North American Team Sports Championships
Almost all of the major North American team sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer) have had championships for some time. Getting into the playoffs and winning the championship is the goal that all professional sports teams strive for throughout their playing season.
The oldest North American team sports championships are:
- 1893: Stanley Cup - The oldest team sports championship in North America is the Stanley Cup. It was first awarded in 1893 to Montreal AAA. At its inception, the Stanley Cup was a challenge cup. Teams could challenge the reigning champion to try to win the cup. As of 1915, the Stanley cup became an annual event much as it is today.
- 1903: World Series - The second oldest team championship is the World Series. The first World Series was won by the Boston Red Sox in 1903, who at the time were called the Boston Americans.
- 1909: Grey Cup - The third oldest championship is Canadian Football's Grey Cup which was first won by the University of Toronto in 1909. From its beginning to 1954, non-professional teams could play for the Grey Cup. As of the founding of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1958, the Grey Cup became the championship of the CFL.
- The remaining North American Championships started in:
- 1920/1967: NFL Championships/Super Bowl - The NFL Championships which started in 1920 with the crowning of the first NFL champion, the Akron Pros. The NFL Championships were replaced by the Super Bowl in 1967, the first of which was won by the Green Bay Packers.
- 1947: NBA Finals - The championship of the NBA, the NBA Finals, started in 1947 and was first won by the Philadelphia Warriors.
- The most recent championships on the scene are:
- 1996: MLS Cup - Major League Soccer's MLS Cup was first awarded to DC United in 1996
- 1997: WNBA Finals - WNBA Finals championships first won by the Houston Comets in 1997.
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