Image: Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
About This Quiz
Our long national (and international) obsession with professional sports apparently knows no bounds. From the founding of the sports network ESPN in the late 1970s to its decision to go to a 24-hour sports cycle in 2004, we as fans clearly cannot get enough. Missed last night's slam dunk? No problem! What about Monday Night Football's last-minute heroics? Sure, we've got that, too.
From "America's pastime" of baseball to the start of the NFL in 1920, from the founding of the NBA 20 years later to the relatively-new introduction of Major League Soccer in 1993, North Americans in the United States, Mexico and Canada just can't get enough. We've seen them add new teams, expand into new leagues (we're looking at you, WNBA) and adopt new cities with expansion franchises, looping in new generations of fans who will watch it ... so long as it involves a ball or a puck.
Think you're a pro sports aficionado? Ever watched sports programming or listened to sports radio and thought, "I can do that?" Here's your chance to proof your mettle. Answer these trivia questions that identify pro sports teams from throughout North America, and see if you are cut out for ESPN or if you're better suited to armchair quarterbacking.
Wiki Commons by U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Keenan Kunst
This pro sports team boasted a four-time Super Bowl winner who fans encouraged to run for mayor before he was traded away.
Seahawks
49ers
The San Francisco 49ers traded 36-year-old four-time Super Bowl winner Joe Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. Montana was so beloved in the Bay Area that some fans encouraged him to run for mayor of the city.
Vikings
Oilers
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Wiki Commons by Royalbroil
Few teams are known by a simple piece of material, except this team that boasts the "Terrible Towel."
Braves
Pirates
Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers embraced the marketing efforts of one of its broadcasters in the 1970s, who suggested the towels as a way to excite fans in a post-season game. Myron Cope suggested a towel because it was small and easily portable.
Cubs
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Wiki Commons by Benoît Prieur - CC-BY-SA
This NBA franchise was the first to draft an African-American athlete.
Celtics
The Boston Celtics were the first NBA franchise to draft an African-American athlete, whose name was Chuck Cooper, in 1950. Cooper was not the first African-American player in the NBA, though; that honor went to Early Lloyd.
Knicks
Lakers
Warriors
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Wiki Commons by Jeffrey Beall
Pro sports teams share the same name in several cities. Which two team share the name "Cardinals?"
Seattle and Green Bay
Arizona and Saint Louis
The Arizona Cardinals belong to the National Football League, while the Saint Louis Cardinals occupy a space in Major League Baseball. Both share the team name "Cardinals" despite being teams in two different sports.
New York and Cincinnati
Los Angeles and Minnesota
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Wiki Commons by Erik Drost
This pro sports team was the subject of a sports flick starring Charlie Sheen.
Oakland Raiders
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians found themselves the subject of a popular, but fictionalized, sports flick from 1989 titled "Major League." The premise of the movie was the new owner's intent to put together a terrible team in order to relocate the franchise to Miami.
Toronto Blue Jays
Cincinnati Reds
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Wiki Commons by Shaheen Karolia
Go to this pro sports team's games and you might find a famous rapper from the same city sitting courtside.
Dodgers
Raptors
The "In My Feelings" rapper, Drake, is often seen sitting courtside as his hometown team, the Toronto Raptors, wind their way through their NBA schedule. The Raptors were founded in 1993 when the NBA expanded its presence into Canada.
Rangers
Patriots
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This team's name shares part of a number important to the Declaration of Independence.
76ers
The pro basketball team, the Philadelphia 76ers, shares its name with an important date in American history that happened in the same city: the July 4, 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence. That event took place in Philadelphia's Independence Hall.
49ers
26ers
36ers
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Wiki Commons by Kevind810
Visit this team's stadium during a home game, and you're likely to hear this cheer: "Skol!"
Vikings
The word "skol" comes from Old Norse and means "cheers." It was originally being used by Icelandic men's soccer team, which agreed to share the chant with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.
Packers
Chiefs
Warriors
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This team has been given many nicknames over the years, including the Bronx Bombers and, less commonly, the Pinstripes.
Jets
Giants
Yankees
The New York Yankees are one of the most loved and most hated teams not only in professional baseball, but in all of sports. They have won nearly 30 World Series titles since being founded in 1901.
Red Sox
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
Affectionately nicknamed "Jerry World," this team's home stadium boasts a jumbotron that cost $40 million.
Chiefs
Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium, officially named AT&T Stadium, boasts a jumbotron that would take nearly 5,000 52-inch TVs to fill. The Cowboys are owned by Jerry Jones and have been playing in the new stadium since the 2009 season.
Rangers
Indians
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Wiki Commons by Maniacduhockey
Oh, Canada! This hockey team is the NHL's oldest, having been founded in 1909.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens celebrated the organization's 100th birthday in 2009. They have won 24 Stanley Cup titles, the league's highest prize, more than any other team in the National Hockey League.
Ottawa Senators
Calgary Flames
Toronto Maple Leafs
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Wiki Commons by Tony
A dominant team in the 1990s, this basketball franchise has the athlete who wore the number 23 to thank for a lot of its success.
Knicks
Cavaliers
Bills
Bulls
Michael Jordan, the Bulls' No. 23, helped lead the franchise to six NBA titles in the 1990s. As a team, the Bulls were the first to boast a 70-win season until Golden State managed it a few years ago.
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Wiki Commons by Bridget Samuels
These names say it all: Kareem, Magic, Kobe and Shaq. What team are we talking about?
The Clippers
The Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise has a storied history, with a slew of popular players beginning with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, followed by modern athletes ranging from Magic Johnson to Kobe Bryant.
The Canucks
The Jazz
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
If you make it to the end zone for this team, you might get your shot at a "Lambeau Leap."
Vikings
Packers
The Lambeau Leap, a tradition after the home team Packers score at Lambeau Field, involves scaling the walls in each end zone to get up close and personal with fans. The tradition actually started with a defensive player, LeRoy Butler, who scored his first defensive touchdown.
Pacers
Bears
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Wiki Commons by Los ruidos del deporte
This team's crest features a "C" and an "A" with a map of the Americas behind it.
Cardinal Alpha
Club América
Club América is a popular football team (or soccer, as it is known in the United States) based in Mexico City, Mexico. Part of the professional association, Liga MX, the team boasts 13 league titles to its name.
Coco Antigua
Cleveland A's
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Wiki Commons by Paul Cutler
This Chicago team plays in Soldier Stadium, an arena renamed in 1925 to memorialize soldiers who perished in combat.
Jets
Bears
Originally Municipal Grant Park Stadium, the Chicago Bears' home stadium was renamed Soldier Field in the mid-1920s in memory of American soldiers who died in combat. The Bears have played at Soldier Field since 1971 because NFL policy required them to play in a 50,000 minimum capacity stadium.
Patriots
Saints
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This team can't seem to make up its mind, having moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis and back again.
Rams
The Los Angeles Rams recently returned to their West Coast home after spending roughly two decades as the St. Louis Rams. The 1995 relocation to Missouri was met with some resistance by league officials and owners alike.
Chargers
Raiders
Chiefs
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Wiki Commons by Josh Hallett
Stop by this team's stadium and you'll likely witness fans making an axe-chopping motion in time with a wordless war chant.
Rangers
Braves
The Atlanta Braves' famous Tomahawk Chop became a fixture at the stadium after the team signed former Florida State Seminole Deion Sanders. Since then, it has become a regular occurrence at home games.
Seminoles
Indians
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NFL via YouTube
The head coach-quarterback duo for this team are the first pair to ever win six Super Bowl titles together.
49ers
Cowboys
Patriots
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots are the first head coach-quarterback tandem to win six Super Bowl titles together. The pair have been working together since the year 2000.
Steelers
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Toronto Maple Leafs via YouTube
This franchise's Hall of Famer was nicknamed "Superman" and had an affinity for coffee.
Canucks
Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs' Tim Horton was nicknamed "Superman." He was later killed in a motor vehicle accident in 1974, but not before he helped found the "Tim Hortons" chain of doughnut/coffee shops.
Oilers
Senators
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Wiki Commons by Another Believer
If you want to see this pro sports team play, you'll have to travel to Rip City. What team are we talking about?
Heat
Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers hometown of Portland, Oregon earned the nickname "Rip City" during the team's opening season. A game announcer reacted excitedly to an on-the-court play by saying, "Rip City! Alright!" The nickname has stuck ever since.
SuperSonics
Thunder
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Wiki Commons by Hayden Schiff
This pro team played its first-ever game in 2019 after its city was awarded an expansion franchise.
Orlando City
FC Cincinnati
A new soccer club came to Cincinnati, Ohio, when the city was awarded an expansion team in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference. The team was announced in late May 2018 and signed its first players just a few weeks later.
Atlanta United
Toronto FC
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Wiki Commons by Khayman
This professional football team has folded twice, but still managed to win seven championships.
Ravens
Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes have come back to life twice, after enduring one brief and one long hiatus for the club. Despite that, they have won seven Gray Cups, the championship game for the Canadian Football League.
Tiger-Cats
Stampeders
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Wiki Commons by Christian
Looking for the Splash Brothers? You'll find them on this team.
Thunder
Bulls
Warriors
The Splash Brothers duo of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson can be seen on the Golden State Warriors team, based in Oakland, California. The nickname for the pair came from their net "splashing" abilities when sinking shots, particularly from three-point range.
Timberwolves
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Wiki Commons by Aidan Siegel
Don't be frightened, but this team's stadium boasts a Green Monster.
Orioles
White Sox
Red Sox
The Green Monster, a high wall that sits in Fenway Park's left field, was originally created to keep non-paying fans from watching the game. It has become part of the Boston Red Sox lore and legend.
Yankees
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Wiki Commons by Onetwo1
If you want to see this team play at home, you'll have to go a "mile high" to do it.
Broncos
The Denver Broncos' Mile High Stadium was so-named for the city's 5,280-ft. (or mile) elevation. In 2018, the stadium was renamed Broncos Stadium at Mile High, with team officials hoping to sell new naming rights to the arena.
Chargers
Raiders
Bears
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Wiki Commons by Hefebreo
The founders of this pro sports team were employees at a cement-making operation.
Toluca
Cruz Azul
Founded as Club Deportivo Cruz Azul by cement company employees, Cruz Azul originated in the Mexican town of Jasso. Now playing in Mexico City, the cement company behind the club was its only official sponsor until 1997.
C.D. Guadalajara
Club América
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Wiki Commons by Joe Nuxoll
This soccer team's logo includes a fleur-de-lis design, which is also prominently displayed on its province's flag.
Brantford Galaxy
Montreal Impact
The Montreal Impact logo features a fleur-de-lis that is also present on the province of Quebec's flag. The team was an expansion franchise for Major League Soccer and played its first games in the 2012 season.
London City SC
Ottawa Wizards
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Wiki Commons by Gina
Bearing the name of a severe weather condition, this pro sports team was the SuperSonics' sister team for many years.
Storm
The Seattle Storm, a franchise team of the Women's National Basketball Association, was a sister squad to the SuperSonics until 2008. The Storm has boasted some quality players over the years, including Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, and has won three championships.
Thunder
Lightning
Hail
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Wiki Commons by Onetwo1
This National League champion's stadium sustained damage minutes before the start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.
Nationals
Giants
The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's were getting set to kick off Game 3 of the World Series when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Bay Area. That game was ultimately postponed due to structural damage and to assure everyone's safety.
Dodgers
Brewers
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This professional team earned back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
Blue Jays
The Blue Jays secured back-to-back championships in the early 1990s, but their hot streak came to a halt shortly thereafter. It took them until 2015 to even make post-season play again.
Astros
Twins
Brewers
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Wiki Commons by David Kindler
It took finding original franchise documents for this team to change the spelling of its name from two words to only one.
Diamondbacks
White Sox
Blackhawks
For 60 years, from 1926 to 1986, the Chicago Black Hawks were known as a two-word moniker. It wasn't until someone uncovered original franchise documents that the team reverted to a single word --Â Blackhawks -- as its name.
Blue Jays
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Wiki Commons by Carol M. Highsmith
This team revels in nostalgia, playing in the oldest stadium west of the Mississippi River.
Nationals
Orioles
Rangers
Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers not only play in the oldest stadium west of the Mississippi River, but they play in the third oldest stadium in all of Major League Baseball, behind only the Red Sox' Fenway Park and the Cubs' Wrigley Field.
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Wiki Commons by Zereshk
In 2005, this team's mascot, "Coyote," was the first mascot to be ejected from a game.
Spurs
Coyote earned notoriety when he was ejected by referee Jess Kersey for being on the court when the ball was in play. The mascot later received a pardon from then-Texas governor Rick Perry.
Rockets
Bucks
Nuggets
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Wiki Commons by Matthew Barera
This NHL team played in the league's longest game in history, one that didn't end until almost 2:30 in the morning.
Bruins
Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings bested the Montreal Maroons in a game that required nearly 117 minutes of overtime to determine a winner. That game took place in 1936, lasting through six overtimes until the game-winning score occurred just before 2:30 a.m.
Maple Leafs
Sharks
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
Even presidents love baseball, with one owning part of this team until he sold his stake in 1998.
Mavericks
Padres
Rangers
George W. Bush, the United States' 43rd president, was head of an investment firm to which the Rangers team was sold in 1989. He had partial ownership of the team until his political career took off, leaving his position with the Rangers when he was elected Governor of Texas. Four years later, he sold his share.
Mets
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Wiki Commons by Lorie Shaull
The first-ever WNBA game took place between the New York Liberty and this team for whom Lisa Leslie played.
Sparks
Lisa Leslie was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks and played 11 seasons with them before retiring in 2009. She earned numerous awards during her career, including league MVP and Finals MVP. The franchise later retired her number.
Sky
Wings
Dream
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This professional baseball team was the first to put players' last names on their jerseys.
Braves
White Sox
In 1960, the White Sox dared to be different, incorporating their players' last names onto the backs of the team's jerseys. Today, it is virtually unheard of to go to a game and not be able to recognize a player from the name on their back.
Padres
Marlins
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This team's name was inspired by a popular poem written by a man buried in the town.
Jets
Ravens
Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," the franchise adopted that name for itself when it joined the NFL in 1996. Poe spent a considerable amount of time in the city and is buried there at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Marlins
Padres
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
This NBA team has a history ... with a completely different name in an entirely different city!
Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder were neither thunderous nor Oklahoman when the franchise first started. They began as the SuperSonics some 2,000 miles away in Seattle, Washington.
Cavaliers
Heat
Nuggets
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Wiki Commons by Keith Allison