Sports in Philadelphia

Temple fields the lone Division I FBS football team in the region, though many Philadelphia fans root for other programs, such as the Penn State Nittany Lions.

In addition to the major professional and college sports, numerous semi-pro, amateur, community, and high school teams play in Philadelphia.

The "Whiz Kid" Phillies, led by pitcher Robin Roberts, reached the 1950 World Series, but the team was swept by the New York Yankees.

The Hilldale Club and the Stars, two of the longest lasting Negro League franchises, were both led by local postal official Ed Bolden.

While a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, Wilt Chamberlain set several NBA records; scoring 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks is perhaps his most well-known achievement.

Andy Reid was hired as head coach in 1999, and across 14 seasons he led the franchise to nine playoff appearances and a run to Super Bowl XXXIX.

In 1994, defensive end Reggie White, running back Steve Van Buren, and two-way players Chuck Bednarik and Pete Pihos were named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

The team took its name from the Union Quakers of Philadelphia, a local club which had been denied entry into the American Professional Football Association (as the NFL was known before 1922).

The Bell played its home games in JFK Stadium, and they employed the first African-American head coach in modern professional football history (retired Hall of Fame safety Willie Wood).

After a down period in the early 1990s, Hart Trophy-winner Eric Lindros helped lead the team to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals and a string of playoff appearances.

The franchise, which had moved from Pittsburgh, folded after its only season in Philadelphia, during which the club set a record for the lowest winning percentage and the longest losing streak in league history—records that stood for over forty years.

The ASL was one of the most popular sports leagues in the country before it dissolved due to the onset of the Great Depression and disagreements with the United States Football Association and FIFA.

Hall of Fame Bethlehem Steel players include Jock Ferguson, Robert Millar, Harry Ratican, Tommy Fleming, and Archie Stark, whose international record of 70 goals in one season stood for 87 years before it was broken by Lionel Messi in 2012.

[40] The Philadelphia Spartans, owned by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, played at Temple Stadium for the NPSL's lone season.

Philadelphia goalkeeper and Pennsylvania native Bob Rigby became the first soccer player to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated following the club's championship.

The Atoms folded after the 1976 season, having been bought by Mexican owners whose plans to move the team to San Antonio were not approved by the league.

"[42][44] After King was traded, a group of investors that included Bob Mades, Paul Slater, Herbert S. Hoffman, Robert K. Kraft and Harold Bayne expressed interest in buying the original Boston Lobsters.

In 2017, the Freedoms home court moved to Hagan Arena on the campus of Saint Joseph's University, returning to play within the City of Philadelphia for the first time since 1974.

However, the current NWSL side NJ/NY Gotham FC, normally based at Red Bull Arena in New York City's New Jersey suburbs, played one home game at Subaru Park in both 2021 and 2022.

Many fans in the Philadelphia area also root for the Atlantic Coast Conference-affiliated University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish or the Big Ten-affiliated Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Philadelphia enjoys a unique basketball rivalry among the Big 5, a group that historically consisted of five local Division I universities: Temple, Saint Joseph's, Penn, Villanova, and La Salle.

Saint Joseph's and La Salle compete in the Atlantic 10, while Penn and Villanova are perennial powers in the Ivy League and the Big East.

Each year, twelve teams, including five from the area and seven from across the United States or guest international sides, are invited to participate in the festival.

Though born in Beaufort, South Carolina, former world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist Joe Frazier lived in Philadelphia.

[90][91] Other prominent boxers from the Philadelphia area include Danny García, Bryant Jennings, Jesse Hart, Tyrell Biggs, Tommy Loughran, Jimmy Young, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Meldrick Taylor, Tyrone Crawley, Steve Cunningham, Buster Drayton, Joey Giardello, Eric Harding, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Harold Johnson, and David Reid.

In 2014, Mo'ne Davis was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for her performance in the 2014 Little League World Series as a member of the Taney Dragons.

Basketball players from Philadelphia and the surrounding area include Dawn Staley, Debbie Black, Geoff Petrie, Kobe Bryant, Earl Monroe, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Kyle Lowry, and Elena Delle Donne.

Other prominent Philadelphia sports figures include Flyers owner Ed Snider, Philadelphia Warriors owner Eddie Gottlieb, Sixers director of statistical information Harvey Pollack, Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack, former NFL commissioner Bert Bell, former Phillies general manager Pat Gillick, former Phillies managers Larry Bowa, Charlie Manuel, and Dallas Green, former Flyers coach Fred Shero, former Sixers coaches Alex Hannum and Billy Cunningham, and former Eagles head coaches Doug Pederson, Greasy Neale, and Dick Vermeil.

The channel carries all Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers games that are not nationally televised, along with numerous Philadelphia-area college sports events.

Prominent members of the sports media (past and present) include Richie Ashburn (who also played for the Phillies), Gene Hart, Harry Kalas, Merrill Reese, Jayson Stark, Jack Whitaker, Bill Campbell, Ray Didinger, Phil Jasner, Bill Conlin, Michael Barkann, Angelo Cataldi, Mike Missanelli and Howard Eskin.

Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia , home of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball , the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports , dating back to 1883 [ 1 ]
Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia, home of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League
Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, home of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association
Subaru Park in Chester , home of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer
The Philadelphia Phillies final game at Veterans Stadium , a multi-purpose stadium in South Philadelphia , on September 29, 2003. The Phillies played at Veterans Stadium from 1971 until 2003. The stadium was demolished in March 2004.
Phillies players rush the field at Citizens Bank Park after winning the 2008 World Series on October 29, 2008. The Phillies have won the World Series twice in their history, in 1980 and 2008.
Four-time NBA MVP Wilt Chamberlain (right) of the Philadelphia 76ers and former Golden State Warriors teammate Nate Thurmond
The Philadelphia Eagles are presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LII , February 4, 2018
The Frankford Yellow Jackets team photo in 1926. Launched in 1899, the Yellow Jackets were Philadelphia's first professional football team and won the 1926 NFL season with a season record of 14–1–2.
Dave Schultz , who played for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1971 to 1976, helped lead the Flyers to two Stanley Cup victories while also helping establish their reputation as the Broad Street Bullies, setting the all-time NHL record for most penalty minutes in a season (472 in 1973–74). [ 28 ]
Subaru Park , home of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer (MLS)
Bethlehem Steel F.C. , c. July 1921
Philadelphia Union club photo in 2017
The Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York City in January 2007
Ron Jaworski , former Eagles quarterback and former owner of the Soul
The Philadelphia Athletics , formed in 1860, were the first major league baseball team in Philadelphia
Lehigh Valley Phantoms , the primary development team of the Philadelphia Flyers , playing at PPL Center in Allentown in December 2019
The Philadelphia Wings versus the Minnesota Swarm . The Wings relocated from Philadelphia in 2014 to become the New England Black Wolves .
The 1917–18 Bethlehem Steel F.C. , winner of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2005 Army–Navy football game , played at Lincoln Financial Field ; Philadelphia has hosted the annual game more often than any other city.
College basketball at the University of Pennsylvania 's Palestra ; the Palestra hosts many Big Five games, an intense college basketball rivalry among the Philadelphia area's five major NCAA Division I teams.
Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River , an enduring symbol of Philadelphia's rich rowing history, April 2006
Rower John B. Kelly Sr. of Philadelphia, winner of three Olympic gold medals in the 1920s
Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania hosts the annual Penn Relays
Joe Frazier of Philadelphia, known as "Smokin' Joe", was the world's undisputed heavyweight boxing champion from 1970 to 1973
Thoroughbred racehorse Smarty Jones , winner of both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2004, at Philadelphia Park Racetrack
Tennis player Bill Tilden , widely considered one of the best tennis players of the first half of the 20th century. [ 99 ]
Paul Arizin , one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
Harry Kalas , a beloved play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1971 until his death in 2009