By Alex Trickett BBC Sport Online

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The teams:

Baseball: None
American Football: Redskins
Basketball: Wizards
Ice Hockey: Capitals

Washington sport starts with the Redskins.

The franchise is one of the most successful in NFL history, having scooped three Super Bowls between 1983 and 1992.

Mega rich: Snyder is Redskins owner

But it is going through hard times at present, missing the play-offs despite heavy investment.

Basketball's Wizards - whose name was changed from Bullets because of the association with violence - have had a huge surge in popularity thanks to the comeback of Michael Jordan.

While they look poised for the post-season, stadium co-tenants the Capitals still look a long way away from their first Stanley Cup success.

The venue:

When FedEx Field opened in 1997, it was supposed to secure a bright future for the Redskins, who had outgrown RFK Stadium.

Running man: Riggins won Super Bowl

Seating 85,000, it is one of the biggest venues in the NFL and also one of the finest, but things have not gone to plan on the field.

Despite big spending from owner Daniel Snyder, the Redskins are struggling to satisfy their fans, who were conditioned to expect success in the 1980s.

Legends Joe Theisman, John Riggins and Art Monk loom large in America's capital city.

But much now depends on talented youngsters like linebacker LaVar Arrington if FedEx is to field a team with Super Bowl credentials.

The legend:

Washington had Major League Baseball until 1971, the year its Senators defected to Arlington, Texas, and were renamed the Rangers.

Johnson is an inspiration to Clemens

They left behind a long list of legends, at the top of which sits a remarkable and revolutionary pitcher called Walter "Big Train" Johnson.

Bought for $9 in 1907, Johnson came up with the game's first true fastball, paving the way for the likes of Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens.

And, in 21 seasons with the Senators, he notched 416 victories - second only to Cy Young - had an all-time record 110 shutouts, and pitched 56 consecutive scoreless innings in 1913.

Johnson was rewarded for his efforts by joining baseball's first class of Hall of Fame inductees in 1936.

Man about town:

The biggest draw card in any town, Jordan set up home in Washington in 2000, when he became part-owner of the Wizards.

He's back: Jordan still has sublime touch

Little did anyone know at that time that basketball's brightest star was about to have his third coming as a player.

When his "Airness" did return to action, however, critics expressed their concern that he could only tarnish his reputation by turning in sub-standard performances.

They need not have worried.

Jordan rallied his team from a poor start to nine consecutive wins and then rebounded from an all-time low scoring effort to fire 51 points against Charlotte.

The master has returned.