The most dominant sports teams of the past 20 presidencies
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President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration is today. To commemorate the pending transfer of power, we reviewed the best teams of the past 20 administrations (1901–present).
Theodore Roosevelt → The Pirates won the NL twice, played in the inaugural 1903 World Series and dominated the decade (.650 win percentage).
- Runners-up: Cubs; Ottawa Hockey Club
William Howard Taft → The Philadelphia Athletics (now in Oakland) won consecutive World Series behind legendary manager Connie Mack and a slew of Hall of Famers led by Frank "Home Run" Baker.
- Runners-up: Harvard football; Penn State football
Woodrow Wilson → The Red Sox won three World Series and nurtured the career of a young Babe Ruth.
- Runners-up: Pittsburgh football; Georgia Tech football
Warren G. Harding → The New York Giants won consecutive World Series and were on their way to two more appearances, which counted toward the next term after Harding died in office.
- Runners-up: Ottawa Hockey Club; Canton Bulldogs
Calvin Coolidge → The beginning of the Yankees' dynasty. They won their first three World Series under Coolidge and fielded arguably the greatest team ever.
- Runners-up: Alabama football; Illinois football
Herbert Hoover → Curly Lambeau and the Packers were named NFL champion three straight years, going 34-5-2 just before the Championship Game era began.
- Runners-up: Athletics; Canadiens; Notre Dame football
Franklin D. Roosevelt → The Bears won the inaugural NFL Championship game in 1933 — their first of four wins (and seven appearances) during FDR's term.
- Runners-up: Red Wings; Yankees; Packers; Minnesota football
Harry S. Truman → The Yankees are our first two-term champ, winning five more World Series behind Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle.
- Runners-up: Maple Leafs; Lakers; Browns; Notre Dame football; Kentucky men's basketball
Dwight Eisenhower → The Canadiens won more Stanley Cups during Eisenhower's presidency (six) than all but four other teams have won, period.
- Runners-up: Yankees; Celtics
John F. Kennedy → The Celtics' run of dominance began pre-JFK, but they won all three NBA titles contested during his brief presidency.
- Runners-up: Yankees; Packers; Maple Leafs; Cincinnati men's basketball
Lyndon B. Johnson → The Celtics are our second and final two-term champ, winning four more titles during Johnson's presidency and becoming the only pro sports team to win eight in a row.
- Runners-up: UCLA men's basketball; Canadiens
Richard Nixon → UCLA men's basketball won five titles in six years behind a duo of generational superstars and the greatest college coach ever.
- Runners-up: Athletics; Knicks; Dolphins
Gerald Ford → The Reds won two of the three World Series during Ford's term, as the "Big Red Machine" was in full effect.
- Runners-up: Steelers; Flyers
Jimmy Carter → The Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls for the second time in a half decade behind Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann.
- Runners-up: Canadiens; Yankees; Alabama football
Ronald Reagan → The "Showtime" Lakers won four titles behind the unstoppable trio of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
- Runners-up: Islanders; Oilers; Celtics; 49ers
George H.W. Bush → Duke men's basketball played in three title games (winning two) and four Final Fours in four years. And who can forget The Shot?
- Runners-up: Pistons; Bulls; Cowboys; Penguins
Bill Clinton → Michael Jordan and the Bulls owned the 90's, and four of their six rings came with Clinton in office.
- Runners-up: Yankees; Broncos; Nebraska football; FSU football
George W. Bush → The Patriots won their first three Super Bowls and six division titles under Bush, as Tom Brady announced himself to the world.
- Runners-up: Lakers; UConn women's basketball; Spurs; Red Sox
Barack Obama → Alabama won four national championships, spanning both the BCS and CFP eras, and dominated college football in a way few thought possible.
- Runners-up: San Francisco Giants; Heat; Blackhawks; Kentucky men's basketball
Donald Trump → The USWNT won its record-extending fourth World Cup and captivated the nation, all while fighting tirelessly for gender equity across sports.
- Runners-up: Warriors; Clemson; Alabama; Patriots; Dodgers
Looking ahead ... Which team will take the crown during the Biden-Harris years? Our top three candidates:
- Chiefs
- Alabama
- Lakers
