '62, '63, '86, '90, 2000, '07 and '11 football Giants; 1928, '29, '32, '33, '37, '40, '50, '72, '79 and '94 Rangers; 1951, '52, '53, '70, '72, '73, '94 and '99 Knicks; 1968 Jets; 1969, '73, '86 and 2000 Mets; 1974, '76, 2002 and '03 Nets (first 2 in ABA, didn't get to face Celtics); 1980, '81, '82, '83 and '84 Islanders; 1995, 2000, '01, '03 and '12 Devils.

In these various finals, New York has faced Los Angeles teams 10 times, Chicago 9, Boston 7, Philadelphia and Milwaukee-Green Bay 6 each, Baltimore and St. Louis 5, Detroit 4; Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Toronto 3 each; twice each for Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Edmonton, Montreal, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, San Francisco-Oakland, Vancouver and Washington; once each for Buffalo, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Rochester, San Antonio, San Diego and Vancouver; and other New York teams 28 times.

2. Boston, 63: 1903, '04, '12, '15, '16, '18, '46, '67, '75, '86, 2004, '07 and '13 Red Sox; 1914 and '48 Braves; 1927, '29, '30, '39, '41, '43, '46, '57, '58, '70, '72, '74, '77, '78, '88, '90, 2011 and '13 Bruins; 1936 Redskins (moved to Washington the next season); 1957, '58, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '68, '69, '74, '76, '81, '84, '85, '86, '87, 2008 and '10 Celtics; 1973 Whalers (WHA, didn't get to face Canadiens, moved to Hartford in 1974 and Carolina in 1997); 1985, '96, 2001, '03, '04, '07 and '11 Patriots.

3. Chicago, 51: 1901, '06, '17, '19, '59 and 2005 White Sox; 1906, '07, '08, '10, '18, '29, '32, '35, '38 and '45 Cubs; 1921, '32, '33, '34, '37, '40, '41, '42, '43, '46, '63, '85 and 2006 Bears; 1925, '47 and '48 Cardinals; 1931, '34, '38, '44, '61, '62, '65, '71, '73, '92, 2010 and '13 Blackhawks; 1947 Stags (early NBA); 1991, '92, '93, '96, '97 and '98 Bulls.

4. Detroit, 45: 1907, '08, '09, '34, '35, '40, '45, '68, '84, 2006 and 2012 Tigers; 1934, '36, '37, '41, '42, '43, '45, '48, '49, '50, '52, '54, '55, '56, '61, '63, '64, '66, '95, '97, '98, 2002, '08 and '09 Red Wings; 1935, '52, '53, '54 and '57 Lions; 1988, '89, '90, 2004 and '05 Pistons.

5. Los Angeles (including Anaheim), 45: 1949, '50, '51, '55 and '79 Rams; 1983 Raiders; 1959, '63, '65, '66, '74, '77, '78, '81 and '88 Dodgers; 2002 Angels; 1962, '63, '65, '66, '68, '69, '70, '72, '73, '80, '82, '83, '84, '85, '87, '88, '89, '91, 2000, '01, '02, '04, '08, '09 and '10 Lakers; 1993 and 2012 Kings; 2003 and 2007 Ducks. The Clippers are the only L.A. team that has never made a Finals. Detroit has won 23 of their 45 Finals, L.A. 21 of their 45.

6. Philadelphia, 40: 1902, '05, '10, '11, '13, '14, '29, '30 and '31 Athletics; 1915, '50, '80, '83, '93, 2008 and '09 Phillies; 1926 Yellow Jackets (early NFL); 1947, '48, '49, '60, '80 and 2004 Eagles; 1947, '48, '55 and '56 Warriors; 1967, '77, '80, '82, '83 and 2001 76ers; 1974, '75, '80, '85, '87, '97 and 2010 Flyers.

7. St. Louis, 30: 1926, '28, '30, '31, '34, '42, '43, '44, '46, '64, '67, '68, '82, '85, '87, 2004, '06, '11 and '13 Cardinals; 1944 Browns; 1957, '58, '60 and '61 Hawks; 1968, '69 and '70 Blues; 1999 and 2001 Rams.

8. San Francisco (including Oakland), 25: 1962, '89, 2002, '10 and '12 Giants; 1967, '76, '80 and 2002 Raiders; 1969 Oaks (ABA, didn't get to face Celtics); 1981, '84, '88, '89, '94 and 2012 49ers; 1972, '73, '74, '88, '89 and '90 Athletics; 1964, '67 and '75 Warriors. The San Jose Sharks are the only Bay Area team that has never made a Finals.

9. Pittsburgh, 22: 1901, '02, '03, '09, '25, '27, '60, '71 and '79 Pirates; 1968 Pipers (ABA, didn't get to face Celtics); 1974, '75, '78, '79, '95, 2005, '08 and '10 Steelers; 1991, '92, 2008 and '09 Penguins.

10. Milwaukee (including Green Bay), 21: 1929, '30, '31, '36, '38, '39, '44, '60, '61, '62, '65, '66, '67, '96, '97 and 2010 Packers; 1957 and '58 Braves; 1971 and '74 Bucks; 1982 Brewers.

11. Cleveland, 19: 1920, '48, '54, '95 and '97 Indians; 1920 Akron Pros (early NFL); 1922, '23 and '24 Canton Bulldogs (early NFL); 1945 Rams (moved to Los Angeles the next year); 1950, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '57 and '64 Browns; 2007 Cavaliers. No, I'm not counting the Browns' 4 AAFC titles.

12. Washington, 17: 1924, '25 and '33 Senators; 1937, '40, '42, '43, '45, '82, '83, '87 and '91 Redskins; 1949 Capitols (early NBA); 1974, '78 and '79 Bullets (now Wizards); 1998 Capitals. If you count Washington and Baltimore as a single market (but you shouldn't), that's 31, and they move up to 7th.

13. Dallas, 15: 1962 Texans (AFL Champs didn't get to face the Packers, became the K.C. Chiefs the next year); 1970, '71, '75, '77, '78, '92, '93 and '95 Cowboys; 1999 and 2000 Stars; 2006 and '11 Mavericks; 2010 and '11 Rangers.

14. Baltimore, 14: 1948 and '71 Bullets; 1958, '59, '68 and '70 Colts; 1966, '69, '70, '71, '79 and '83 Orioles; 2000 and '12 Ravens.

15. Minneapolis, 14: 1949, '50, '52, '53 and '54 Lakers; 1965, '87 and '91 Twins; 1969, '73, '74 and '76 Vikings; 1981 and '91 North Stars.

16. Miami, 12: 1971, '72, '73, '82 and '84 Dolphins; 1996 Panthers; 1997 and 2003 Marlins; 2006, '11, '12 and '13 Heat.

17. Cincinnati, 11: 1919, '39, '40, '61, '70, '72, '75, '76 and '90 Reds; 1981 and '88 Bengals.

18. Denver, 10 : 1977, '86, '87, '90, '97, '98 and 2013 Broncos; 1996 and 2001 Avalanche; 2007 Rockies.

19. Houston, 9: 1960 and '61 Oilers (AFL, didn't get to face the '60 Eagles or the '61 Packers); 1974 and '75 Aeros (WHA, didn't get to face the Flyers either time); 1981, '86, '94 and '95 Rockets; 2005 Astros.

20. Seattle, 8: 1917, '19, '20 and '22 Metropolitans (Stanley Cup); 1978 and '79 SuperSonics; 2005 and '13 Seahawks. The Emerald City has won only 2 World Championships, both by teams that no longer exist: The 1917 Metros (went out of business in 1926), and the 1979 Sonics (became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008).

21. Buffalo, 8: 1964, '65, '90, '91, '92 and '93 Bills (first 2 in AFL, didn't get to face '64 Browns or '65  Packers); 1975 and '99 Sabres.

22. Atlanta, 6: 1991, '92, '95, '96 and '99 Braves; 1998 Falcons. The Hawks haven't reached an NBA Finals since 1961, when they were still in St. Louis.

23. Indianapolis, 6: 1970, '72, '73 and 2000 Pacers (the first 3 in the ABA, unable to meet the '70 or '73 Knicks or the '72 Lakers); 2006 and '09 Colts.

24. San Antonio, 5: 1999, 2003, '05, '07 and '13 Spurs.

25. Kansas City, 4: 1966 and '69 Chiefs; 1980 and '85 Royals.

26. Phoenix, 4: 1976 and '93 Suns, 2001 Diamondbacks, 2008 Cardinals.

27. Portland, 4: 1916 Rosebuds (Stanley Cup); 1977, '90 and '92 Trail Blazers.

28. San Diego, 4: 1963 and '94 Chargers (AFL Champs didn't get to face the '63 Bears), 1984 and '98 Padres.

29. Tampa Bay, 3: 2002 Buccaneers, 2004 Lightning, 2008 Rays. If you want to count Orlando in a united "Central Florida," it rises to 5, behind San Antonio.

30. Charlotte, 3: 2002 and '06 Hurricanes, 2003 Panthers. I'm counting Raleigh in with Charlotte.

31. Salt Lake City, 3: 1971 Stars (ABA, didn't get to face Bucks), 1997 and '98 Jazz.

32. Orlando, 2: 1995 and 2009 Magic.

33. New Orleans, 1: 2009 Saints.

34. Oklahoma City, 1: 2012 Thunder.

35. Nashville, 1: 1999 Titans. This total does not rise if you count Memphis.

36. Jacksonville, none.

37. Sacramento, none.

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