Earthquakes History - NASL Style!

from my friend tectonicnight in this thread:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629248&page=5


Mark Demling

 

I exchanged emails with "Demo" about 6 months ago. He's a good guy and always remembered me, which I have always thought was pretty cool. The first year the Quakes played, Mark, along with his brother Buzz, were popular with the local fans. Mark broke his leg during the indoor "tournament" played in the spring of 1975 at the Cow Palace. He missed the entire 1975 summer outdoor season, as I recall.

 

Mark & Buzz Demling


Mark and his brother Buzz played and started with the NASL Quakes in the early years when only 2 American starters were allowed to play. I mean obviously more were allowed but coaches were reluctant to start any. The pair use to foul a lot but they were great athletes and the narrow confines of Spartan Stadium helped them recover. John Rowlands & Laurie Calloway usually blocked up the middle and they took care of the wings.

 

Hi folks. Just to let you know the Italian website www.playitusa.com just published an history of San Jose soccer.

The article is here: http://www.playitusa.com/mls.php

Being in Italian, for a rough translation: http://www.google.com/translate?u=h...colo.php?id=6997&langpair=it|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8

Please let us know if there is any error.

 

Grazie Giorgio . I'll try and translate it later..

 

Here is my best translation of that article! I only translatyed half of it. I'll do the rest later. Its very interesting for us old time Quakes fans......It seems like the editor got some of the information by reading BS....happy reading!


Best & Lex Shoenmaker
“Before the MLS” there were others. We've already talked about the storied franchises like th eChicago Sting, Dallas Tornado, New York Cosmos, Los Angeles Aztecs, teams which are still remembered by their local fans, and in the case of the Cosmos who were actually thought of as Cult heros. We even spoke about indoor soccer in the M(I)SL and other defunct leagues. We studied the dead leagues of the WSA & LSSA, to remember the darker days when there were only 5 pro teams in the APSL in 1993 one year before World Cup 1994. We spoke of those teams of the NASL who lasted only a few years like and didn't leave their mark like Houston Hurricane, Colorado Caribous, Kansas City Spurs & Denver Dynamos, or even that of Salt Lake City (that before Real Salt Lake never had a team other than the Salt Lake Sting which folded in their 2nd year & the Utah Blitzz who competed in the USL D3. but this article will not begin with the title e “Before the MLS”, becuase in a seismic California town where earthquakes are prevelant soccer has always been called with the exception of the Clash, the same and only name: San Jose Earthquakes.

The franchise saw light in December 1973.then the commissioner of the NASL Phil Woosnam had wanted the team to be in the city of San Francisco, but millionair owner Yugoslav Milan Mandaric (rrecently x owner of Portsmouth who has eneded up in troublein the EPL) decided to start a team in San Jose. Woosnam, who needed another team in California (if he hadn't found the other teams on the west coast , Vancouver, Seattle & Los Angeles, he would have said no) having little time to accept the application. The news that the franchise was acccepted to the NASL was welcomed by the many fans, who were already of hispanic descent , and the name was elected by a vote in local paper the San Jose Mercury News. The Earthquakes, remembers the famous quake of San Jose (1906), one of the most violent in history. The team makes its home in Spartan Stadium, the stadiumof the local univeristy, where they played until the NASL fiolded. Mandaric is serious and buys a goalscorer from the defunct Atlanta Chiefs Paul Child, from abroad the English defender Laurie Calloway, ex Celtic Glascow Jimmy Johnstone, one of the “lions of Lisbon”. Onanoter not even Johnny Moore, born in Scotland but grew up in America, he was the first player signed to a contract for the Earthquakes. With 9 wins, 8 draws & 3 losses the Quakes came in 2nd plqace behind the Los Angeles Aztecs in the Western Division. The average attendance was 16.584 at Spartan Stadium, the highest in the entire NASL. Their course to the title however, ended with the first round platheLa corsa al titolo però finisce paluyoff exist to the Dallas Tornado, who beat San Jose per 3-0. Paul Child, with his 15 goals is league leader.

Curously in 1974 came Momcilo "Gabbo" Gavrić. Born in Croatia in 1938, made his debut in Yugoslavia in 1959 with OFK Belgrade, where he played 9 years, even playing a national B match. In\1967 he transfered to the USA, where he signed a contract to play for the Oakland Clippers, which won the initial title of the ASL. Until that point everything went fine , as in 1969 Gavrić signs as a place kicker with the San Francisco 49ers! He becomes the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL. With the 49ers he played in 7 games (becoming the only player (to score in the NASL & NFL) a "field " from 21 yards against Dallas along with quarterback John Brody. With the San Jose Earthquakes Gavrić starts in 1974, becoming player coach until 1978.

In 1975 the first indoor tornament was held in San Jose, won by the Quakes 8-5 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Paul Child is leading scorer of the NASL Indoor Tournament in 1975 with 7 goals. In the league however, things don't go as well the arrival of Ilija Mitic from the Dallas Tornado helps everà gli EarthQuakes last place in the Pacific Division. The average attendance however, grew with 17.927 fans.

In 1976 Jimmy Johnstone leaves San Jose, but in comes the Portunghese midfielder ex Benfica, Tony Simões, traded from the Boston Minutemen. With 14 wins & 10 losses the San Jose Eartquakes finish the regular season at the top of the Southern Division, with an average attendance of 19.826 paid, more than the Cosmos of Pelé & Chinaglia. During the playoffs San Jose beat the Dallas Tornado 2-0, getting revenge on the loss of two years earlier. In the semifinali the Quakes lose to the Minnesota Kicks 3-1. Ilija Mitic gets into the scoring chart with 14 goals, Paul Child follows with 13 scores. The GK Mike Hewitt becomes the second best in the in the league, & Tony Simões gets electedto the NASL All Star Team 1976.

In 1977 San Jose ends 2nd place in the Southern Division with the 14 wins & 12 losses, the average attendance dropped to 17739 paid. The trek to the Soccer Bowl ends with a first round exist against the Los Angeles Aztecs who eliniate the Quakes 2-1. In 1978 Johnny Moore & Tony Simões leave the team as Milan Mandaric doesn't dip into his pocket book to buy replacements, and the team ends up finishing last in the Western Division with 8 wins and 22 losses.

Attendance drops to 14.281 spectators at Spartan Stadium. The next year nothing changes for the EarthQuakes repeat with the same record, even though the attendance rises with an avg of 15.092 paid. Laurie Calloway, MVP of the Quakes, leaves at the end of ’79. Mandaric seeks to redo the team after terrible seasons of ’78 & ’79 & buys Dutchman Guus Hiddink (Head coach of Russia) from the Washington Diplomats & George Best from the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.


Unfortunately, the new acquisitions don't bring any change to the team who still won 9 times with 23 losses finishing in last place in the Western Division. Not even the newcomer from the San Diego Sockers during midseason Steve David, already a star with the Miami Toros & Los Angeles Aztecs, can do much to change the situation. To combat with the new MISL, the NASL organized and indoor season in 1980/81. With 18 wins 18 losses & 10 draws, the San Jose Earthquakes came in last place in the Western Division, missing out on the playoffs. Best scores 25 goals as did Steve David. The indoor attendance was 5.499, while the outdoor attendance fell to 13,169 at Spartan Stadium.

George Best remembered in his autobiography "The Earthquakes were folding miserably in their quest to recapture their once heralded past”. At the end of the 1980 season, Hiddink goes back to Holland. In 1981, notwithstandings Best's 13 goals, of which he scored the best one of his career against the Strikers.

Spartan Stadium, Wednesday the 22nd of July 1981, 11,629 fans in the stands. The goal comes at the 56th', after a moment of confusion where George was carded along with GK Phil Parks, with a very questionable goal by German World Champion Bernd Holzenbein, who had brought the Strikers to a 2-0 lead. In the 56th' minute Best marked by 5 Ft. Lauderdale defenders. The action starts with Gary Etherington & David Irving on the right wing, but its Best who gets to the box with a series of dribbling displays putting the ball on the right past GK Jan van Beveren, cut the lead. A little after its always Best who ties the match, while the ref signaled for a pk, putting the match in sudden death OT. What class.. Best tried a shot from long range putting Van Beveren to the test and who was lucky to parry ,on the rebound came Mustafa Hukic who got the game winner e gives the Quakes many Memories...

For the 4th straight year San Jose misses the play-offs finsihing last in the Western Division 11 wins and 21 losses. Attendance dipped to 12.400 paid. The only thing remaining was a tour by the San Jose Earthquakes to Great Britain, of which they only got a good result against Hibernian (3-1 for the Scotts with a goal of honor from ex player from SJ Best) and against Linfield (1-1).

In 1982, given the disastrous economic situation of the NASL, all the teams sought to cut down costs, determining the return of all the foreigners back to their respective lands, and of many American born players who began playing indoors in the MISL,. this brought down the level of play on the pitch and a drop in attendance also. The San Jose Eartquakes let Best leave and don't buy any name players. Unfortunately, for the Quakes Quakes even the 1982 season ends with them missing the playoffs, becaiuse they finished next to last in the Western Division, with 13 wins & 19 losses. The fans dropped to the 11,012 at Spartan Stadium . In the indoor season of 1981/1982 it got worse where the Quakes come in last place in the West Division with 5 wins and 13 losses with an avg att of 2.843 fans.

In 1983, the year of Team America, the team changed its name to the Golden Bay Earthquakes, even though they still played in Spartan Stadium, with hopes of an increase in fans. Mandaric buys the Uruguayan naturalised American citizen Clavijo, already a pro in Atenas of Montevideo and known in th e USA circles to have played for the New York Apollo in the ASL and for the New York Arrows in the MISL (and today the head coach of the Colorado Rapids of the MLS). Another purchase from Golden Bay was the croat Steve, real name Slavisa, Zungul, already a player with Hajduk Split and known in the USA as a forward with the New York Arrows. Wit htheir new players Golden Bay, wins 20 vittorie & has 10 losses coming in first place in the Western Division, with a slight rise in att to 11.933 fans. During the play-off, seen again after 5 years the Earthquakes beat the Chicago Sting beating them 6-1, but lose the return match 1-0. Then after the mini game Golden Bay beat the Sting with a 5-2 win. In the next match however, its the Toronto Blizzard who beat them wining 1-0 (OT) & 2-0. The coach Dan Popovic is elected coach of the year, Steve Zungul finished 3rd in scoring charts with 16 goals, scoring oneless goal than Godfrey Ingram. Steve Zungul, along with midfielder Stan Terlecki, become the best tandem and are elected to the NASL All Stars ’83. On th eindoor front join the MISL for the 1982/83 season. With Con 17 wins and 31 losses Golden Bay finished in 2nd to last place in the Western Division.

LINFIELD V SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES INCLUDING GEORGE BEST

 

Here is part 2 of my best translation of the article....if you see the bottom, they used me as a reference.. How about that Johnny?

In 1984, Stan Terlecki was sold to the New York Cosmos, but then came Canadian -Yugoslav Branko Segota, already known for his indoor prowess in the MISL. The predictions for the 1984 season were great but the facts are wrong. Notwithstanding Zungul & Segota, respectivley the top two in the goal scoring charts, the Golden Bay Earthquakes finished once again as last in the NASL, and last place in the Western Division, with 8 wins & 16 losses. Attendance dips to 10.676. Steve Zungul is voted MVP of the NASL and on the All Star team in 1984. The 1984 saw the last indoor season of the NASL. With 19 wins and 13 losses the Quakes make the play-off dove but lose to the San Diego Sockers 5-2 & 7-2. Steve Zungul is leading scorer of the indoor tournament.

At the end of the 1984 season the NASL folds, but the Earthquakes, now renamed back to their orighianl name the San Jose Earthquakes and no more Golden Bay, come back thanks to Peter Bridgewater and they play the 1985 season in the WSA, a new but interesting semi pro outfit found after the folding of the NASL & USL. To make the season more interesting Aston Villa & West Bromwich Albion, were to make a tour of the States but the Heysel tragedy in Belgium the same year made FIFA cancel all English teams from playing abroad with the exception of the national team. As replacements for the two English teams were Brazilian team Santos & Sporting Lisbon, along with the WSA, to add more matches they organize a match against the Edmonton Brickem and the Canadian national team, with results counting in the standings. The San Jose Earthquakes win the league, something they never did in the NASL or the MISL, against the Victoria Ripide who dropped out at the edn of the season. We don't have any information on those Quakes players.

In 1986 the WSA expands their schedule to 14 games, having games count in the standings against Dundee FC & Manchester City.

The season was won by the Hollywood Kickers, while the San Jose Earthquakes came in 2nd to last place winning 3 with 4 draws and 7 losses, the players to remember in that seaosn were Chance Fry, Derek Sanderson & Steve McCargo. In 1987 San Jose does better, with 31 points and come in tied with the San Diego Nomads & Seattle Storm. In the tie breaker for the final San Jose prevails over Seattle 3-0 but in the final they lose unfortunately, to the San Diego Nomads bringing their title home at expense of the Earthquakes who lose 3-1. Its noted that J. Mihaljevic, won the leading scorer in the WSA along with George Pastor.

In 1988 Bridgewater sells his interest in San Jose to a new regime. The team came in 7th 3rd place with 7 wins and 5 losses and another tie breaker for the title against the San Diego Nomads who were beaten in the final the year before. The match ends in pk's and San Jose beats San Diego 2-1. The final ends up sour for the Earthquakes as they lose to the Seattle Storm losing 5-1. The midfielder Thomas Boy & the forward Abuelo Cruz were voted to the WSA all star team, but at the end of the season, due to financial problems of the new owners, the San Jose Earthquakes fold.

Per alcune delle informazioni di questo articolo si ringraziano Franco Spicciariello, Falvo e il forum di BigSoccer.com

 

Pele & Gabbo Gavric 1975

 

Is that Boris Bandov, who played for the Quakes in '74, in the background? Great photo, by the way. Pretty typical style of play for Gabbo.

The Bandov situation would be appropriate in the thread regarding the high school kids.

 

No that is Ramon Mifflin of the Cosmos in the background but Boris did end up with the Cosmos, Seattle & Tampa Bay. Silver Creek H.S. product.

 

I remember Ramon Mifflin with the Cosmos. He replaced Pele in the 2nd half of Pele's final match in October of 1977 (as Pele switched sides played the 2nd half for Santos)and he scored in the king's place. I didn't think he was with the Cosmos in 1975 , however.

During the WSA Quakes in early 1989, new owner Bill Lunghi hired him to coach the new Quakes as they were to play an exhibition schedule not in the WSA but against Mexican clubs. The team however, folded just before the season even started due to Lunghi's financial troubles/woes. Last I herd around 10 years ago, Mifflin was involved in a drug ring in the SF Bay area and was arrested.

 

That makes more sense, as I thought '75 was a little early for Bandov to have been at the Cosmos. I recall him playing there in 1979 when I attended the Quakes' appearance at The Meadowlands.

 

Wkiki says Boris Bandov was with the Quakes in 74 & 75. I sort of remember seeing him with the team then too,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Bandov