A Tale Of Two Cities

            The Los Angeles Rams just completed their first season in Hollywood. Granted, it was with average Jeff Fisher as their coach and they ended up with a 4-12 season. But the Rams are hoping for bigger things with Jared Goff at the QB helm and players like Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald to lead the way. The Rams made their move from St. Louis, a city that they moved to from... the Los Angeles area (namely Anaheim). Let's take a closer look at the close history between St. Louis and Los Angeles.

1. The Rams' Relocation to St. Louis: The Rams have experienced a lot of relocating as a franchise. Originally based in Cleveland in 1936, they moved to Los Angeles in 1946, then moved to Anaheim in 1980. Later, then-owner Georgia Frontiere moved the team to St. Louis due to an "outdated stadium" and "withering fan support" in the LA area. Although the owners initially blocked the move, Frontiere countered with a lawsuit that eventually caused the owners to cave in. The move initially worked, with the Rams as the "Greatest Show on Turf" while winning a Super Bowl in 2000 and nearly winning another in 2002. But when Stan Kroenke took over, the attendance and quality play had dropped in St. Louis, prompting Kroenke to purchase some land in Inglewood and move the team to Los Angeles. 
2. Cardinals Versus Dodgers: The Cardinals have faced off against the Dodgers plenty of times in recent memory. These two franchises have faced off six times (including the three-game tiebreaker in 1946) with St. Louis winning five of six series against the Dodgers. 
3. Playoff History and "The Great One": The St. Louis Blues and the Los Angeles Kings have also faced off in recent memory. However, it was Los Angeles who's had the upper hand, winning the playoff match-ups in 2012 and 2013. These two also have a "Great" connection with each other: Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky played with Los Angeles from 1988 to 1996, when he was eventually traded to St. Louis for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and two draft picks. 
4. The Olympics: Both cities have also hosted the Olympics. St. Louis hosted the global event in 1904, whereas Los Angeles hosted the Olympics in 1984.

Photo Courtesy of LA Times