Forgive me for the fact that this article is incomplete because it could easily be a book. I want to ask you a simple question and open the doors to debate which will go on for as long as the city of Philadelphia exists.
Which one of our four major professional sports franchises, the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers and Flyers is the most successful. I’m talking about with regards the most championships, trips to the finals in its sports, most All-time great players, greatest teams, greatest accomplishments, winning tradition and whatever else you want to add to it.
It’s an easy question to ask but a tough question to answer. Let’s take a quick look at some of the information about each team.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t ever won a Super Bowl, but they did win three NFL Championships, 1948, 1949, and 1960, unfortunately they were all captured more than 50 years ago.
The Eagles have nine players in the Hall of Fame. That list includes Chuck Bednarik, Bob Brown, Reggie White, Steve Van Buren, Tommy McDonald, Earle “Greasy” Neale, Pete Pihos, Sonny Jurgensen and Norm Van Brocklin. There’s a good chance that former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins will one day join that group.
Some say White was the greatest defensive lineman to ever play the game. He played on a Philadelphia Eagles defense which is considered one of the best ever. It led the league in defense against the run and against the pass in the same year.
Current head coach Andy Reid will have a good chance to make the Hall of Fame because he’s led the Eagles to the playoffs in nine of the 12 years which he has coached the football team. He has taken them to five NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl. Reid has five coaches who were assistants for him, who are now NFL head coaches.
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who led the team to those five NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, still has a chance to make the Hall of Fame but he will need to put together three or four more quality seasons for another team in the league.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have won two World Series in their more 100-year history. They won in 1980 and won in 2008. Of course they have an outstanding team currently with one of the greatest starting pitching rotations in the history of the game. This team could very well win the World Series this season.
Unfortunately, they’ve also lost more games than any other team in professional sports history.
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt who is arguably the greatest third baseman to play the game, played his entire career for the Phillies. He won three MVP awards during his career.
Hall of Fame lefthander, Steve Carlton had one of the greatest years by a pitcher in the history of the game when in 1972 he won 27 games for a team which won only 59 games the entire year. He won 46% of the victories during that season.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have won two NBA Championships during their history. Wilt Chamberlain, who is arguably the greatest player to play the game, played for the 76ers and he averaged 55 points a game. He scored 100 points in a single game. They had to change the rules of the game because of his tremendous domination of the sport.
I know they won a championship in Syracuse but I won’t count that because they weren’t in Philadelphia when they won it. In the two years in which the Sixers won the championship, 1966-67 and 1982-83, each team is considered one of the greatest teams in the history of the NBA.
They have had some of the greatest players of All-Time to play for the organization such as: Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iverson.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have captured two Stanley Cups in their history, 1973-74 and 1974-75. They’ve never gone a long period of time without being in the playoffs. In 1979-1980 season, the Flyers went 35 straight games without losing and that is the longest unbeaten streak in professional sports history.
Their all-time points percentage of .578 is the second best in the NHL, behind only the Montreal Canadiens’ .590 points percentage.
Who will ever forget the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970’s?
Right now I think most accomplished team here in Philadelphia is the Sixers because of Chamberlain and the two championship teams which are considered amongst the best NBA teams ever assembled.
What do you think?
I am going out on a limb at state a Tie for the best SPort Franchises in
Philadlephia Sports History
The Philadelphia Stars from USFL and the Philadelphia Atoms of the old US
Soccer league back in the 70’s ..
As far as the 4 major sports goes,
the Flyers have been the most conistent with the Eagles getting their
If the Phils can win a WS or 2 with this current Pitching staff then they would have to be up there and the Sixers still have a long ways to go after not being very competitive in the 90’s and even recently during the post Allan Iverson era and are just starting to turn things around..
Didn’t the Sixers set the most futile record in the NBA at 9-73 back in 1972 and Phillies have over 10,000 all-time losses which I think is a MLB record
too..
Do the Philadelphia Soul get any love up here lol! They did win a Arena Bowl but I guess that’s nothing LMAO! Just joking!!!!
Jroc and we got Bon Jovi as a owner!
Is this a joke?
Phillies hands down….Non like the Eagles the Phillies are not satisfied with just being competitive and would never relish in winning nothing.
The Phillies understand their competition realizing beating the Yankees organization (which is the highest standard) is how you win championships.
A team that feels they just need to be competitive lands the Eagles exactly where they are…
We’ve been one and done since the NFC championship game in Arizona.
Phillies and it’s not even close
Paul, you would make a one car funeral procession complicated, cmon, it’s not that difficult, phillies most successful Phil franchise, don’t give me that 10 k losses bs, they have been around forever like eagles but unlike eagles they have 2 championships, both in modern era, not to mention 3 other ws appearances
Gary this is a tough question because all of the 4 teams have had their shine at some point but here is my opinion. I say the Phillies. What this team is doing now and have done in winning a world series I think wipes out everything that any other sports team in philly has done because we went 20 years in this city without a championship.
That bitter taste in all our mouths in not having a championship here was the most depressing feeling and since we’ve won I think it has taken some pressure off of the other philly teams (for now). Then we go out and get the best rotation in baseball and once we add the missing pieces in our hitting squad this team has now become the NL Yankees.
Its all about championships. Its not about your record. Its not about getting to the superbowl or the stanley cup or the NBA Finals. Its about bringing home that trophy.
I agree Songs this town bleeds Red. We use to be a football town but thats changed. Me I just love football. Eagles are my favorite but football period to me is the best sport period.
I hate to say it because hockey isn’t my favorite sport but 2 championships in about a 40 year history make the Flyers the best franchise. They also are consistently one of the top teams with very little drought years. Who can forget how bad the 3 other teams were right before the flyers won the cup… anybody remember the 72 sixers? yuck?
I am sticking with the Philadelphia Stars of the old USFL
WIth Draft picks like Chick Fusina, Kelvin Bryant, Irv Eatmann, Jimmy Celfalo,
Sam Mills,etc,etc.. They had better scouts and drafs in their short existence
than during the total Coach AR era…
Fellas let me say once again, that we must not forget the Philadelphia Athletics how about 5 world series wins in 8 world series apearances. With two sets of back to back wins. And those teams were packed with baseball legends. Check it out GCobb and get back with us. You have to dig deeper my friend.
Philadelphia Athletics
They were ours before they moved west, and while they were here they gave philly 5 world series victories, and 8 world series appearances, no team in philly comes close. And before anybody says “That was along time ago” let me just say who cares they did what they did, and 90 years from now no one can take the Phillies last world champ away.
So there you hands down, no contest the Philadelphia Athletics. Get Em.
mono, you can start a philadelphia athletics nation
A’s Nation, there you go! Haaa naw their not philly anymore so heck with them. Though they use to be of the Al teams I liked back in the day.
So Jake I guess your vote is for the Athletics of philadelphia old ha! I know that Paul agrees….right Paulie.
I do agree about the Philadelphia’s A’s (and here I thought I was an old fart)
Connie Mack, Nap Lajoie, Jack McInnis,Eddie Collins, Jack Barry, Frank Baker,
Pitchers Eddie Plank and Charles Bender were the Stars from 1902-1915 where the A’s won 6 Pennatns and 3 World Series (1910,1911 & 1913) and then a resurgance of stars in 1950’s like Gus Zernial, Bobby Short, Ferries Fain.
I am officially changing my support from the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL to the Philadelphia Athletics … Thnx Mono..
Phillies and Flyers.
Snider always tries to put a good team on the ice.
Amaro was put his mark on the Phillies.
does anyone remember the philadelphia firebirds??
It brings tears to my eyes to see that no one was dumb enough to pick the Eagles. I’m irritated that Reid as a hall of fame candidate was actually broached however. Winning some games against a weak division for 5 years, then making the superbowl going thru 8-8 Minnesota and a weak Atlanta team in 2004 after those ugly home NFC championship loses against Tampa and Carolina is not hall of fame worthy. The Eagles are not trying to win a championship, they have their success wishes fulfilled already, sold out stadiums and bargain payrolls..
The Flyers,Phillies and Sixers have all won their sports highest honor the Stanley Cup, world Series and NBA Championship, respectively. The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl. It’s a no brainer. Of all the hall of fame Eagles including Dawkins none were drafted by Reid.
The NFL is my love. There is no game like it. I’ve spent my entire 50+ years in South Jeresy within a 20 min drive to the stadium w/o traffic. The Eagles will always be my favorite team. Unfortunately, I think they have to win at least 1 SB (modern era football) in addition to their earlier championships before they’re in the Phillies league. Regular season wins, playoff wins, NFC championship games played etc. don’t hold a candle to championships won. The only cities that count regular season wins, playoff wins, NFC / AFC championship games played in are the teams that haven’t sealed the deal and won it all. Can’t remember a Cowboys, Steelers to 49er team yammering about anything but SB wins. Sorry for reminding anyone about the Cowboys. I hate even thinking about that friggin team!
To Big E,
B Dawkins is probably the only HOF that’s played for the Eagles in the Andy Reid era… Who else do you think qualifies..
Akers,Westbrook,McNabb,Runyan,T COle, J Trotter, all good players, but not HOF Worthy .. at least in my opinion…
Paulman
None of Andy’s choices are Hall of Fame material. Good, but not great.
Maybetheycan…I have to disagree…..The Eagles really don’t need to win it all
You’re talking about a successful organization from the bottom up that proves to be competitive year in and year out…
It’s about excitement!!!!
We’re excited as fans and found other reasons to appreciate our beloved Birds after not winning a Superbowl ever.
We have relegated ourselves to celebrating milestones…NFC championship games are the equivalent to winning a Superbowl.
We’re convinced…and there’s much more fun hoping just to find ourselves in the same position each year.
i mean…how many teams you know give free eyeglasses to the inner city kids?
That’s what a real winner is….we have a bifocal mobile..Can those other Superbowl winners claim that?
Spy on that Belichick!!!!!!
Find out what a real winner looks like!!!!
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!
Flyers ,not my fav sport, but consistent every decade. Since 1990 Eagles 1 trip to championship,Sixers 1,Phillies 2 and Flyers 2, All those trips just 1 championship win was phillies.Flyers tied with phillies and sixers with 2 championship wins since 1970. Flyers get edge cause they are youngest team with about same amount of championships(and trips) as the other 3
I agree Tydm for current franchises, but the question was all time, thus hands down it is the Athletics that lead the pack and at one time carried the clout and prestige known by the yankees, steelers, lakers, bulls and celtics. So there you go case closed.