Chicago is known not only for its popular sports teams but also for its devoted and enthusiastic sports fans. Attending a professional football, hockey or basketball game is perhaps the greatest way to get a feel of the city’s atmosphere. Let’s take a deeper look at the most popular Chicago sports clubs, according to ichicago.net.
1. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox is one of the most popular American baseball teams. It is based in Chicago. The team is part of the American League Central Division.
In 1893, the team was created in Sioux City, Iowa. A year later, the baseball club relocated to Minnesota, and in 1900, it moved to Chicago.
Throughout its history, the team has had several names. Among them are the Sioux City Cornhuskers, St. Paul Saints, the Chicago White Stockings and the Chicago White Sox.
In 2005, the Chicago White Sox won the MLB World Series and earned the status of Chicago hero team. The club trains at Guaranteed Rate Field, which is in the Bridgeport area.
The club was founded by Charles Comiskey. He was also regarded as one of the founders of the American Baseball League. Additionally, he was a great manager who helped to elevate the Chicago White Sox brand to new heights. Subsequently, his successors, Louis Comiskey and Grace Comiskey, took over ownership of the team.
2. Chicago Bulls
Another popular sport in Chicago is basketball. The famous NBA team the Chicago Bulls plays their home games here.
The club was founded in 1967. Only a few months later, the Chicago Bulls set a record for reaching the playoffs. Initially, most of the club’s home games were played at the International Amphitheatre stadium. Subsequently, the team moved to the Chicago Stadium.
The Chicago Bulls only needed a few years to establish a strong and competitive team. During the 1970s, the club established itself as a strong player with a defensive style.
The majority of the Chicago Bulls’ strategies were built around key players Chet Walker, Bob Love and Jerry Sloan.
The club is widely regarded as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. In the 1990s, thanks to a well-chosen lineup, the Chicago Bulls won six titles in only eight years.
None of the teams managed to break the Chicago Bulls’ record. The club won 72 games in a single season, setting an NBA record.
The 1998 NBA Finals, which featured the Chicago Bulls, were regarded as the most popular and most-attended championship in game history. The club’s best players are Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, as well as their coach Phil Jackson.
The Chicago Bulls became the third club in Chicago’s history to join the NBA. The Chicago Bulls achieved their greatest success in the 1990s, winning six titles between 1991 and 1998.
According to analysts, the 1996 lineup was one of the largest in NBA history. As of 2016, the Chicago Bulls were worth 2.3 billion dollars.
3. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional hockey club based in Chicago. The team competes in the NHL and has won six Stanley Cups.
The club has a fascinating founding story, dating back to the 1920s. Back then, Lester and Frank Patrick, managers of the Western Hockey League, approached American multi-millionaire Frederic McLaughlin. The organization was experiencing difficulties as it was unable to compete with the NHL.
The brothers persuaded McLaughlin to buy one of the teams in their league and make a large fortune from it. The millionaire succumbed to persuasion and purchased the Portland Rosebud hockey club for $200,000.
Frederic McLaughlin decided to change the name of the team, naming it “Blackhawks”. In the 18th century, this was the name given to the leader of the Sauk Indian tribe, who lived in the territory of the future state of Illinois.
It turned out that the multi-millionaire made a promising investment, as the team performed successfully even in its first season. In particular, in 1931, the Blackhawks advanced to the finals before losing to another American club. The Chicago club had a more successful season in 1933-1934, finishing second in the championship.
The Blackhawks’ greatest player was goalkeeper Charlie Gardiner. His remarkable performance enabled the team to win its first Stanley Cup. In 1934, Charlie Gardiner played his greatest game. The goalkeeper appeared to have a premonition that his life was about to end: two days after the final game, Gardiner died unexpectedly. The cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage.
The Blackhawks had a rough period in the 1980s, entering the NHL on occasion but then falling to the middle positions. Despite this, the team consistently made it to the playoffs. After another unsuccessful season in 1998/1999, the Blackhawks’ lineup was replenished with young talents.
4. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are another prominent American football club. The team is a member of the National Football Conference North Division.
The team’s history began in 1919, in Decatur, Illinois. The club was sponsored by the Staley Company. The football team was originally known as the Decatur Staleys, and it played games under that name for the first few years of its existence.
Since September 1920, the Chicago Bears have competed in the National Football League. Furthermore, the club is the league’s second-ever permanent member, having been active from 1920 to the present. A year later, the team was sold to George Halas for $5,000. The club’s base was relocated to Chicago.
The new owner became the Decatur Staleys’ head coach while also playing for the team. In 1921, the football club won the National League and was soon renamed the Chicago Bears, the name by which the team is known throughout America.
In 1922, the team acquired its first new player in football history. The Chicago Bears paid $100 for their new team member.
5. Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball club. The team is part of the National League Central Division. The Chicago Cubs, founded in 1876, are owned by the Joe Ricketts family.
The team debuted in 1876, although under a different name – the Chicago White Stockings. The team is regarded as the oldest club in the North American leagues.
In over a century, the Chicago Cubs have only won the championship three times: in 1907, 1908 and 2016. In fact, the club has established an anti-record in the history of North American sports.
There is a legend among baseball fans that the team’s numerous defeats were caused by the so-called “Curse of the Billy Goat”. From 1945 to 2016, the Chicago Cubs had no victories.
According to legend, William Sianis, the owner of a local tavern, attended the club’s match in 1945 with his pet goat Murphy. The animal had an unpleasant smell, so the fans began to demand that the man and goat leave the stadium. Sianis, enraged, left the game and wished the Chicago Cubs never won again.
Since then, the team has not only failed to win games but has also never made it to the World Series. The Chicago Cubs won only on the 46th anniversary of the death of William Sianis.