In addition to NFL and arena football clubs, Pennsylvania is home to minor league teams from a variety of different leagues. The Chambersburg Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Colts are two men's teams. The Keystone Assault, Pittsburgh Passion, and Philadelphia Firebirds are among the women's football teams in the area. All four teams play in the Women's Football Alliance.
The first pro football team to represent Pennsylvania was not one of the original eight teams that founded the NFL in 1920. Instead, it was an AFL club that called Shady Side Academy in Elkins Park its home for one season in 1969. The Pittsburgh Phantoms were members of the American Football League and played in Pittsburgh from 1960 to 1969. There are no longer any professional football teams in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania features a variety of professional and semi-professional sports teams competing in various leagues and sports... big league teams.
| Teams | Philadelphia Eagles |
|---|---|
| Sport | Football |
| League | National Football League |
| Venue | Lincoln Financial Field |
Pennsylvania also includes women's teams, notably the Women's Premier Soccer League's Lancaster Inferno. Pennsylvania does not have a club in the top-tier women's league, the National Women's Soccer League, as of 2018. However, a team from Harrisburg could join the league after it expands into Pennsylvania for the first time in 2019.
There are also several college programs that play women's soccer. The largest program is Penn State University. They play their home games at Hersheypark Stadium on the campus of Penn State University. Other schools with women's soccer programs include Temple University, Robert Morris College, and Lehigh University.
Penn State has won more than 30 national titles in all sports except track and field. The Nittany Lions have finished in the top 10 of the AP poll every year since it began recording votes in 1978. Penn State has never been ranked No. 1 by either the Coaches' Poll or the AP Poll.
They play their home games at Nelson Field on the university's Park City campus. The field was originally built for men's soccer and used by the varsity team until it was renovated for use by the women's team in 1971. Today, it is used by both men and women's soccer players.
Baseball Both teams have experienced periods of success and failure. Pittsburgh is the only state that has two clubs in the same league (National League), but in different divisions (Pittsburgh in the NL Central and Philadelphia in the NL East). The Pirates joined the National League in 1883; the Phillies in 1884.
The Pirates played in Forbes Field from 1909 to 1971, when they moved into PNC Park. The park was renamed after it was donated to the city of Pittsburgh by industrialist J.D. Rockefeller. The Pirates have won more than 100 games five times, most recently in 1992 when they took home the World Series title over the Atlanta Braves. The team's all-time record is 914-917.
The Phillies played in Baker Bowl in 1913 and in Shibe Park from 1915 to 1960. They moved into Veterans Stadium in 1980 and remained there until 2008 when they moved back into their traditional home stadium, Citizens Bank Park. The Phils have never won the World Series but they did make the playoffs eight times, most recently in 2007 when they came within one game of winning the World Series. The team's all-time record is 824-996.
Both teams have had many great players come through these gates.
Harrisburg is the professional sports capital of South Central Pennsylvania. The region is home to a variety of teams, including three professional baseball clubs, the Harrisburg Senators, the Lancaster Barnstormers, and the York Revolution. There are also two professional basketball teams based in Harrisburg: the Virginia Wings and the Washington Wizards. In addition, there is one team in the NFL Europa League competition: the Hamburg Sea Devils.
The first sporting event held in Harrisburg was a bare-knuckle boxing match on May 24, 1829. The event took place at a site now known as State Fair Park and was won by William Morganfield who defeated George Davis. Boxing has been popular in the region since then; several major events have been held in Harrisburg over the years. The most famous boxer from Harrisburg is Joe Louis, who became the Heavy Weight Champion of the World after defeating Max Schmeling in 1938. Today, many people do not know that Louis began his career as a fighter in the regional sport of brawling. He fought more than 70 bouts before becoming an official boxer, and almost all of them were won by knockout or submission.
After the death of Louis, there was no world title fight for more than five years. But now we have another famous boxer from Harrisburg fighting for the title: Manny Pacquiao.
Football is Pennsylvania's most popular sport, particularly in the Lehigh Valley, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania. Baseball is also widely played, especially among the Italian American community in the cities; the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres are all local teams. Basketball is becoming more popular throughout the state.
Pennsylvania has several major league sports teams: the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), and Phillie Phanatic (NBA); the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) and Steelers (NFL).
The Lehigh Valley has been home to many a major leaguer over the years including Hall of Famers Tony Perez, Richie Ashburn, and Dave Winfield. The Valley has also produced many great athletes including Olympic gold medalists Carl Lewis and Tommie Smith and basketball players Grant Hill and Joe Dumars. Today, the Lehigh Valley is also home to two big-league teams: the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The city of Allentown was home to the now-defunct Lehigh Valley Blackjacks baseball team from 1969-1971.
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