Boston: MLB champ, NBA champ, NFL runner-up

When was the last time a city had such a high standing in the big three sports?

 

Don't forget the Revolution is in first in the MLS.

 

Celts were world champs and the Pats and Sox were runners-up in 1986-87.

 

Cleveland back in, ah, errrrrrr, ummmmmmm ...

 

18-1

 

The Lakers won in 87. That was when Magic had his baby sky hook.

 

you're right...I meant three finalists in a 10-month span from January thru October '86. Actually, four finalists in 16 months if you extend it to June '87.

 

Pats were runner up in Jan 1986, Celtics won in summer 1986, Red Sox runner-up Oct. 1986

 

Yankees and Mets in 2000 Subway Series. Ravens beat the Giants in the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia '80 wasn't bad. Phillies won the World Series. Sixers, Flyers and Eagles were all runners-up in their leagues.

 

Steelers and Pirates in 1979

But Philly has to be the biggest loser among the major cities with four major sports teams.

If I am not mistaken, that city has not won a championship since the Sixers in like 81 or 82 or whenever that was.

Think about that -- four pro sports franchises with ZERO championships for almost three decades (or close to 120 seasons.....)

That has to be the worst current streak of a city with four (or maybe even three or more) pro sports teams not winning a title

 

Foxboro(ugh)'s halfway to Providence. I wouldn't call it as much Boston as I would, as their name says, New England. Boston the city is a good 20 miles and 45 minutes away, given the traffic.

Then again, we give New York credit for the Jets and Giants, so why not.

But to somewhat answer your question, here's a list of all the times a city's sports teams have won at least one championship with another team runner up or better in a calendar year. Since the Red Sox won their title in 2007, the Boston trifecta is not on this list.

1928 - New York Rangers (Stanley Cup champions), New York Yankees (World Series champions)
1932 - New York Rangers (SC runner up), New York Yankees (WS champions)
1933 - New York Rangers (SC champions), New York Giants (WS champions)
1945 - Detroit Red Wings (SC runner up), Detroit Tigers (WS champion)
1947 - first NBA championship
1950 - New York Rangers (SC runner up), New York Yankees (WS champion)
1951/1953 - New York Yankees (WS Champions), New York Knicks (NBA runners up)
1957 - Boston Bruins (SC runner up), Boston Celtics (NBA champions)
1963 - Los Angeles Dodgers (WS champions), Los Angeles Lakers (NBA runner up)
1967 - First Super Bowl
1969 - New York Mets (WS champions), New York Jets (SB champions)
1971 - Baltimore Orioles (WS runner up), Baltimore Bullets (NBA runner up) Baltimore Colts (SB champions)
1974 - Boston Bruins (SC runner up), Boston Celtics (NBA champions)
1979 - Pittsburgh Pirates (WS champions), Pittsburgh Steelers (SB champions)
1980 - Philadelphia Flyers (SC runner up), Philadelphia Phillies (WS champions), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA runner up)
1981 - New York Islanders (SC champions), New York Yankees (WS runner up)
1983 - Philadelphia Phillies (WS runner up), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA champions)
1984 - Los Angeles Lakers (NBA champions), Los Angeles Raiders (SB champions)
1986 - Boston Celtics (NBA champions), Boston Red Sox (WS runner up), New England Patriots (SB runner up)
1988 - Los Angeles Dodgers (WS champions), Los Angeles Lakers (NBA champions)
1989 - Oakland Athletics (WS champions0, San Francisco Giants (WS runner up), San Francisco 49ers (SB champions)
1990 - Oakland Athletics (WS runner up), San Francisco 49ers (SB champions)
1992 - Chicago Blackhawks (SC runner up), Chicago Bulls (NBA champion)
1994 - New York Rangers (SC champions), New York Knicks (NBA runner up)
1999 - New York Yankees (WS champions), New York Knicks (NBA runner up)
2002 - New Jersey Devils (SC champions), New Jersey Nets (NBA runner up)
2004 - Boston Red Sox (WS champions), New England Patriots (SB champions)
2008 - Boston Celtics (NBA champions), New England Patriots (SB champions).

 

If my math is right, Cleveland has needed just three teams to go 0-for-132 since the Browns won the NFL title in 1964 (pre-Super Bowl era).

EDIT: Actually, the Cavs didn't come into the NBA until 1970, so Cleveland is only a tidy 0-for-126.