Kiss 'Em Goodbye An ESPN Treasury of Failed, Fo

THEY’REGOING，GOING，GONE....Theirnamesrolloffthetongue，alitanyofthedamned：theProvidenceSteamRoller，theWilmingtonQuicksteps，theCincinnatiPorkers.Theyarethelostsquadsofprofessionalsportshistory—teamsforsakenbyfans，fleecedbyowners，orforgottenbytime.Untilnow.Kiss’EmGoodbyeunearthstherealstoriesofdozensofvanishedteamsthatoncegraced—andoftendisgraced—NorthAmerica’sbigleagues.LiketheSt.PaulApostles，theonlymajorleagueteamnevertohaveplayedahomegame;Card-Pitt，theNFL’sWorldWarIIdoormat;andthePhiladelphiaQuakersoftheNHL，ateamownedjointlybybootleggersandaretiredboxerwhoclimbedbackintotheringtohelpmeetpayroll.Inobituariesforbothbig-cityfranchisesthatskippedtown(theBaltimoreColts，theBrooklynDodgers)andsmall-townteamsthathadtheirbriefmomentofglory(theTonawandaKardex，thePottsvilleMaroons)，Kiss’EmGoodbyecommemoratesmysteriousfires，waterloggedbasketballcourts，fieldstendedbygoats(“cheaperthanmowers!”)，anduniformsthatbroketeambudgets.It’sallhereinafascinating，hilarious，page-turningcelebrationofteamsthatproveit’snotwhetheryouwinorlose，butthatyouonceplayedthegame.