Sunday, April 24, 2011

Most Successful Cities Top Ten Part 4

7. Philadelphia, PA

Pro Teams: Phillies 1883-present (MLB),Athletics 1901-54 (MLB),Eagles 1933-present (NFL),Warriors 1946-62 (NBA),76ers 1963-present (NBA), Flyers 1967-present (NHL), Blazers 1972-73 (WHA)
Championships: 16 (5)Athletics (1910,1911,1913,1929,1930), (2)Warriors (1947,1956), (3)Eagles (1948,1949,1960),(2)76ers (1967,1983), (2)Flyers (1974,75), (2)Phillies (1980,2008)

History: The Fightin' Phils had some legendary teams back in the good ol' days. But it would be 97 years until the Quakers/Phillies would bring the commissioner's trophy in 1980 that would cement their dominance. Despite winning a grand total of 2 World Series titles in their 128 year history, they have 10 division titles and 7 NL pennants to add to their legend.

With Connie Mack being the longest manager in professional history, the Athletics won 5 of their 9 championships in the City of Brotherly Love. Because Philly wasn't able to support 2 franchises, the A's weren't as good as the Phillies and ended up in KC at the start of the 1955 season.
Even though the Eagles have not won a Super Bowl since the merger, they have made the postseason an astounding 23 times. To their credit, they've managed to win their division 11 times and won the conference 3 times (includes the one before the merger).

The Warriors history is quite epic. They were the first champions of the NBA (BAA at the time), beating the Stags in 5 games. Wilt Chamberlain's record of 100 points in a single game which has yet to be broken was a defining moment for the Warriors. Before the Warriors would reunite with the A's in Oakland, the team would get another NBA title and head to San Francisco before crossing the bay.

Who better to replace the Warriors than the former Syracuse Nationals. While they were in western New York, the Nats won their only NBA title in 1955 and won 3 division titles. When the team to move to Philly to become the Sixers the winning tradition continued. The team has made a total of 32 appearances in the postseason which includes their 2011 run.

It's hard to believe that the Flyers have only missed the postseason 7 times in their 43 year existence (excludes 2004-05 NHL strike). Including their current playoff run, the Flyers have made it to the Final 8 times.
Because the Miami Screaming Eagles of the WHA couldn't get their arena affairs in order, the Philadelphia Blazers came into existence. During their one season stay, they made a playoff series losing in the quarterfinals before moving to Vancouver.

Interesting facts: The Declaration of Independence was signed here. Companies like Comcast and Auto Zone are based in Philly. Will Smith and Michael Landon are some of the famous residents.

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