Aaron Astor Profile picture
Historian of the 19th Century U.S. and Professor at Maryville College. Author of Rebels on the Border and Civil War along Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau

Oct 28, 2021, 19 tweets

It's time for defunct and relocated sports team logo fun. We'll start with teams formerly in Houston and Atlanta: Three ice hockey teams (Houston Aeros in the WHA, Atlanta Flames and Thrashers in the NHL) and Houston Oilers.

Boston and Milwaukee Braves.

And now to the NBA. Rochester Royals ->Cincinnati Royals->Kansas City and KC/Omaha Kings-> (Now the Sacramento Kings)

St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics

Syracuse Nationals -> Philadelphia 76ers.
Ft. Wayne Pistons -> Detroit Pistons

USFL is filled with beauties. Some greats: Memphis Showboats, Birmingham Stallions, Oklahoma Outlaws and San Antonio Gunslingers

Chicago Packers -> Chicago Zephyrs ->Baltimore Bullets -> Washington Bullets (sometimes Capitol Bullets) -> Washington Wizards

Seattle Pilots, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants

When Cleveland had an NHL team: The Barons. They started off as the Oakland Seals.

More ex-WHA hockey: Quebec Nordiques, Hartford Whalers became Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes. But the Cincinnati Stingers and Minnesota Fighting Saints disappeared.

Some lost WHA logos: Los Angeles Sharks, Vancouver Blazers, Calgary Cowboys, and Birmingham Bulls.

Not defunct or relocated teams, but re-named teams: Houston Colt 45s (now Astros), New York Titans (now Jets) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now just Rays).

NBA: St. Louis Hawks (now Atlanta). ABA: Virginia Squires, Kentucky Colonels and Pittsburgh Condors.

Some more from the ABA: Utah Stars, Dallas Chaparrals (now the San Antonio Spurs), Carolina Cougars and Memphis Sounds.

Ridiculous ABA logos: Oakland Oaks, Miami Floridians, Houston Mavericks and Anaheim Amigos.

The Minneapolis Lakers. And an encore for the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons.

Defunct NBA teams: Chicago Stags, Anderson Packers, Sheboygan Redskins and Waterloo Hawks.

Houston Oilers had two fights songs: Luv Ya Blue and Houston Oilers #1.

Great moment in Houston Oilers history: A huge homecoming celebration after they...lost...to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1978-79 AFC Championship. Such a colorful team, with Coach Bum Phillips.

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