By ,
Published November 20, 2014
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Flyers' surprising run to the Stanley Cup finals has given the city the unusual distinction of having a team in the championship series of all four major North American sports in the past decade.
No the other North American city with teams in all four professional sports leagues can make the same claim during the past 10 years. However, the combined metropolitan areas of New York and New Jersey has enjoyed similar success since 2000.
The Flyers, who snuck into the NHL playoffs as the second last seed in the Eastern Conference, face the Chicago Blackhawks in the best of seven series that starts on Saturday. It marks the Flyers' first trip to the finals since 1997.
The city's other teams have had more recent success.
The 76ers made the 2001 NBA finals, the Eagles played in the NFL's Super Bowl in 2005 and the Phillies won the 2008 World Series before losing in 2009.
But it is the Phillies organization that helped saddle the city with its losing tag. The team, which has played under various names since 1883, has MLB's all-time record for losses.
It has been a season of mixed success for Philadelphia teams. The Eagles lost in the first round of the NFL playoffs, the 76ers did not qualify for the post-season and the Phillies lead the National League East division.
(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/flyers-cup-run-puts-philadelphia-in-unique-club