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Sports Franchise Genealogy Trivia Quiz

It's surprising how many sports franchises started in cities or with names quite different from how we know them today. Can you trace these family trees?

A multiple-choice quiz by NormanW5. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
NormanW5

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
218,641

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
410

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Los Angeles Lakers - how many lakes do you know in Los Angeles? However, the name makes more sense when one realizes that the team moved from a place with lakes. What was its name before the move? Hint

Buffalo Lakers

Minneapolis Lakers

Michigan Lakers

Syracuse Lakers

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which is the only one of these four familiar franchises that had the same name (both city and team) when the franchise started? Hint

New York Yankees (baseball)

Chicago Bears (football)

LA Dodgers (baseball)

Boston Celtics (basketball)

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Question 3 of 10

3. Many teams have moved more than once. Where did the Arizona Cardinals football team begin? Hint

Columbus, OH

St. Louis, MO

Chicago, Il

Washington, D. C.

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Question 4 of 10

4. On October 3, 1920, the Dayton Triangles defeated the Columbus Panhandles 14-0 in the very first National Football League game ever. Looking at those two charter teams, which of these statements is correct? Hint

The Dayton Triangles eventually became the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Dayton Triangles eventually became the Indianapolis Colts

The Columbus Panhandles eventually became the Green Bay Packers

The Columbus Panhandles eventually became the Baltimore Ravens

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of the following baseball franchise moves is incorrect? Hint

Orioles from Milwaukee to St. Louis to Baltimore

Athletics from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland

Nationals from Toledo to Montreal to Washington, D. C.

Braves from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta

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Question 6 of 10

6. The Colorado Rockies is not only the name of a baseball team, it was also one of the names of an NHL hockey team. Who were they before and after they were the Rockies? Hint

Lowell Lock Monsters / Albany Devils

Ottowa Rebels / New York Rangers

The Rockies had been the Hamilton Tigers, but are now defunct

Kansas City Scouts / New Jersey Devils

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Question 7 of 10

7. NFL - football's Oakland Raiders were one of the founding members of the American Football League in 1960. However, from 1982 to 1994, the franchise was known by a different name. What was that name? Hint

Oakland Warriors

Los Angeles Raiders

Oakland Athletics

Golden State Raiders

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Question 8 of 10

8. Baseball - Five years after the Giants moved to San Francisco, they played in their previous city and stadium again, but this time as the visiting team. Who was now the home team? Hint

Mets

Colt 45s

Expos

Angels

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Question 9 of 10

9. Baseball - all four of these teams are comparatively new expansion teams. Three began their franchise history in the location indicated by their name, but one team's name changed as it moved between the 1971 and 1972 seasons. Which team moved? Hint

Arizona Diamondbacks

Houston Astros

Florida Marlins

Texas Rangers

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Question 10 of 10

10. These four teams have all been quite stable, located in the same city and with the same name for a long time. In fact, only one had an earlier life as a major league franchise in any other city or with any other name than the one shown below. Which team is that? Hint

Boston Red Sox

Detroit Tigers

Chicago White Sox

New York Mets

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Minneapolis Lakers

Founded in 1947, the Lakers spent 13 years in Minnesota before moving to dry Southern California.

2. Which is the only one of these four familiar franchises that had the same name (both city and team) when the franchise started?

Answer: Boston Celtics (basketball)

The 1901-02 Baltimore Orioles became the Manhattan Highlanders before they settled in the Bronx as the New York Yankees. And the Chicago Bears began as the Decatur Staleys (1920) and then the Chicago Staleys (1921). The Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

3. Many teams have moved more than once. Where did the Arizona Cardinals football team begin?

Answer: Chicago, Il

The Morgan Athletic Club started in Chicago in 1898. After a short stint as the Normals, they became the Racine Cardinals, one of the 10 charter members of the NFL. They then became the Chicago Cardinals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phoenix Cardinals and, in 1994, the Arizona Cardinals.

Answer: The Dayton Triangles eventually became the Indianapolis Colts

By the late 1920s, seven of the original charter teams had folded, including Columbus. The Racine Cardinals moved to Comiskey Park and become known as the Chicago Cardinals, and the Decatur Staleys moved into Chicago and became the Chicago Bears. The Dayton Triangles played the longest as originally organized, but on July 12, 1930, John Dwyer purchased the Dayton franchise and moved them to Brooklyn, renaming them the Brooklyn Dodgers.

A few reorganizations later (Brooklyn Tigers, Boston Yanks, Dallas Texans), they became the Baltimore Colts and then the Indianapolis Colts.

5. Which of the following baseball franchise moves is incorrect?

Answer: Nationals from Toledo to Montreal to Washington, D. C.

The Montreal Expos were an expansion team and did not move from Toledo. The Athletics and the Braves kept the same team name at each stop. The Orioles were the Brewers for one year in Milwaukee before moving to become the St. Louis Browns.

6. The Colorado Rockies is not only the name of a baseball team, it was also one of the names of an NHL hockey team. Who were they before and after they were the Rockies?

Answer: Kansas City Scouts / New Jersey Devils

The Hamilton Tigers were the Brooklyn Americans when they went out of business. The Lowell Lock Monsters became the Lowell Devils in 2006 and then the Albany Devils in 2010.

Answer: Los Angeles Raiders

The Raiders moved to Los Angeles because they were promised a better-equipped stadium and greater fan support. They moved back home to Oakland because they wanted a better-equipped stadium and greater fan support.

8. Baseball - Five years after the Giants moved to San Francisco, they played in their previous city and stadium again, but this time as the visiting team. Who was now the home team?

Answer: Mets

The Giants had played in the Polo Grounds in Manhattan while they were the New York Giants. The New York Mets played in the Polo Grounds for two years until Shea Stadium was ready to be occupied. The old New York Metropolitans were the inspiration for the team's name, but there is no other connection between the franchises.

Answer: Texas Rangers

The Rangers moved to Texas from Washington, D. C., where they had been the expansion Washington Senators (replacing the original Senators when they moved and became the Minnesota Twins). The Ranger's hands-on co-owner, George W. Bush, later moved from Texas to Washington, D. C.

Answer: Boston Red Sox

Although the franchise we know as the Red Sox has been in Boston since 1901, the team was originally named the Boston Americans. It was later called the Boston Pilgrims from 1903-1906, after which it became the Red Sox.

Source: Author NormanW5

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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