Winnipeg, Manitoba

Winnipeg ({{coor dm |49|53|N|97|09|W|type:city(620000)_scale:300000_region:CA-MB}}, CST) is a Canadian city and the provincial capital of the province of Manitoba. Located in Western Canada, Winnipeg plays a prominent role in transportation, finance, manufacturing, agriculture and education. It is known as the Gateway to the West.

Sports

Winnipeg is and has historically been home to numerous professional sports franchises, some of which survive today. The Winnipeg Jets were one of the original teams of the World Hockey Association and won three league titles. The Jets entered the National Hockey League in 1979 and played in Winnipeg until 1996. The Jets featured such Hall of Famers as WHA coach Rudy Pilous and players Bobby Hull, Dale Hawerchuk, and (briefly) Serge Savard, as well as potential Hall of Famers Teemu Selanne, Phil Housley, and Keith Tkachuk. In 1996, the team was sold to an ownership group based in Phoenix, Arizona, and it was moved there to become the Phoenix Coyotes. There is considerable optimism that the city may once again host an NHL franchise.

Related Topics:
Winnipeg Jets - World Hockey Association - National Hockey League - Rudy Pilous - Bobby Hull - Dale Hawerchuk - Serge Savard - Teemu Selanne - Phil Housley - Keith Tkachuk - Phoenix, Arizona - Phoenix Coyotes

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Since 1996, Winnipeg has been home to the minor-league Manitoba Moose, currently a member of the American Hockey League. The Moose are the farm team to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. Winnipeg has produced Hall of Fame hockey players Andy Bathgate, Bill Mosienko, Art Coulter, Ching Johnson, Frank Fredrickson, Jack Ruttan, Kenny Reardon, Fred Maxwell, and Terry Sawchuk.

Related Topics:
Manitoba Moose - American Hockey League - Vancouver Canucks - Andy Bathgate - Bill Mosienko - Art Coulter - Ching Johnson - Frank Fredrickson - Jack Ruttan - Kenny Reardon - Fred Maxwell - Terry Sawchuk

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Winnipeg also has a team in the Canadian Football League, the Blue Bombers, who have won 10 Grey Cups, the league's championship trophy. Winnipeg has a long history of minor-league baseball, including the Winnipeg Maroons of the Northern League, which existed from 1902-1942; the Class A Winnipeg Goldeyes, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, from 1953-1964; the AAA Whips, the Montreal Expos farm team in 1970-1971; and, since 1994, the Goldeyes, a franchise in the independent Class AA-quality Northern League. Winnipeg hosted the 1967 and 1999 Pan American Games. In addition, the University of Winnipeg's women's basketball team won 88 consecutive games during the 1990s, a college sports record. Winnipeg is also home to many of the world's best curling teams and hosted the 2003 World Championships.

Related Topics:
Canadian Football League - Blue Bombers - Grey Cup - Winnipeg Maroons - Northern League - Winnipeg Goldeyes - St. Louis Cardinals - Montreal Expos - Pan American Games - University of Winnipeg - Curling

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Other notable sports figures include Olympic Taekwondo athlete and bronze-medalist Dominique Bosshart, Toronto Blue Jays third-baseman Corey Koskie, Canadian Olympic Women's Hockey Gold Medalist Jennifer Botterill, and Philadelphia 76ers center Todd MacCulloch.

Related Topics:
Olympic - Taekwondo - Dominique Bosshart - Toronto Blue Jays - Corey Koskie - Jennifer Botterill - Philadelphia 76ers - Center - Todd MacCulloch

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