Original Names of Pro Sports Teams Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the original name of the NFL's Tennessee Titans?

Answer: Oilers

The Titans moved from Houston where they were the Oilers from 1960-1996. In fact, for their first season in Tennessee they were called the Tennessee Oilers. In 1998 the team was renamed Titans in a "name-the-team" contest.

2. Which of these teams became baseball's Milwaukee Brewers in 1970?

Answer: Seattle Pilots

The Pilots were an expansion team in 1969, but were moved to Milwaukee in 1970 where they became the Brewers.

3. What was the original name of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, the name they adopted in 1983?

Answer: Kansas City Scouts

The Devils' franchise emerged as an expansion team in 1974 as the Scouts. They failed in Kansas City and relocated to Colorado in 1976, becoming the Rockies. The next move was in 1982 to New Jersey. The team was originally known as the "Red Devils" in '82 but dropped the "red" the following season.

4. What was the original name of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers?

Answer: Buffalo Braves

The Braves entered the NBA in 1970, and moved to San Diego in 1978, becoming the Clippers. The Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984.

5. What was the original name of baseball's Cleveland Guardian?

Answer: Blues

The Guardians were formed in 1902, and the name of the team changed from Blues to Naps in 1905, to Indians in 1915, and then Guardians in 2022. It is commonly thought that the team was originally named Spiders, but the actual Spider franchise was not part of the American League from 1888-1900 when it existed, and are not officially linked to the Cleveland Indians. But, it is said that the Cleveland fans' love for a Spiders player, Louis Sockalexis, who was a Native American, inspired the name change from Naps to Indians in 1915. Due ot criticism of the team name, it was changed to Guardians in 2022. Chief Wahoo had been removed form the team logo for the 20191 season.

6. What was the original name of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings?

Answer: Cougars

The Red Wings were originally named the Cougars from 1926-29. In 1930 the name was changed briefly to Falcons, and when James Norris bought the team in 1932, he renamed it the Red Wings.

7. Which of these is the original name of the NBA's Washington Wizards, the name they adopted in 1997?

Answer: Chicago Packers

The Chicago Packers were an expansion team in 1961. The name was changed to Zephyrs in 1962. The franchise moved to Baltimore in 1963, becoming the Bullets. In 1973 the team moved to Washington, and in 1997 changed the team name to Wizards, as Bullets was obviously not a "politically correct one" for the nation's capital. If that's the case, when will they get around to "Redskins" then?

8. What was the original name of baseball's Texas Rangers?

Answer: Washington Senators

The 2nd version of the Washington Senators (formed 1961) relocated to Texas in 1972. The original Senators (formed 1901) had moved to Minnesota in 1961 to become the Twins.

9. What was the original name of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs?

Answer: Toronto Arenas

The Maple Leafs were originally named the Arenas when the NHL formed in 1917. The name changed to St. Pats in 1919, and then to Maple Leafs in 1926. The Wanderers and Bulldogs both were NHL teams that folded.

10. What was the original name of baseball's Baltimore Orioles, who adopted that name in 1954?

Answer: Milwaukee Brewers

Yes, in fact there was another Milwaukee Brewers, back in 1901. They were moved to St. Louis in 1902, becoming the Browns. In 1954, the Browns were moved to Baltimore to become the Orioles.

11. What was the original name of the NFL's New York Jets?

Answer: New York Titans

From 1960-62 as an American Football League club, the New York franchise was the Titans, to mimick the crosstown Giants of the NFL. The team name was changed to Jets in 1963.

12. What was the original name of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs?

Answer: Dallas Texans

Lamar Hunt moved his Dallas Texans to Kansas City in 1963, renaming them the Chiefs. They would go on to represent the AFL in the first Super Bowl, losing to Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in January 1967.

13. What was the original name of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche?

Answer: Quebec Nordiques

The Colorado Avalanche moved from Quebec City in 1995. In their first season as the Avalanche they won the Stanley Cup. The Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes in 1996, and the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina in 1997, becoming the Hurricanes.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are still an NHL club, for now.

14. What was the original name of baseball's New York Yankees?

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

The Yankees were the Baltimore Orioles, for their first two seasons, 1901 and 1902. In 1903 the franchise moved to New York where it was renamed the Highlanders, which remained the team name until 1913, when it became the Yankees.

15. What was the original name of baseball's Houston Astros?

Answer: Colt .45's

From 1962-64 they were the Colt .45's. With the move in 1965 to the first indoor stadium, the Astrodome, the team name was aptly changed.

Source: Author TommyD71

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

In sports, many teams re-locate. Often, they keep the old team name. e.g. it's easy to recall that the Los Angeles Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers. This quiz is harder. You will have to recall the original name of the team involved. Good Luck!

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