History of Chicago's defunct Big 4 league teams: Where did they go?

We all know about the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, and Blackhawks, and we've come to become fans of them. Whether you're a Cubs or White Sox fan, Chicagoland sports run strong and deep in our souls. But what if I told you about the defunct NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB teams that once called Chicago home? You'd be surprised. Let's take a look at the defunct Big 4 league teams that were once based in Chicago, but they either relocated or folded for one reason or another.

Chicago Cardinals logo (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Chicago Cardinals: Did you know that the NFL's Arizona Cardinals were once based in Chicago? Well, it's true. They were first formed in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club at Racine Street in the South Side of Chicago, making them the oldest NFL franchise still in existence. In 1920, they were one of the first teams to join the newly formed American Professional Football Association (known today as the National Football League or the NFL for short) along with the Chicago Bears (then known as the Decatur Staleys before moving to Chicago the following year). The Cardinals won two championships during their stay in Chicago, first in 1925 and again in 1947, which remains the last time the franchise won the NFL title. That year was also the last time they won a playoff game until they beat the Dallas Cowboys in the 1999 playoffs. For one season in 1944, the Cardinals merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers as Card-Pitt due to player shortages resulting from World War II. After having played in Chicago for more than 6 decades, flip-flopping stadiums at Soldier Field (where the Bears play today), Wrigley Field (the Bears' former home), and their main home Comiskey Park, the Cardinals relocated to St. Louis in 1960 (yes, another St. Louis Cardinals team). They stayed there until relocating once again in 1988, this time to Phoenix, AZ. Today, they're known as the Arizona Cardinals, playing in Glendale (just outside Phoenix). They have only appeared in the Super Bowl just once, losing to the Steelers in the 43rd edition in 2009. They have also boasted a number of Hall of Famers who played for the franchise for most or part of their careers.

Chicago Stags logo (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Chicago Stags: The Bulls weren't actually the first NBA team to be based in Chicago. That title goes to the Chicago Stags, which was established in 1946 as one of the Basketball Association of America's (BAA) charter teams along with the New York Knicks, Philadelphia Warriors (now known as the Golden State Warriors), and Boston Celtics, all three of which still exist today. Playing at the Chicago Stadium, the Stags did pretty well on the court, winning only one division title in the league's inaugural season in 1947 and appearing in the playoffs every season. In 1949, the BAA became the National Basketball Association (NBA), but the league's first season under the moniker, the 1949-50 season, would turn out to be the Stags' last. The franchise folded in 1950. Future NBA Hall of Famer Bob Cousy almost played for the team, having been traded from the Tri-City Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks) to Chicago. However, due to the Stags' disestablishment, he was then sent to the Celtics, where he became part of their championship dynasty alongside Bill Russell in the late 50s and early 60s.

Logo for the Chicago Zephyrs (Courtesy of SportsLogos.net)

Chicago Packers/Zephyrs: No joke, a team called the Packers once existed in Chicago. They were first established in 1961 as the NBA's second attempt at tapping into the Chicago market. Due to the Bears' bitter rivalry with the Green Bay Packers, the name Packers was replaced with the Zephyrs after their inaugural season. Unlike the Stags, the Zephyrs struggled mightily on the court, never making the playoffs during their time in Chicago. After two seasons there, playing at the International Amphitheatre first and then Chicago Coliseum (both of which were later demolished), the Zephyrs moved to Baltimore in 1963, renaming themselves the Bullets before relocating once again a decade later to Washington DC, where they remain to this day as the Washington Wizards. The Wizards have had several NBA Hall of Famers play for them, but they have won only one title, doing so in 1978. Michael Jordan played the final two years of his career with the Wizards after having spent his entire career with the Bulls prior. It is a strange but ironic full circle for a Chicago sports legend like him to finish his career with a team formerly based in Chicago. It would be another three years without a Chicago NBA team until the Bulls' inception in 1966.

So those were all the defunct and relocated Big 4 league teams that once called Chicago home. I hope you learned something new and valuable from this blog. I'm normally a DJ who hosts The Timeless Hour, a show that airs on UIC Radio every Saturday from 12-1 pm and looks back at the past decades of music (60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). But since it's a requirement for DJs like me to post a blog once a semester, I had to dip my toes into blogging. Writing this blog was fun, and I gained new knowledge from doing research for this one. Being a huge sports fan made it even more fun. I hope you all enjoyed reading this blog. Thank you all for reading this one.