The San Diego Clippers were born when the Buffalo Braves headed west in the summer of 1978. Almost as soon as they got there, the team was angling to move up the 5 to L.A., which they ultimately did in 1984.
They were part of one of the craziest transactions in sports history. Whatever happened to Arizona’s first pro football team?
The Baltimore Elite Giants got their start in Nashville, before moving to Columbus, Ohio for one year, then to Washington, D.C. They moved down the road in Baltimore in 1938 and played there until 1950, before spending their final season back in Tennessee.
The Philadelphia Blazers were charter members of the World Hockey Association (WHA). However, after one season in the City of Brotherly Love, they moved to Vancouver.
The second incarnation of the Seattle Rainiers played in the Northwest League from 1972 through 1976. They were displaced when MLB’s Seattle Mainers arrived in 1977.
Major League Soccer (1996-1999) Born: June 15, 1994 – MLS founding franchise Re-Branded: October 27, 1999 (San Jose Earthquakes) First Game: April 6, 1996 (W 1-0 vs. D.C. United) Last Game: October 6, 1999 (W1-0 vs Kansas City Wizards) MLS Cup Championships: None (during Clash era) Stadium: Spartan Stadium (26,000) Team Colors: Cloudy Jade,
Arena Football League (1998-2001) Houston ThunderBears Born: December 1997 – Re-branded from Texas Terror Folded: 2001 First Game: May 1, 1998 (L 64-40 @ Nashville Kats) Last Game: July 21, 2001 (L 80-27 @ San Jose SaberCats) Arena Bowl Championships: None Compaq Center (15,050) Opened: 1975 Closed: 2003 (Re-opened as a
The Pittsburgh Pipers were charter members of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967 and won the league’s first championship. Then promptly moved to Minnesota, only to move back to Pittsburgh after one season. When that didn’t improve their situation, the team changed its name to the Pittsburgh Condors.
Canadian Football League (1995) Born: January 11, 1995 – CFL expansion franchise Folded: February 1996 First Game: July 4, 1995 (W 38-10 @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers) Last Game: November 5, 1995 (L 52-9 @ San Antonio Texans) Grey Cup Championships: None Legion Field (75,017) Opened: 1927 Team Colors: Teal, Blue, Burnt Orange & Black Owner:
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