"Child, Mandaric selected to Earthquakes Hall of Fame" (Thursday, 8/23/12)

Congratulations to two people who were huge for soccer in the south bay! I only regret that I was too young to be a fan when they were here.

I was thinking "What about George Best?" and then I read that bit at the end about the "highest moral integrity" stuff... perhaps with all his trouble with drinking, he wouldn't qualify, which is just sad.

 

Long overdue. From a per entertainment perspective, I loved the NASL Quakes and Milan was a huge part in creating a team and atmosphere (Crazy George, half time shows, having the players get out into the community). Paul was Mr. Hustle. While Paul didn't score like Wondo, he had the same intensity. I thought that he would run through a wall at Spartan (ended up being Gabo)...

 

The Quakes teams that George played on sucked big time. He didn't get out in the community and he didn't really advance the team (on the field or off). Loved watching him, but I wouldn't put him in the Hall.

 

Absurdly so, it would seem to me. Doyle, Cerritos and Dayak get in before Paul Child? The HOF has existed since 2005, but up to now there were only three inductees? No disrespect to any of them, but I find all of this just slightly odd. Anyway, congrats to the new members. Child was my favorite Quake back in the day.

 

Yes. There are several other NASL Quakes who should have been inducted prior to the MLS Quakes. Mike Hewitt. Wee Man. John Rowlands. Ilija Mitic.

 

Yet another amazing gesture by the front office of the San Jose Earthquakes... No other MLS organization holds a candle to the one we support regarding the desire to embrace their history. NOT ONE!

Arguments can be made on who could could have or should have been elected. Arguments can also be made that this is overdue... But, c'mon... at the end of the day why discuss or debate this... Two of the pioneers of professional soccer in San Jose are being honored so let's embrace it and be proud! How many MLS clubs have a Hall of Fame with NASL guys in it?

Looking forward to seeing a packed stadium on September 29th and to catching-up with many of you that weekend. Again, thanks to the San Jose Earthquakes for being the "Class" organization they are!

 

Sad like Pete Rose sad...
I attended camps where Paul Child, the Demling brothers, Davey Kemp, and a few other 'Quakes took part. As noted before, George Best may have been good, but not a part of the community.

 

My Avatar says it all!

 

Where was that? (And when? )

 

(Sorry, I don't know how how to imbed a link into text) Here is a great article from back in the day regarding Milan and the club...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1088861/index.htm

 

It was at a local Quakes Soccer camp which I think was held at Peterson High School in Sunnyvale. As for when, I"m guessing 1977 or 78.

 

I'm not happy, but I'm ok with this, mostly because it open a door for the NASL time...I only wish they consider Johnny Moore, honestly I don't know anybody else more deserving to be called at the Quakes HOF than him.

 

Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes. And, by the way, Moore should be inducted twice - maybe 3 times - first as a player, second as an ambassador, and perhaps most importantly, third as the architect (at least in part) of our stolen dynasty.

The rest go without saying. As for Bestie. I think he still goes in. Yes he was on the drink, but he still was head and shoulders above the caliber of the teams in those days. I used to watch him at practice (when he hadn't disappeared with some phantom injury while he nursed a few at his pub in southern California). The guy was an incredible talent, even at that stage of his career.

I was fortunate enough to go to Del Mar High. At the time, the Quakes were putting up a number of their players in the apartments close by. I got to kick the ball around a few of then such as Derek Craig, Steve Ryan, Chris Turner and Sean Keohane. (I also got to teach a young Olympian decatholete named Bruce Jenner how to kick a soccer ball before he was to make the ceremonial first kick at Spartan a few nights later.) Falvo, I guess this was your old stomping grounds as well?

As for Child, he was one of the original snipers. Very opportunistic, I guess in the mold of Wondo more than anyone else. He got most of his goals because he worked so hard. Probably mentioned it before, but I remember an afternoon game against Dallas where Mitic was fouled just outside the box. The two of them briefly locked eyes before Mitic hit a perfectly weighted ball over the defender's shoulder (Steve Pecher?), into the 6 yard box that Child lunged at and lifted over a desperate Kenny Cooper (Junior's dad) for the goal that led to an eventual 4-0 shellacking.

As for Rowlands, we could open an entire thread on his contributions. Coming over from Seattle, where he had played center forward, to our central defense, where he dominated the air and brought a stability and a tenacity that we wouldn't see until Frankie brought in Agoos as part of his cocktail napkin plan in 2001. Safe to say, there's no shortage of deserving candidates...

 

Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes. And, by the way, Moore should be inducted twice - maybe 3 times - first as a player, second as an ambassador, and perhaps most importantly, third as the architect (at least in part) of our stolen dynasty.

The rest go without saying. As for Bestie. I think he still goes in. Yes he was on the drink, but he still was head and shoulders above the caliber of the teams in those days. I used to watch him at practice (when he hadn't disappeared with some phantom injury while he nursed a few at his pub in southern California). The guy was an incredible talent, even at that stage of his career.

I was fortunate enough to go to Del Mar High. At the time, the Quakes were putting up a number of their players in the apartments close by. I got to kick the ball around a few of then such as Derek Craig, Steve Ryan, Chris Turner and Sean Keohane. (I also got to teach a young Olympian decatholete named Bruce Jenner how to kick a soccer ball before he was to make the ceremonial first kick at Spartan a few nights later.) Falvo, I guess this was your old stomping grounds as well?

As for Child, he was one of the original snipers. Very opportunistic, I guess in the mold of Wondo more than anyone else. He got most of his goals because he worked so hard. Probably mentioned it before, but I remember an afternoon game against Dallas where Mitic was fouled just outside the box. The two of them briefly locked eyes before Mitic hit a perfectly weighted ball over the defender's shoulder (Steve Pecher?), into the 6 yard box that Child lunged at and lifted over a desperate Kenny Cooper (Junior's dad) for the goal that led to an eventual 4-0 shellacking.

As for Rowlands, we could open an entire thread on his contributions. Coming over from Seattle, where he had played center forward, to our central defense, where he dominated the air and brought a stability and a tenacity that we wouldn't see until Frankie brought in Agoos as part of his cocktail napkin plan in 2001. Safe to say, there's no shortage of deserving candidates...

 

Agreed. The Quakes and their fans (you deserve some credit, too, gilmoreaz) are at the forefront across the league in honoring their history. And this is a giant step. The induction of NASL Quakes into the MLS Quakes' Hall of Fame adopts, in a formal way, "the Club" mantra that Johnny Moore espoused at the SSV Community Foundation dinner in 2010. Our Club now officially transcends leagues, and it also recognizes "builders" as well as players.

I fully expect the Wee Man to be inducted some day soon.

 

I attened the Quakes camps at SCU. More like 75 or 76 for me.

 

On Stokes? I had a friend (also a Del Martian) who lived there around that time. I went to Del Mar also, but perhaps a few years before you did.

Interesting. When I was at SJSU, I remember watching Ryan and Easy Perez play.

 

Were those the ones run by Dave Chapwick? (I think I got that name right )

 

I strongly agree with Bridgewater & Van Voorhis and obviously Johnny should already be in the HOF, but Tom Neale was one year. Thanks for the good work but not HOF material.

 

Correct...

 

i wonder if they will acknowledge the fact that Child and Cerritos are tied for the club goal-scoring lead at 61. that would be nice.

Bzzzt!! Actually, Dave Chaplik was head coach of the SCU soccer program from 72-80 before he joined the Quakes in some sort of noncoaching capacity, and, yes, he did run those soccer camps (Mitty HS in summer '77 for me).

 

well, i guess i should've read the article before commenting, but i meant at the HOF ceremony and going forward in club record books.

 

well, let's not forget they renamed the gate off of El Camino Real at Buck Shaw for him, and gave away jerseys with his number on them to season ticket holders. the club's done a pretty good job in recognizing the accomplishments of Best.