Sports in St facts for kids

St. Louis, Missouri, is a city in the United States known for its many professional and college sports teams. In 2000, Sporting News called St. Louis the nation's "Best Sports City." The Wall Street Journal also named it the best sports city in 2015.

St. Louis has two main professional sports teams. The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). They have won 11 World Series championships. This is the second-highest number of titles, only behind the New York Yankees. The St. Louis Blues play in the National Hockey League (NHL). They reached the Stanley Cup finals three times from 1968 to 1970. They also made the playoffs for 25 years in a row, from 1979 to 2004.

A view of Busch Stadium from the top of the Gateway Arch

St. Louis also has a long and interesting history with soccer. The city has sent at least one player to every FIFA World Cup that the U.S. men's team has played in. The unique game of corkball also started in St. Louis.

Major League Teams in St. Louis

St. Louis is home to some big-name sports teams. Here are the main ones:

Baseball in St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals' Busch Stadium during its first season in 2006.

The city's main baseball team is the St. Louis Cardinals. They started in 1882 and joined the league in 1892. The Cardinals won their first World Series in 1926. Their most recent championship was in 2011, making it their 11th title. The team plays at Busch Stadium, which can hold 43,795 fans. From the stadium, you can see the city's famous Gateway Arch.

In 2009, Busch Stadium hosted the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This big game, where top players from the American League and National League play, happened on July 14, 2009. It was the first All-Star Game in St. Louis since 1966.

Another team, the St. Louis Browns, played in the American League from 1902 to 1953.

Football in St. Louis

The Edward Jones Dome, which used to be the home of the St. Louis Rams.

St. Louis has been home to four different teams in the National Football League (NFL).

The first NFL team was the St. Louis All-Stars in 1923. They played their home games at Sportsman's Park. This park was also used by the city's baseball teams. The All-Stars played only one season.

The second team was the St. Louis Gunners. They played the last three games of the 1934 NFL season. They were called the 'Gunners' because their headquarters was at the St. Louis National Guard Armory.

The third team was the St. Louis Cardinals. They played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987. They made it to the playoffs three times but never won a playoff game. In 1987, the team moved to Arizona.

The St. Louis Rams were the fourth NFL team. They moved to St. Louis in 1995 from Los Angeles. The Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999, beating the Tennessee Titans. They also played in Super Bowl XXXVI in 2001 but lost to the New England Patriots. Their former home stadium in St. Louis was the Edward Jones Dome. In 2016, the Rams moved back to Los Angeles.

An important moment in football history happened in St. Louis. In 1906, Saint Louis University coach Eddie Cochems created the first modern passing offense. His player, Bradbury Robinson, threw the first legal forward pass in a game on September 5, 1906.

Ice Hockey in St. Louis

Scottrade Center

The St. Louis Blues are the city's professional ice hockey team. They are part of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team is named after the famous song "Saint Louis Blues" by W. C. Handy. They play at the Scottrade Center, which can hold 19,150 fans. The Blues team started in 1967. They are the only team from that 1967 expansion that has not yet won the Stanley Cup.

Before the Blues, St. Louis had another NHL team called the St. Louis Eagles. This team moved from Ottawa for the 1934–35 NHL season. The Eagles only played for one season in St. Louis. They lost money because of high travel costs. The team finished with a record of 11 wins, 31 losses, and 6 ties.

Basketball in St. Louis

St. Louis has been home to several professional basketball teams. The St. Louis Bombers played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1949 to 1950. The St. Louis Hawks also played in the NBA from 1955 to 1968. The Spirits of St. Louis played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1974 to 1976.

Soccer in St. Louis

Taylor Twellman was the Major League Soccer Golden Boot and MVP in 2005.

St. Louis is known as a major center for soccer in America. It has a very rich soccer history. The city does not have a Major League Soccer team right now. However, many people in the area follow high school and club soccer very closely. The Saint Louis University men's soccer team has won 10 national championships. They are often ranked among the top college teams for attendance.

In 2013, famous European soccer clubs Chelsea and Manchester City played a game at Busch Stadium. Over 48,000 fans watched. Later that year, on August 10, the Edward Jones Dome hosted a game between Real Madrid and Internazionale. This game had 54,184 fans, setting a new attendance record for a soccer match in St. Louis.

Every U.S. team that has played in the World Cup has included at least one player from St. Louis. Twenty-nine St. Louisans have been honored in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Five players from St. Louis, many from the Italian neighborhood of The Hill, were on the U.S. team for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. This team famously beat England 1-0. This big upset was shown in the 2005 movie The Game of Their Lives.

St. Louis has also been home to several professional soccer teams in the past. These include the St. Louis Stars (1967–1977) and the indoor soccer team, the St. Louis Steamers (1979–1988). The Steamers were very popular, sometimes drawing more fans than the NHL Blues. The St. Louis Ambush played from 1992 to 2000. They won the 1995 NPSL championship. This was the only professional soccer championship won by a St. Louis team.

Today, St. Louis is represented in the IPL by the St. Louis Ambush. It is also represented in the USL by Saint Louis FC.

Corkball: A St. Louis Game

St. Louis is one of the few cities where Corkball is played. Corkball is like a "mini-baseball" game. It uses a small, light ball and a thin bat. The game started on the streets and alleys of St. Louis in the early 1900s. It became popular around the country when St. Louis servicemen shared it during World War II and the Korean War. Corkball has many rules like baseball but does not involve running bases. This means it can be played in a very small area.

Individual Sports and Racing

St. Louis has been home to famous boxers. These include Sonny Liston, Henry Armstrong, and brothers Leon and Michael Spinks. The Spinks brothers are the only brothers to have both won the heavyweight boxing title. Leon's son, Cory Spinks, has also held a world title.

The Gateway Cross Cup is a professional competition for cyclo-cross. This sport combines mountain bike racing and road bicycle racing.

Gateway International Raceway is located near St. Louis in Madison, Illinois. It hosts NHRA Drag Racing and NASCAR racing events.

College Sports in St. Louis

Saint Louis University (SLU) has NCAA Division I sports teams. They are known as the Saint Louis Billikens. SLU is especially famous for its men's basketball and men's soccer teams. The men's soccer team often leads the NCAA in attendance. In 2006, the College Cup was held at Hermann Stadium on the SLU campus.

Across the Mississippi River in Illinois, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) also has Division I teams. They are called the SIU Edwardsville Cougars. SIUE is also known for its men's soccer program. They have a strong rivalry with the SLU Billikens.

Lindenwood University is in the suburb of St. Charles. Many of their sports teams play in NCAA Division II. Lindenwood also has strong programs in women's ice hockey, women's gymnastics, and men's volleyball. Their rugby program is highly ranked.

Washington University in St. Louis has NCAA Division III teams called the Washington University Bears. They have won 18 national titles in four different sports.

The The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis has hosted major college basketball events. In 2005, it hosted the final rounds of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship (the Final Four). In 2009, it hosted the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four. The Scottrade Center hosts the annual "Braggin' Rights" game. This is a college basketball rivalry game between the universities of Illinois and Missouri.

The Scottrade Center also hosted the 2007 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament.

Minor League Teams in St. Louis

St. Louis and its nearby areas also have several minor league sports teams.

Images for kids

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  The Edward Jones Dome, former home of the St. Louis Rams.