Special Sub-Topic: Sports Droughts Click Here To Play: Sports Droughts

America's pastime, Major League baseball. The Boston Red Sox went 86 years without a World Series win, from 1918 to 2004. Which team was waiting even longer, without a World Series title, when the Red Sox broke their drought?

Chicago Cubs. After making three consecutive appearances in the World Series from 1906-07-08, and winning the two latter ones, they were still looking for a win when the Red Sox broke their drought in 2004. They had their seven opportunities during those 96 years but couldn't cash in on one of them - 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938, and 1945.

American Football: Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most exciting days of the year for sports fans. However, not all teams are regular competitors in the event. The first Super Bowl was played n January 1967 and, 40 years later, Super Bowl XLI was played in February 2007. During those 40 years, eleven teams had won the Super Bowl more than once: which one of those eleven teams had the longest drought between Super Bowl victories?

Colts. The Colts won the big game in 1971 vs. Dallas Cowboys (16-13), when they were the Baltimore Colts. They won again in 2007 vs. Chicago Bears (29-17), as the Indianapolis Colts, after a 36 year drought. The eleven teams to win more than once during those 40 years: 5 : Pittsburgh Steelers (1975-76-79-80-2006) 5 : San Francisco 49ers (1982-85-89-90-95) 5 : Dallas Cowboys (1972-78-93-94-96) 3 : Oakland/LA/Oakland Raiders (1977-81-84) 3 : Washington Redskins (1983-88-92) 3 : Green Bay Packers (1967-68-97) 3 : New England Patriots (2002-04-05) 2 : New York Giants (1987 and 1991) 2 : Miami Dolphins (1973 and 1974) 2 : Denver Broncos (1998 and 1999) 2 : Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (1971 and 2007)

Ice Hockey: Another long-time tradition in North American sports is the Stanley Cup. Colorado Avalanche became the 12th NHL team to win two or more Stanley Cups when they lifted the trophy in 2001. Of those 12 teams, which one went 53 seasons without a championship, setting a record of having the longest drought between Stanley Cup victories?

New York Rangers. The NY Rangers had a Stanley Cup drought between the 1939-1940 season and the 1993-1994 season, for a 53 season drought. Chicago Blackhawks had a 23 year drought between 1938 and 1961, and the Boston Bruins went for 29 years between 1941 and 1970. The twelve teams were: 24: Montreal Canadiens (from 1916 to 1993) 13: Toronto Maple Leafs (from 1918 to 1967) 9 : Detroit Red Wings (from 1936 to 1998) 5 : Boston Bruins (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972) 5 : Edmonton Oilers (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990) 4 : New York Islanders (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983) 4 : New York Rangers (1928, 1933, 1940, 1994) 3 : Chicago Blackhawks (1934, 1938, 1961) 2 : Philadelphia Flyers (1974 and 1975) 2 : New Jersey Devils ( 1995 and 2000) 2 : Pittsburgh Penguins (1991 and 1992) 2 : Colorado Avalanche (1996 and 2001)

Basketball: the NBA was formed in 1947 and, almost half a centruty later, the Houston Rockets became the 9th team to win multiple championships when they won the title in 1995. Fast forward to 2008, when the Boston Celtics were crowned champions for the 17th time -- there were still 9 teams with multiple championships. Among these 9 teams with at least 2 championships during those 61 years of the NBA, which team suffered the longest drought between victories?

Boston Celtics. The Celtics had a championship drought of 22 years from 1986-2008. A little surprising considering the Celtics have the most titles of any NBA team with 17. Teams with multiple wins were: 17 : Boston Celtics (1957-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-68-69-74-76-81-84-86, 2008) 14 : Los Angeles Lakers (1949-50-52-53-54-72-80-82-85-87-88, 2000-01-02) 6 : Chicago Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) 4 : San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) 3 : Golden State Warriors (1947, 1956, 1975) 3 : Philadelphia 76ers (1955, 1967, 1983) 3 : Detroit Pistons (1989, 1990, 2004) 2 : New York Knicks (1970, 1973) 2 : Houston Rockets (1994, 1995)

Several sports cities in America have waited a long time for another championship in ANY sport. However, which city stands above them all (in a sense) as the city with the longest drought without any sports championships in the 20th century (among cities with at least three sports franchises)?

Cleveland. Cleveland last won a major sports championship in 1964, when the Cleveland Browns won the NFL championship. Since that victory, no Cleveland sports team had won a title by the end of thee century. The last Seattle team to win a title was the Seattle SuperSonics, who won the NBA in 1979. The last San Diego professional team to win a major championship was the Chargers in 1963 (in the pre-NFL AFL). However, San Diego only has two major teams (Padres and Chargers) and therefore does not meet the criteria listed. Buffalo's last title in a major sport came from the Buffalo Bills in 1965 (in the AFL). The Buffalo Bills made four straight Super Bowls from 1990-1993, but they lost all four. The Buffalo Sabres have never won the Stanley Cup.

The UEFA Champions League (formerly the European Cup) began in in 1955 and, 41 years later in the 2006 final, Barcelona won their second title. They became the 12th team to achieve that feat (two or more wins). Of those 12 teams, which club suffered the longest drought between European Cup wins during those 41 years?

Real Madrid. Real Madrid endured a span of 32 years without winning the European Cup, from 1966 to 1998. Manchester United had their next longest drought, 31 years from 1968 to 1999. These were the 12 teams: 9 : Real Madrid (1956-57-58-59-60-66-98, 2000-02) 7 : AC Milan (1963-69-89-90-94, 2003-07) 5 : Liverpool (1977-78-81-84, 2005) 4 : Ajax Amsterdam (1971-72-73-95) 4 : Bayern Munich (1974-75-76, 2001) 3 : Manchester United (1968, 1999, 2008) 2 : Benfica (1961, 1962) 2 : Inter Milan (1964, 1965) 2 : Nottingham Forest (1979, 1980) 2 : Juventus (1985, 1996) 2 : FC Porto (1987, 2004) 2 : Barcelona (1992, 2006)

Australia: the National Rugby League (formerly the NSWRL and ARL) began in 1908 and, 95 years later in the 2003 final, Penrith won their second title. They became the 14th team to win at least two premierships. Of those 14 teams, which had the longest drought between titles during those 95 years?

Canterbury-Bankstown. Canterbury-Bankstown won the title in 1942, but then they did not win again until 1980 for a 38 year drought. The 14 teams with multiple premierships were: 20 : South Sydney (1908-09-14-18-25-26-27-28-29-31-32-50-51-53-54-55-67-68-70-71) 15 : St George (1941-49-56-57-58-59-60-61-62-63-64-65-66-77-79) 12 : Eastern Suburbs / Roosters (1911-12-13-23-35-36-37-40-45-74-75, 2002) 11 : Balmain (1915-16-17-19-20-24-39-44-46-47-69) 8 : Canterbury-Bankstown (1938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004) 6 : Manly-Warringah (1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996) 5 : Brisbane Broncos (1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000) 4 : Parramatta (1981, 1982, 1983, 1986) 4 : Western Suburbs (1930, 1934, 1948, 1952) 3 : Canberra Raiders (1989, 1990, 1994) 3 : Newtown (1910, 1933, 1943) 2 : Newcastle Knights (1997, 2001) 2 : North Sydney (1921, 1922) 2 : Penrith (1991, 2003)

In the Australian Football League (formerly the VFL), the Swans won the 2005 grand final to end a record-breaking 72 year drought. Which team had been waiting 51 years for a title to break their drought, when the Swans broke their drought?

Western Bulldogs. The longest drought in AFL history belonged to the Sydney Swans (formerly South Melbourne), who endured a 72-year drought between premierships from 1933 until 2005 -- when the Western Bulldogs (formerly Footscray) were left waiting for 51 years; their last premiership was in 1954. This is the full list of droughts when the 2005 grand final was played, showing the year each team last won a premiership: 1933 (72 years) South Melbourne 1954 (51 years) Footscray 1963 (42 years) Geelong 1964 (41 years) Melbourne 1966 (39 years) St Kilda 1977 (28 years) North Melbourne 1980 (25 years) Richmond 1990 (15 years) Collingwood 1991 (14 years) Hawthorn 1994 (11 years) West Coast Eagles 1995 (12 years) Carlton 1995 (12 years) Fremantle (joined AFL) 1998 ( 7 years) Adelaide Crows 2000 ( 5 years) Essendon 2003 ( 2 years) Brisbane Lions 2004 ( 1 year) | Port Adelaide

This one is actually quite humorous. In the sport of cricket, the states of Australia contest the Sheffield Shield (this competition began in 1892). One state did not win its first Sheffield Shield until 1994. Which state went the longest before winning its first Sheffield Shield?

Queensland. There are six states in Australia. When the Sheffield Shield competition began in 1892 it was contested by New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia: Victoria won the first Sheffield Shield, South Australia won the second, Victoria won the next one, and New South Wales had their first win the year after, in the 4th competition. Queensland joined in 1926, and won their first title in 1994. Western Australia joined in 1947, and won the title at their first attempt. Tasmania was admitted in 1977, and won their first title in 2007. Queensland won its Sheffield Shield final in its 63rd year of competing for the title. This isn't a terribly long time, but since there were "only" five or six teams competing for the shield each year, that's not a good drought to have! Seriously, they couldn't even get lucky once in those 63 years?

FIFA World Cup (began 1930). When Argentina won their second world cup in 1986, they joined an elite club with a membership of five, being countries which have won two worLd cups. Of those 5 countries, which one had the longest span between victories during those 56 years?

Italy. Italy went 44 years without a World Cup victory from 1938-1982. Their win in 1982 was their third, equaling the number of wins by Brazil. 3 : Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970) 3 : Italy (1934, 1938, 1982) 2 : Uruguay (1930, 1950) 2 : Germany (1954, 1974) 2 : Argentina (1978, 1986) These 5 countries won all 13 world cups from 1930 to 1986, apart from the 1966 tournament, which was won by England.