Special Report
The Year Every Team Won Their First Championship
July 23, 2019 10:42 pm
Last Updated: January 15, 2020 9:02 am
Source: Ken Lund / Wikimedia Commons
Detroit Red Wings
> Year of first title: 1936
> League: NHL
> First year in franchise history: 1926
> Total championships: 11
One of the Original Six teams, the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 1936, immediately followed with another in 1937. Altogether, Detroit has 11 Stanley Cups.
Source: Library of Congress
Detroit Tigers
> Year of first title: 1935
> League: MLB
> First year in franchise history: 1901
> Total championships: 4
It took the Detroit Tigers five tries to win their first World Series. The franchise lost the Fall Classic in 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1934 before winning it all in 1935.
Source: Mike Powell / Getty Images
Edmonton Oilers
> Year of first title: 1984
> League: NHL
> First year in franchise history: 1979
> Total championships: 5
It takes most teams longer than five seasons to win a title, but most teams don’t have Wayne Gretzky. The Great One guided the Oilers to their first of five titles in 1984.
Source: Bowman Gum / Wikimedia Commons
Golden State Warriors (as the Philadelphia Warriors)
> Year of first title: 1947
> League: BAA
> First year in franchise history: 1946
> Total championships: 6
The Warriors’ first title predates the NBA. The franchise, then in Philadelphia, won the first ever BAA (Basketball Association of America) title in 1947 before the league became the NBA in 1949.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Green Bay Packers
> Year of first title: 1929
> League: NFL
> First year in franchise history: 1921
> Total championships: 13
Since the beginning of the NFL no team has had more championships than the Green Bay Packers, with 13. The first title came in 1929 and was also the first of three consecutive titles Green Bay won.
Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Houston Astros
> Year of first title: 2017
> League: MLB
> First year in franchise history: 1962
> Total championships: 1
The Houston Astros are one of the more recent teams to hang their first banner, taking home the 2017 World Series title.
Source: Getty Images / Getty Images
Houston Rockets
> Year of first title: 1994
> League: NBA
> First year in franchise history: 1967
> Total championships: 2
Led by Hakeem Ojajuwon, the Houston Rockets won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.
Source: Utah Daily Chronicle / Wikimedia Commons
Indiana Pacers
> Year of first title: 1970
> League: ABA
> First year in franchise history: 1967
> Total championships: 3
Though they have never won an NBA title, the Indiana Pacers were dominant when they were in the ABA in the 1970s. The Pacers were ABA champs in 1970, 1972, and 1973.
Source: Malcolm W. Emmons / Wikimedia Commons
Indianapolis Colts (as the Baltimore Colts)
> Year of first title: 1958
> League: NFL
> First year in franchise history: 1953
> Total championships: 4
Led by Johnny Unitas, the Baltimore Colts won NFL championships in 1958 and 1959. The team has since won two more Super Bowls.
Source: Riddell / Amazon
Kansas City Chiefs (as the Dallas Texans)
> Year of first title: 1962
> League: AFL
> First year in franchise history: 1960
> Total championships: 2
The Dallas Texans only existed for three seasons, winning the AFL championship in 1962 before becoming the Kansas City Chiefs the following season.
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