Pretty sure that was '81. If I can remember where I went to work a couple days later, I could pin-point it more accurately, but most of that summer was a lot less memorable than that match.
In fact, it was June 1981. The Sting were mired in an inconsistent slump at the time and attendance was really poor. Earlier in the week, they had lost at home to Portland. After the Cosmos game, the Sting got on a roll and never looked back.
I have very special memories of that team - it was one of the most fun summers I had in Chicago....and then later that year during indoor. Oh my, the memories!
channel 7 has always been good to soccer, bw Rose and weigel, and even Giangreco, they at least have scores or highlights.
It was indeed 1981....that was the first pro soccer game i ever attended in person.......i thought they were all that way peter
That sounds right, 81 puts it my sophomore year of high school. Seats way back in the last row of the upper deck, halfway down the 3rd base line.
After the 6-5 game at Wrigley I remember one of the newspapers having in their sports section's main headline "That's entertainment". Had season ticket seats in the left field bleachers at wrigley and in right field at comiskey.The 6-5 game has to go down as one of the greatest and most entertaining games in chicago's soccer history.The sting was always coming back to win games in the last minutes that year. Had a great season indoors 81-82. Had some big 19,000 crowds at the old chicago stadium and no place ever was as loud as the old chicago stadium.
My brother and I rode down in the back of restranteur Karl Beckmans 8-door Checker Limo. Imagine a 1970's stretch taxi cab. The thing was enormous. When he exited the Edens at Addison there was a slow driver in front of him. Karl bellowed the immortal line "Look out lady! Here comes Rommel!" Here is a picture from that game. By the way, Id appreciate a PM telling me how to embed this rather than attaching it. Thanks
I was there that night also. We stood the entire game, as we always did, beneath the exploding scoreboard in the bleacher section. It was truly a magical and special moment for US soccer and Chicago. We thought that this would catapult soccer to the next level- it didnt. When the Sting folded, my passion for pro soccer was extinguished. Only recently have my spirit for US soccer been rekindled-though cautiously. I agree, this team and its accomplishments need to be remembered and celebrated. Was this the greatest professional US soccer team ever?
Willy became such a sports icon in chicago that the local papers were suggesting that he become the coach for the Bears, Hawks, or Bulls.
Aadvocat left the Oranje after Euro 2004. He just did a cup of coffee at Borussia Monchengladbach (he brought Keller in) but recently resigned for lack of results. Rumored to be talking to Hearts.
The '81 Sting lineup was typically -- GK Dieter Ferner/Paul Coffee Defense Frantz Mathieu Derek Spalding Paul Hahn/Greg Ryan Davey Huson Midfield Rudy Glenn Ingo Peter Charlie Fajkus Forwards Arno Steffenhagen Karl Heinz Granitza Pato Margetic The NASL required that 3 North Americans must be on the field. But the Sting had a ringer in Derek Spalding. He was a Scotsman and former Hibernian player. However, he had married an American so had a green card (eventually becoming a citizen). He was able to be counted as one of the 3 North Americans. Unlike other teams, the Sting often played 4 North Americans -- typically Spalding, Ryan, Glenn and Fajkus. Greg Ryan played in college at SMU and was an All American there. He was quality enough player to start with or without a quota. He eventually got into coaching and is now US Women's National Team coach. Glenn and Fajkus were All Americans at Indiana University. Rudy was the defensive mid, while Charlie was a good two way mid. charlie was a local hailing originally from Sparta FC, I think. Tasso Koutsokous, a Canadian, was often subbed into and a sometimes starter in the midfield. Bret Hall, known as the "Toy Bulldog" was often subbed into and a sometimes starter in the defense. In the 1981 season, John Tyma, a forward from Cleveland State, became a bit of a folk hero for Sting fans. He was usually subbed on late and had a knack of being in the right place at the right time. As a result, he scored a number of critical late goals. I'll agree that Granitza was the best free kick taker I've ever seen. He was absolutely deadly bending the ball over the walls and into either corner of the net. And, of course, the game that made me a hardcore soccer fan for life was the pivotal game in the 1st round of the playoffs against the Seattle Sounders. The series was tied 1-1 with the deciding match at Wrigley Field on a Sunday. Seattle scored in an even match during the 1st half. Then just before halftime, Arno Steffenhagen hip checked a Seattle player just before halftime and was red-carded. Down 1-0 and 10 vs. 11 looked pretty bleak. But not to worry, the Sting came back and scored the next 3 goals in the second half. They eventually conceded a consolation goal to Seattle late, but the result was never in doubt.
1981 Chicago Sting Chicago's Best Soccer Team? Does anyone doubt that the 1981 Sting was the best soccer team ever assembled in Chicago? They would have killed any of these allegedly great minor league Fire teams with all the Americans who can't play soccer worth a ----!!!!! Bring back the NASL and get rid of this MLS garbage!!!!!!! ________________________________________________________ THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Re: 1981 Chicago Sting Chicago's Best Soccer Team? Glad you like the Sting, but why so dismissive of MLS and American players? I firmly believe that if the NASL had been a bit more pragmatic in their money spending and if they had tried harder to incorporate more US players then they may have lasted longer. Give MLS time, they are realistic in how they started the league, and in time, and with more money coming in, we will see a jump in the quality of the play. MLS is a long term investment not a get rich quick scheme. Besides, I like how the US has progressed in the overall skill of our players. I am very happy that we do not have to rely on players brought in from other countries, given US citizenship, to be our Nats.
Frantz Mathieu was a classy defender, almost like a Beckenbauer. I used to love watching him dribble the ball out of the back. Mark Simonson was on that team. He was a local graduate from New Trier West. Rudy Glenn was the "big, hard man." The enforcer. Ingo Peter had some heft on himself as well. Yes, Charlie Fajkus and his family were associated with Sparta. Arno Steffenhagen - one of my all-time favorites. Loved to watch him play. He and Advocaat and Peter Ressel were part of the Dutch influence from 78(?). I'd get frustrated with Granitza because half the time he'd stand at midfield and scream/whine at his teammates. But, in front of the net or over a dead ball, watch out for his left foot. Clearly one of the best. Pato Margetic - We got him from the Detroit Express. A skinny string bean with a mop of blonde hair. An amazing dribbler with a jitterbug style, sort of like an Argentine Damarcus Beasley. I heard that after the celebration party, he caused a ruckus by taking a whiz off his hotel balcony on to Michigan Avenue. Tasso Koutsoukos - always seemed to score. Played at Umass and came from Canada. Davey Huson was a solid player. I remember Paul Coffee in goal and he was the successor to Mervyn "The Cat" Causten. Bret Hall and Steve Long had some association with Wheaton College. But, I can remember doing summer clinics with them for the Winnetka Park District. I remember my club team, Green-White, scrimmaging the Sting in Northbrook at the facility that had a bike track. I was in college in 1981 at Miami University. A bunch of our team was from either New Trier or Evanston. We also had players from NJ & Ct who were diehard Cosmos fans. I remember watching the Soccer Bowl at our goalie's apartment. They were so sure that the Cosmo's would repeat. It was such a sweet victory.
Mark Simanton was much more of a factor on the '84 NASL Chanpionship team. By that point, he had become a starting defender. One of the great things about the Sting was that they made an effort to get Americans into the game. Other NASL almost used the required Americans as an afterthought. But Willy Roy seemed to come from the school that the Americans could play given the opportunity. And just for the record, with all the great stars the Cosmos had, the Sting was one of the few NASL teams to hold a winning record against them.
The Northbrook Velodrome is right off of Waukegan Rd. I have played many game on that field, mostly on wet, rainy days when the grass was flying everywhere.... but it's actually quite a nice field.
So true, I remember that night, especially following the previous terrific match at Comiskey. You're so right, we all thought that soccer had taken hold in Chicago. Just remember how the park buzzed all night, waiting for that goal and how the crowd was so festive as we left that night. That was also the season when baseball was on strike for most of the summer. Maybe that's why we thought soccer had taken hold ... I think that was one of the years that the Sting played at both Wrigley & Comiskey too. Also, I remember how Margetic would leap to give high fives after goals and always seem to miss making hand contact. After goals we would "do the Pato".
That year the Sting fan club "THE CHICAGO STING FANADDICTS" had a picnic and just about the whole team showed up. They played in a pick up soccer game and volleyball with the fans.In 1981 we had 1800 fans in the club.
I seem to remember Steffenhagen as more a mid. But I could be wrong. A lot of my post college years were spent working, and sampling some very fine wine cellars at the restaurants I worked. Anyway, it was a great year for soccer. I think the funniest thing was Granitza sucking down those massive cigars at Arnie's after games. No wonder he didn't run much.
I see Derek Spaulding at Soccer City in Palatine, Illinois, every week, as he is the Manager of the facility. I also see and talk with John Tyma there on occassion, as his 16-year-old son plays for the Sockers travel team. John is no longer otherwise involved in soccer. It is strange to mingle with guys that I idolized 20 years ago, guys that have been largely forgotten by a new and smaller fan base in M.L.S. Bret Hall and Batata (also a former Sting player, but not from 1981) are coaches with the Sockers travel soccer club in Palatine. Pato Margetic has his own travel club in the Detroit area. Coach Willy Roy owns the Willy Roy Dome indoor soccer facility in Dolton, Illinois and his son is one of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) coaches. Karl Heinz Granitza was involved with the Chicago Storm indoor M.I.S.L. team last season, in a front office position. I attended his "Legends of the Game" reunion match at the U.I.C. Pavilion last winter. Granitza, Steffenhagen, Roy, Margetic, Rudy Glenn, and several former Chicago Power players, where Granitza was the player/coach, were also there. His career ended with the Power after a brutal tackle (by a player that cannot shine Karl's shoes) shattered his leg. Margetic also was player/coach for the Chicago Power when they won the N.P.S.L. Championship, several years after the Chicago Sting folded. Frank Klopas, another ex-Sting player, is the current Storm Manager. Myro Ries, the 18-year-old Chicago Sting sensation (but not part of 1981) died at that tender age in a car accident on the autobaun. I was at that great game against San Diego in the playoffs and also drove to Toronto for the Soccer Bowl, along with about 10,000 other Chicago fans. I was able to shake hands with Lee Stern before that match and he was extremely grateful for the fan support so far away from home. Our great city was so hungry for a winner during those years and it is great that the winner came from the soccer franchise. We owe a lot to Lee Stern. That was the best soccer this city ever saw.
i have tremendously fond memories of those days and especially the 1981 team. i do feel it's necessary though to remind people that the Sting's HIGHEST season average outdoor atendance (12, 889 in 1981) was less than the Fire's LOWEST season average attendance (12,922 in Naperville in 2002). Everyone remembers the incredible 6-5 victory over the Cosmos at Wrigley Field in front of a then-record regular season crowd of 30,501 on June 28, 1981. The truth is, except for the Cosmos and a few key playoff games, the Sting's attendance was not so good. The Sting only averaged 10k+ three times in its ten-year outdoor history. Chicago Fire average attendance has generally been 50% better than the best Sting attendance years. Thanks to www.kenn.com for attendance statistics. peter