Sports in Chicago

Chicago is the home to a number of professional sports teams. It is also one of several U.S. cities to have teams from four major American sports.

The city has offered the official Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which was chosen in April, 2007, as the United States bid for those games. [Kathy Bergen and Gary Washburn (5/11/2006). [http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0605110173may11,1,2754499.story?coll=chi-business-hed City out to prove Olympic mettle] . "Chicago Tribune".] Chicago also hosted the 1959 Pan American Games.

The Chicago area has also played host to the WWE's WrestleMania multiple times, most recently for WrestleMania 22.

Chicago Teams

Chicago Griffins RFC
RSL
Rugby
Schiller Park
1973
0 Championships

Baseball

Chicago is one of five metro areas in the United States that has two Major League Baseball teams, the other four being Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore - Washington area and the San Francisco Bay Area, and is one of only two, along with New York, which has both teams in the central city.

The Chicago Cubs of the National League play at Wrigley Field, which is located in the north side neighborhood of Lakeview, the western part of which is commonly referred to as "Wrigleyville." The Cubs are the oldest team to play continuously in the same city since the formation of the National League in 1876.

The Chicago White Sox of the American League won the World Series championship in 2005, their first since 1917. U.S. Cellular Field, or "The Cell," is located on the city's south side. Built in 1990 and originally known as New Comiskey Park, it is located across the street from the original Comiskey Park. Like the Cubs, they are a founding team of their league, the American League, in 1900, and have played in Chicago's Armour Square neighborhood since their founding.

Other major league teams

The Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association is a professional basketball team. One of the team's most well-known players, Michael Jordan, led the Bulls to six NBA championships in eight seasons in the 1990s. Other well known Bulls that helped them win the championships were Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen. The new generation of Bulls, "The Baby Bulls", have made it to the playoffs the last three years.when In 2007, they swept the defending champs, the Miami Heat. The players on the team include Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Chris Duhon, Thabo Sefolosha, and Tyrus Thomas.

The Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League are the city's professional hockey team, and are an Original Six team. Some well-known players include: Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, Denis Savard, Steve Larmer, Jeremy Roenick, and Ed Belfour. The Blackhawks currentlywhen have one of the most exciting young teams in the NHL. They are led by young forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, star defensemen Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell, and goaltender Cristobal Huet.

The Chicago Bears of the National Football League play at Soldier Field. The Bears' history includes many NFL personalities, including owner George Halas, players Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Jim McMahon, William "Refrigerator" Perry, Walter Payton, and coach Mike Ditka. In the 2006 season, the Bears made it to the Super Bowl. They were led by coach Lovie Smith. Some of their players included Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Bernard Berrian, Olin Kreutz, Brian Urlacher, Nathan Vasher, Devin Hester, and Robbie Gould.

The Chicago Fire, a member of Major League Soccer, won one league and four US Open Cups since 1997. After eight years at Soldier Field, they began play at the new Toyota Park in Bridgeview at 71st and Harlem Avenue in the summer of 2006. While the Fire are nowhere near as popular as the teams in the Big Four professional leagues, they still draw an average of 15,000+ fans per game.

Other professional sports teams

Chicago has the Chicago Sky of the (Women's National Basketball Association), Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League, Chicago Wolves (American Hockey League), a National Pro Fastpitch softball team the Chicago Bandits, an Independent Women's Football League team the Chicago Force).

Other minor teams include the Chicago Machine (Major League Lacrosse), Chicago Shamrox (National Lacrosse League) Chicago Syndicate (America's Official Foot Hockey Association) and Chicago Storm (Xtreme Soccer League).

The Chicago area is also home to the Kane County Cougars, a Class-A minor league baseball team which plays in the suburb of Geneva as part of the Midwest League; the Schaumburg Flyers, Gary SouthShore Railcats and Joliet JackHammers of the independent Northern League; and the Windy City ThunderBolts, who play in Crestwood as part of the independent Frontier League.

Former Chicago-based sports teams include the Chicago Cougars of the World Hockey Association (WHA), Chicago Fire and Chicago Winds of the WFL - World Football League, Chicago Blitz of the USFL, Chicago Sting of the NASL and MISL, Chicago Express of the WBL - World Basketball League (a 6'5" and under league), Chicago Enforcers, Chicago Bruisers, Chicago Rockstars, Chicago Hustle, Chicago Skyliners, Chicago Hounds and the Windy City Rollers.

College Sports

Seven NCAA Division I schools reside in the Chicago area. The DePaul Blue Demons, Loyola Ramblers, Chicago State Cougars, and UIC Flames all play within the city limits.

The Northwestern Wildcats, Northern Illinois Huskies, and Valparaiso Crusaders are all programs that play in the surrounding area. Northern Illinois is a Division I-Bowl Subdivision school along with Northwestern, which is the lone BCS school in the Chicago area.

The Big Ten athletic conference is headquartered in Chicago suburb Park Ridge, Illinois.

ee also

*Arlington Park
*Chicagoland Speedway
*Chicago 2016 Olympic bid

References