Boston Sports

Boston, MA is home to several major league sports teams. Sports are a major part of the city's culture. In the 2000s Boston's professional teams had arguably the most successful decade in sports history, winning 9 championships (4 by the Patriots, 3 by the Red Sox, and 1 each by the Celtics and Bruins).

BOSTON RED SOX

Major League Baseball - Fenway Park Field

The Boston Red Sox are members of the East Division of the American League . The Red Sox have won 8 World Series, having appeared in 12. Founded in 1901 as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since 1912. The "Red Sox" name was chosen by the team owner, John I. Taylor, around 1908, following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the "Boston Red Stockings", including the forerunner of the Atlanta Braves.

Boston was a dominant team in the new league, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by 1918. However, they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, called by some the "Curse of the Bambino" after its alleged beginning with the Red Sox's sale of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their world championship in 1918, an 86-year wait before the team's sixth World Championship in 2004. Red Sox history has also been marked by the team's intense rivalry with the Yankees, arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

National Football League - Gillette Stadium

In Winter 1959, locals were allowed to submit ideas for the new Boston football team's official name. The most popular choice - and the one that Sullivan selected - was "Boston Patriots".

The Patriots' time in the AFL saw them struggle most years as they never had a regular home stadium. Nickerson Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park, and Alumni Stadium all served as home fields during their time in the American Football League. They did play in one AFL championship game, following the 1963 season. They lost to the San Diego Chargers 51–10. They would not appear again in an AFL or NFL post-season game for another 13 years.

When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Patriots were placed in the AFC East division, where they still play today. The following year, the Patriots moved to a new stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which would serve as their home for 30 years. As a result of the move, they announced they would change their name from the Boston Patriots to the Bay State Patriots. The name was rejected by the NFL and on March 23, 1971, the team officially announced they would become the New England Patriots.

The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl eight times in franchise history. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in Super Bowl XX in 1986, losing to the Chicago Bears 10–46. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, losing to the Green Bay Packers 21–35. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl championship in 2002, defeating the St. Louis Rams 20–17 in Super Bowl XXXVI.

BOSTON BRUINS

National Hockey League - Gillette Stadium, TD Garden

Since November 1, 1924, the Boston Bruins have been at the epicenter of hockey in New England.

On that day, a young grocery store financier from Vermont, Charles Francis Adams, who had fallen in love with the game while watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, paid the National Hockey League a rumored $15,000 for the privilege of owning a team in the finest hockey league in the world and icing the first American based squad in the NHL.

After that seminal day, the Bruins have served as the beloved hometown hockey team for each New England town, hamlet, city and village.

At their best, the squad has been a world-beater, with names such as Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, Bourque and Neely becoming household words as they led Boston to numerous division and conference crowns and five Stanley Cups. And even in the years when they did not post much of a challenge to their NHL brethren, Boston's hockey team held true to the notion that Bruins do not leave anything on the ice.

BOSTON CELTICS

National Basketball Association - TD Garden

The Celtics were formed in 1946 as a team in the Basketball Association of America, and became part of the National Basketball Association after the merger of the BAA and the National Basketball League to form the NBA in the fall of 1949. In 1950, the Celtics became the first franchise to draft an African American player, signing Chuck Cooper. The Celtics had struggled during their early years, but the hiring of Coach Red Auerbach would change their fortunes.

After the 1966 championship, Auerbach retired as coach and Bill Russell took over as player-coach. With his appointment, Russell also became the first African American coach in any sport.

Russell retired after the 1969 season, effectively ending a dominant Celtics dynasty that had garnered 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. The streak of 8 consecutive NBA championships is the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. professional sports history.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

Major League Soccer - Gillette Stadium

The New England Revolution are an American professional soccer club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts that competes in Major League Soccer. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception.

The club is owned by Robert Kraft who is a major investor of the club. The name "Revolution" refers to the New England region's significant involvement in the American Revolution.

New England currently play their home matches at Gillette Stadium. The club played their home games at the adjacent and now-demolished Foxboro Stadium, from 1996 until 2001. The Revolution hold the distinction of being the only original MLS team to have every league game in its history televised.

The Revolution were one of ten original MLS franchises to compete in the league's inaugural season. However, it took them until the year 2007—their twelfth year of existence—to win their first trophy, the 2007 US Open Cup. The following year, they won the 2008 North American SuperLiga. The Revolution have never won an MLS Cup nor MLS Supporters' Shield, despite reaching the MLS Cup finals in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2014; and having the second best regular season record in 2005.