What city has lost five franchises in the four major sports leagues?

Professional sports franchises tend to bring cities together; instill a sense of pride. But when the franchise moves, it leaves the city high and dry and its fans heartbroken.

The good people of St. Louis, MO, have experienced this sickening feeling five times.

The first time came in 1954 when the St. Louis Browns got tired of playing second fiddle to the baseball Cardinals and left for Baltimore to become the Orioles. The Browns and Cardinals shared Sportsman's Park until Augie Busch bought the Cardinals.

A scant 14 years later, the city lost the NBA's St. Louis Hawks to Atlanta. The move was surprising, considering the team had won the NBA championship in 1958 and appeared in the finals in 1957, 1960 and 1961. They were the only team to beat the Boston Celtics in the finals between 1957 and 1966.

Football got into the act of bolting St. Louis when the Cardinals, which moved to the city from Chicago in 1960, went to Phoenix in 1988. Owner Bill Bidwill cited low attendance (despite his team's mediocrity) and an old stadium as his reasons to leave.

Seven years later, the Los Angeles Rams filled the void left by the Cardinals. St. Louis had built a domed stadium and team owner Georgia Frontiere liked the financial possibilities. But 21 seasons and a Super Bowl championship later, new team owner Stan Kroenke moved the Rams back to Los Angeles after announcing he was building a new $2.66 Billion stadium.

St. Louis's first NHL team, the Eagles, went bankrupt.