This season, if the Chicago Cubs fail to win the World Series (which, barring a miracle, seems very likely), it will mark the 97th straight season they’ve gone without a championship. In terms of dry spells in baseball, it will equal that of the Philadelphia Phillies who waited 97 years to win their first championship in 1980. This, of course, has led me to wonder what other teams in other sports have either gone the longest time between championships or have yet to win their first. This includes the NBA, the NHL, and the NFL (both the period before the first Super Bowl in 1967 and after). I’m not just limiting myself to professional team sports played in the U.S. and Canada. I’m also curious about what football teams in the UK have had long runs of futility.
Q: What do you call a Philadelphia Eagle with a Super Bowl ring?
A: A THIEF!!!
<Go Cowboys!>
I know the Eagles have never won a SB, but they did win a championship previous to the SB’s existence.
Beyond that, I don’t really know. Really, I just posted here to taunt Eagles fans. Not that they need it with Todd Pinston going down for the year today
Ok, sorry to hijack your thread.
Sorry Viking’s fans. You’ve greatly improved this year, but at best you’re looking at the 5th lost title game if you get that far. Bills 0-4 in the SB. Vikes 0-4 in the SB. Somebody has to break the tie.
Of the NFL teams that have won championships, the longest drought belongs to the Cardinals, who won their last championship in 1947.
All eight original members of the AFL from 1960 have won either a Super Bowl or AFL championship. And an NFL championship and an AFL championship prior to the Super Bowl count the same.
Of nonexpansion teams in the NHL, the longest stretch without winning the Stanley Cup belongs to the Chicago Blackhawks, who last won in 1961. To be more precise, of teams in the NHL that have won the Stanley Cup before and are still in the league, the Blackhawks have the longest drought.
Of NBA teams that have won a championship, the longest drought belongs to the Sacramento Kings, who won their lone championship in franchise history back in 1951 when they were the Rochester Royals.
That’s the current longest drought. However, the NY Rangers went longer than that - 54 years - between their Stanley Cup wins in 1940 and 1994. Have there been longer droughts in hockey?
There have not. The second longest was Detroit’s run from 1950 to 1995.
As there were only six teams in the league prior to 1968, it was pretty hard for a lot of long droughts to go on. Even the hapless Maple Leafs have gone “only” 38 years.
Aside from the so-called “Original six” no other team has existed for more than 37 years.
In Australia the Sydney/Sth Melb Swans are sitting on a 72 year streak.
The North Sydney Bears are on 77 years, but currently not fielding a team at the top level.
Queensland took 70 years to win the Sheffield Shield.