Search

Team information

Inaugural season: 1967

Death by burning (immolation) results from combustion or prolonged exposure to extreme heat. Although it can occur in other ways, death by burning is primarily thought of as means of execution or murder. Death by burning has been utilized as a form of capital punishment throughout much of human history, especially during the medieval period. It is most closely associated with a particular execution method known as burning at the stake, which was often used as a punishment and deterrent for specific crimes like heresy, witchcraft, and treason. The concept of death by burning is also closely associated with the practice of self-immolation, which is the act of setting oneself on fire, typically as a form of protest or an expression of faith. Whether or not it occurs intentionally, death by burning is generally regarded as one of the most painful and even torturous ways to die.

Contribution: Bradley Cooper is an accomplished actor and director best known for his role in the Hangover film series and his Academy Award–nominated roles in Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), American Sniper (2014), A Star Is Born (2018), and Maestro (2023).

Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is an annual celebration of Jewish American history and the many contributions that Jewish Americans have made to American culture. Observed each year in May, JAHM was first established by President George W. Bush in 2006 and has been continued by each president since. In addition to the various JAHM programs that take place across the country in May, the national JAHM celebration is organized by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. The historic origins of JAHM are closely tied to both the earlier establishment of Jewish American Week in the 1980s and the celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in 2004. In the years since its creation, JAHM has evolved into the largest and most widely recognized commemoration of Jewish Americans and their contributions to the American way of life.

The CIA triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability is a widely used model for the development of cybersecurity policies within various organizations. In the context of the CIA triad, confidentiality refers to the set of rules that limits access to information, integrity is the assurance that the information in question is accurate and trustworthy, and availability is a guarantee that authorized individuals will have reliable access to the information. As a concept, the CIA triad is aimed at encouraging people to be mindful of the different aspects of information technology (IT) security. When security experts design cybersecurity protocols for an organization, they examine potential threats and evaluate the impact that these threats are likely to have on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the organization’s critical information. In some cases, the CIA triad is alternatively known as the AIC triad so it is not confused with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Creative Commons (CC) is an international nonprofit organization that provides easy access to creative works. Others can legally build upon and share through its range of copyright licenses known as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses, which are completely free of charge, allow the makers of various creative works to easily communicate with others which rights to their works they reserve and which they voluntarily waive. In other words, CC licenses are a standardized way for all types of creators to grant permission for the public to legally use their work within the structure of established copyright law. Since it was originally founded in 2001, CC has worked to overcome the legal obstacles involved with copyright law to make it easier for people around the world to share information and creativity. CC licenses enjoy widespread use, notably serving as the default license of Wikipedia and covering millions of Flickr images and YouTube videos.

The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute that has come to be seen as one of the world’s most exclusive social affairs. Also serving as the official opening of each year’s Costume Institute exhibitions, the gala has been a regular fixture on the New York social calendar since 1948. Over time, the Met Gala evolved from a simple midnight supper for fashion industry elites to an elaborate gathering for celebrities from the realms of art, entertainment, politics, and more. Since 1973, each iteration of the gala has had a specific theme. These themes are reflected in the decor and establish the dress code guests are encouraged to follow. Originally founded by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the Met Gala has been primarily overseen by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour since she took over as the event’s only permanent chairperson in 1999.

Black Pumas is a popular psychedelic soul band best known for its self-titled 2019 debut album. Founded in Austin, Texas, in 2017, the band quickly earned rave reviews for its unique sound. Composed primarily of singer-songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, Black Pumas made an immediate splash, impressing critics and earning Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Best American Roots Performance, and Album of the Year in 2020. In addition to performing on a variety of daytime and late-night talk shows and launching a successful North American and European live tour, Black Pumas notably contributed a live virtual performance during the televised Celebrating America special that followed President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021. All of this helped establish the Black Pumas as one of the hottest up-and-coming acts in contemporary music and as a driving force in the reemerging psychedelic soul genre.

Holika Dahan is a popular Hindu celebration that marks the beginning of the ancient Holi festival. Sometimes also known as “Chhoti Holi” or “Small Holi,” Holika Dahan takes place the day before the main Holi festival. Meant to symbolize the triumph of good over evil, the celebration of Holika Dahan revolves around the burning of a large bonfire. This bonfire is viewed by the faithful as a representation of the storied burning and destruction of a demoness known as Holika. According to Hindu scriptures, Holika was a malevolent entity whose evil was destroyed with the assistance of Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation. In fact, “Holika Dahan” literally translates as “Holika’s Death.” The bonfires lit on Holika Dahan are, therefore, a reminder of Holika’s burning and a celebration of good’s ability to conquer evil. The Holika Dahan bonfire also serves as a prelude to Holi, one of the most joyous and widely recognized Hindu festivals.

Arden is a Gilded Age mansion located in Harriman, New York, that was originally built and owned by railroad magnate Edward Henry "E. H." Harriman. Completed in 1909 after years of work, the Arden Estate sits on 450 acres of protected land that is part of the Palisades Interstate Park. Arden itself includes 97,188-square feet of living space and is officially recognized as the United States’ fourth-largest historic house, with only Biltmore, Oheka Castle, and Whitemarsh Hall outranking it in size. In 1950, surviving members of the Harriman family deeded the house to Columbia University as part of a deal that ultimately made Arden the first conference center in America. With a total of ninety-seven guest rooms and various other halls and conference rooms, Arden also ranks as one of the nation’s largest conference centers. Since 2011, Arden has been owned and operated by the Research Center on Natural Conservation, a nonprofit organization backed by the Beijing real estate company Soufun Holdings.

Tobogganing is a form of sledding and a popular wintertime recreational activity with Canadian historic roots. Originally developed by Canada’s First Nations people for transportation, the toboggan eventually came to enjoy widespread use as a vehicle for recreational sledding. In the modern world, tobogganing is a fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages in countries around the world where snowy winter weather is a regular occurrence. Over time, the popularity of tobogganing also paved the way for the development of several similar Winter Olympic sports, including bobsledding, luging, and skeleton racing. Despite some safety concerns, tobogganing remains a favorite pastime among those who love spending time outdoors during the winter months.

General Order No. 3 was a critical missive to the people of Texas that announced the end of slavery in the state. Delivered in Galveston by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, the order was an effort to bring news of the Emancipation Proclamation—originally issued two years earlier—to Texas, where Abraham Lincoln’s declaration of slavery’s end had little initial impact. From that point forward, Granger’s announcement of General Order No. 3 and the subsequent end of slavery in Texas was viewed as a major milestone in African American history that ultimately came to be commemorated by the holiday of Juneteenth.

Orient is a term traditionally used by Western cultures to describe something associated with the Eastern world. Among modern English speakers, it typically serves as a sort of catch-all term for the entire continent of Asia, including the culturally distinct regions of the Near East, Middle East, and Far East. In earlier times, it referred more specifically to just the Near East and was also commonly understood to be the antonym of “Occident,” a word used to describe the Western world. Over time, the public perception of terms like Orient and “oriental” has changed considerably. Because of their Eurocentric and often racially insensitive connotations, these words are generally considered to be offensive and have largely fell out of common usage. In the United States, the federal government and some state governments have even passed laws aimed at eliminating the use of these words in official documentation.

Significance: Robert Pickton was a notorious Canadian serial killer who may have murdered as many as forty-nine women. Formerly a wealthy pig farmer, Pickton lured numerous sex workers and women addicted to drugs to his family farm, killed them, and disposed of their remains in various ways. He was caught in 2002 and eventually convicted on six counts of second-degree murder. He served a life sentence in prison until his death in 2024.

The Toronto Maple Leafs is a National Hockey League (NHL) team that plays in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. One of the NHL’s “Original Six” teams, the Maple Leafs first took the ice on December 19, 1917. Over the course of their long history, the Maple Leafs have won numerous Stanley Cup championships and claimed many other accolades. By the 2019–2020 season, the Maple Leafs amassed an all-time record that includes 2,965 wins, 2,815 losses, 783 ties, and 167 overtime losses. As one of the most distinguished franchises in the history of hockey, the Maple Leafs are ranked among the NHL’s most respected and admired teams. The Maple Leafs are also one of the NHL’s most financially successful franchises, worth an estimated $1.5 billion in 2019.

The Toronto Blue Jays is a Major League Baseball (MLB) team that plays in the East division of the American League (AL). Created as part of a 1976 expansion of the AL, the Blue Jays first took the field in 1977. Over the course their history, the Blue Jays have won several World Series championships and AL pennants. Heading into the 2020 season, the Blue Jays amassed an all-time record that included 3,383 wins and 3,458 losses for an overall .495 win/loss percentage. Canada’s only MLB team since the departure of the Montreal Expos in 2004, the Blue Jays have long been counted among that nation’s most popular and successful sports teams.

The St. Louis Cardinals is a Major League Baseball (MLB) team playing in the Central division of the National League (NL). Originally founded in 1882 as an American Association (AA) team called the St. Louis Brown Stockings, the team first took the field as the Cardinals in 1900. Over the course of their long history, the Cardinals have won numerous World Series championships, NL pennants, and other accolades. Headed into the 2020 season, the Cardinals had an all-time record that included 10,918 wins and 10,063 losses for an overall .520 win/loss percentage. Known for their considerable on-field success, the Cardinals have long been recognized as one of baseball’s most competitive teams. The Cardinals are also one of MLB’s most financially successful franchises, worth an estimated $2.2 billion in 2020.

The Philadelphia Flyers are a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that plays in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. One of the six new teams added to the NHL during the league’s first major expansion, the Flyers took the ice for the first time in 1967. In the decades since they began play, the Flyers won a pair of Stanley Cup championships in the 1973–1974 and 1974–1975 season and have been a perennial playoff contender, appearing in the Stanley Cup Finals series on several occasions. By the 2019–20 season, the team’s all-time record stood at 2,054 wins, 1,429 losses, 475 ties, and 175 overtime losses, while their playoff record included 221 wins and 212 losses.

The Philadelphia 76ers is a National Basketball Association (NBA) team that plays in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Succeeding the now-defunct Syracuse Nationals, the 76ers took the court for the first time in 1963. Over the course of their history as both the Nationals and the 76ers, the franchise has won several NBA championships and earned numerous other accolades. By the 2019–2020 season, the 76ers amassed an all-time record that included 2,896 wins and 2,719 losses for a .516 overall win-loss percentage. Known for having a deeply committed fan base and traditionally being home to many of the game’s greatest players, the 76ers are widely recognized as one of the NBA’s most popular and competitive teams. The 76ers are also counted among the NBA’s most financially successful franchises, worth an estimated $2 billion in 2020.

The New Jersey Devils is a National Hockey League (NHL) team that plays in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. Born as the now-defunct Kansas City Scouts, the Devils took the ice for the first time in 1982. Over the course of their history, the Devils have won several Stanley Cup championships and earned numerous other accolades. By the 2019–2020 season, the Devils amassed an all-time record that included 1,515 wins, 1,572 losses, 238 ties, and 162 overtime losses. Often known for their tough and skilled style of play, the Devils are frequently counted among the NHL’s most competitive teams. The Devils are also a financially successful franchise, worth an estimated $550 million in 2019.

The New York Mets is a Major League Baseball (MLB) team playing in the East division of the National League (NL). The successor of two previous New York-based professional baseball franchises, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants, and counted among the MLB’s earliest expansion teams, the Mets first took the field in 1962. Over the course of its history, the team has won several World Series championships, NL pennants, and other accolades. Heading into the 2020 season, the Mets had an all-time record that included 4,448 wins and 4,808 losses for an overall .481 win/loss record. In spite of their frequent on-field struggles, the Mets are known for having some of the most passionate and committed fans in all of baseball.

The New York Knicks is a National Basketball Association (NBA) team that plays in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Originally established as one of the founding members of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the Knicks first took the court in 1946. Over the course of their long history, the Knicks have won two NBA championships. By the 2019–2020 season, the Knicks amassed an all-time record of 2,799 wins and 2,988 losses for an overall .484 winning percentage. Known for their competitive play and history of great players, the Knicks are traditionally counted among the NBA’s premiere teams. The Knicks are also the league’s most financially successful franchise, worth an estimated $4.6 billion in 2020.

The New York Rangers is a National Hockey League (NHL) team that plays in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1926, the Rangers were one of the NHL’s “Original Six” teams alongside the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Over the course of their long history, the Rangers have won several Stanley Cup championships and earned numerous other accolades. By the 2019–2020 season, the Rangers amassed an all-time franchise record that included 2,856 wins, 2,693 losses, 808 ties, and 147 overtime losses. Often known for their skilled play and deeply committed fan base, the Rangers are typically counted among the NHL’s most popular teams. The Rangers are also the NHL’s most financially successful team, worth an estimated $1.65 billion in 2019.

The Montreal Canadiens is a National Hockey League (NHL) team that plays in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1910, the team is one of the oldest professional sports franchises in North America and the only NHL team that predates the league itself. Over the course of their long history, the Canadiens have won more than twenty Stanley Cup Championships and an array of other accolades. By early 2024, the team’s all-time record included 3,551 wins, 2,427 losses, 837 ties, and 204 overtime losses. Traditionally known for their highly skilled players and remarkable on-ice achievements, the Canadiens are considered to be one of the NHL’s premiere teams and most historically significant franchises. The Canadiens are also one of the NHL’s most financially successful teams, worth an estimated $2.3 billion in 2023. In late 2023, a 10 percent minority interest in the team sold for a record $2.5 billion enterprise value.

The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Succeeding the now-defunct Detroit Gems of the former National Basketball League (NBL), the team first took the court as the Minneapolis Lakers in 1947 and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1960. Over the course of their long history, the Lakers have won numerous NBA championships and earned many other accolades. Known for its remarkable success on the court and a history of being home to many of the game’s all-time greatest players, the Lakers has long be regarded as one of the most iconic teams in NBA history. It is also one of the league’s most financially successful franchises, worth an estimated $6.4 billion in 2023.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team that plays in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded as an NBA expansion team alongside the Portland Trail Blazers and the former Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers), the Cavaliers first took the court in 1970. By the 2023–2024 season, the team amassed an all-time record that included 2,027 wins and 2,312 losses for an overall .467 win/loss percentage. Despite suffering some remarkable lows in the franchise’s early years, the Cavaliers benefitted from having NBA superstar LeBron James play two stints in Cleveland during the 2000s and 2010s. James made the team competitive and led them to an NBA title in 2016. Cleveland is also a financially successful franchise, worth an estimated $3.35 billion in 2023.

The Los Angeles Angels are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team playing in the West division of the American League (AL). Founded as one of MLB’s first expansion teams, the Angels played their inaugural game in 1961. Originally owned by renowned singing cowboy entertainer Gene Autry and later controlled for a time by the Walt Disney Company, the Angels have earned a number of accolades over the course of their history. Chief among these accomplishments are the AL pennant and World Series championship the team won in 2002. Over the years, the Angels have also claimed numerous divisional titles. Heading into the 2024 season, the team had an all-time record that included 4,958 wins and 5,016 losses for an overall .497 win/loss percentage. Despite having relatively little postseason success, the Angels have been a competitive team throughout much of their history and remain a fan favorite.

The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team playing in the Central division of the American League (AL). The Royals were created to fill the gap when the Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland after the 1967 season and first took the field in 1969. Over the course of their history, the Royals have won a number of World Series championships, AL pennants, and other accolades. The Royals’ greatest successes were in the 1980s and the mid-2010s when the team excelled in the postseason and even made several World Series appearances. Heading into the 2024 season, the Royals had an all-time record that included 4,122 wins and 4,547 losses for an overall .475 win/loss percentage. Despite struggling through a large part of their history, the Royals are a popular team with many loyal fans.