Friday, August 23, 2019

Multiple Finals Matchups, 1903-2019

The Yankees are about to begin an Interleague series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. This is the most common World Series matchup, although it hasn't happened in 38 years. It used to be the most-played Finals matchup in any sport, but not anymore.

The following includes the World Series (1903-2018), the NFL Championship Game under whatever name (1932-2019), the NBA Finals (1947-2019), the WNBA Finals (1997-2018), the Stanley Cup Finals (1893-2019), the NASL's Soccer Bowl (1967-1984), and the MLS Cup Final (1996-2018).

And it's worth noting that realignment, usually based on geography, means that some of these matchups can never happen again, barring further realignment.

12 times
Boston Celtics vs. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers: 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2010.

11 times
New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers: 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1963, 1977, 1978, 1981.

7 times
New York Yankees vs. New York/San Francisco Giants: 1921, 1922, 1923, 1936, 1937, 1951, 1962.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins: 1930, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1977, 1978.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1936, 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1963, 1964. These last 2 are tied for the most-played in the NHL.

6 times
New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears: 1933, 1934, 1941, 1946, 1956, 1963. Most-played in the NFL, but no longer possible since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

5 times
New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers: 1938, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962.
New York Yankees vs. St. Louis Cardinals: 1926, 1928, 1942, 1943, 1964.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings: 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1966.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1947, 1951, 1959, 1960, 1967.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Chicago Blackhawks: 1931, 1944, 1965, 1971, 1973.
New York Knicks vs. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers: 1952, 1953, 1970, 1972, 1973.

4 times
Chicago Bears vs. Washington Redskins: 1937, 1940, 1942, 1943.
Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs: 1907, 1908, 1935, 1945.
Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions: 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957.
Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks: 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961.
Philadelphia/Oakland Athletics vs. New York/San Francisco Giants: 1905, 1911, 1913, 1989.
New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves: 1957, 1958, 1996, 1999.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 1980, 1982, 1983, 2001.
Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals: 1946, 1967, 2004, 2013.
Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

3 times
Montreal Victorias vs. Winnipeg Victorias: 1896, 1897, 1899.
Philadelphia Athletics vs. Chicago Cubs: 1910, 1929, 1930.
New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1932, 1933, 1940.
Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Rams: 1950, 1951, 1955.
New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds: 1939, 1961, 1976.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys: 1976, 1979, 1996.
New York Liberty vs. Houston Comets: 1997, 1999, 2000.
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 1988, 1989, 2004.
Detroit Tigers vs. St. Louis Cardinals: 1934, 1968, 2006.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New England Revolution: 2002, 2005, 2014.

So far, Pittsburgh vs. Dallas is the only Super Bowl matchup to happen 3 times.

2 times, MLB
Boston Red Sox vs. New York/San Francisco Giants: 1904 (Giants forfeited, but it was supposed to happen so I'm counting it anyway), 1912.
Philadelphia Athletics vs. St. Louis Cardinals: 1930, 1931.
New York Giants vs. Washington Senators: 1924, 1933.
New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs: 1932, 1938.
New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: 1927, 1960.
Baltimore Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: 1971, 1979.
Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: 1974, 1988.
Oakland Athletics vs. Cincinnati Reds: 1972, 1990.
Cleveland Indians vs. Boston/Atlanta Braves: 1948, 1995.
New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies: 1950, 2009.
Boston Red Sox vs. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers: 1916, 2018.

2 times, NFL
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago/Arizona Cardinals: 1947, 1948.
New York Giants vs. Baltimore Colts: 1958, 1959.
Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins: 1973, 1983.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 1982, 1989.
Buffalo Bills vs. Dallas Cowboys: 1993, 1994.
New York Giants vs. New England Patriots: 2008, 2012.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots: 2005, 2018.
New England Patriots vs. St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams: 2002, 2019.

2 times, NBA/WNBA
Washington Bullets/Wizards vs. Seattle SuperSonics: 1978, 1979.
Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets: 1981, 1986.
Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz: 1997, 1998.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat: 2006, 2011.
Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream: 2011, 2013.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat: 2013, 2014.
Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever: 2012, 2015.
Minnesota Lynx vs. Los Angeles Sparks: 2016, 2017.

2 times, NHL
Montreal Shamrocks vs. Winnipeg Victorias: 1900, 1901.
Montreal Hockey Club vs. Winnipeg Victorias: 1902, 1903.
Ottawa Hockey Club/Silver Seven/Senators (original version) vs. Rat Portage/Kenora Thistles: 1903, 1905.
Ottawa Hockey Club/Silver Seven/Senators (original version) vs. Montreal Wanderers: 1904, 1906.
Montreal Wanderers vs. Kenora Thistles: 1907 twice.
Ottawa Hockey Club/Silver Seven/Senators (original version) vs. Galt Hockey Club: 1910, 1911.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Seattle Metropolitans: 1917, 1919.
Ottawa Senators (original version) vs. Vancouver Millionaires: 1915, 1921.
Toronto Arenas/St. Patricks/Maple Leafs vs. Vancouver Millionaires: 1918, 1922.
Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings: 1941, 1943.
New York Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings: 1937, 1950.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings: 1934, 1961.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1938, 1962.
Montreal Canadiens vs. St. Louis Blues: 1968, 1969.
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins: 1929, 1972.
New York Islanders vs. Edmonton Oilers: 1983, 1984.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers: 1985, 1987.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary Flames: 1986, 1989.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Boston Bruins: 1988, 1990.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: 2008, 2009.
Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues: 1970, 2019.

2 times, NASL/MLS
New York Cosmos vs. Seattle Sounders: 1977, 1982.
D.C. United vs. Los Angeles Galaxy: 1996, 1999.
Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution: 2006, 2007.
Houston Dynamo vs. Los Angeles Galaxy: 2011, 2012.
Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC: 2016, 2017.

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