Guide to Philadelphia: The Sports Report

Philly Sports Teams Go Pro

Philadelphia is one of relatively few cities in the country to host all four major sports: baseball, basketball, football and hockey. That's the Phillies, 76ers, Eagles, and Flyers to the locals. With such an array of sporting events to attend, local fans pack venues to see games. Interesting local folklore insists that the Curse of Billy Penn prevents them from winning major events, however. The story goes that during the history of Philadelphia, a gentlemen's agreement prevented local architects from building skyscrapers taller than a statue of William Penn that stood on top of City Hall. Two Liberty Place buildings rose taller than the statue in the 1980s, and coincidentally (or not so coincidentally), a championship has not been won in any major sport since 1983.

Find School Spirit: University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Athletes from the University of Pennsylvania have participated in the Penn Relays every year since 1895. A track and field event that attracts teams from colleges and high schools across the country, the three-day festival attracted more than 100,000 spectators in 2006. Athletes compete for the best times and scores in running, relays, high jump, long jump, discus, javelin and hammer throwing. Categories are separated by gender and educational level.

Horses, Marathons, Cycling and More

The Philadelphia Park track hosts more than one high-stakes horse race per year, including the Cotillion Handicap with a winning purse of $250,000. Other sporting events take place in Philadelphia as well, including the Philadelphia Marathon, the International Championship cycling event, and the Stotesbury Cup, a crew race that takes place on the Schuylkill River.

Sources:
Philly.com
The Penn Relays