NASL Fans: Davie Kemp & Art Welch / San Jose Earthquakes NASL Dateline: On 28 September 1982, the New York Cosmos celebrated Carlos Alberto's remarkable 6-year NASL career with a farewell match against his former Brazilian club, Flamengo, that ended in a 3-3 draw before 37,312 at Giants Stadium. Giorgio Chinaglia scored all 3 New York goals and Franz Beckenbauer returned as a guest player for the Cosmos, who won 4 Soccer Bowl titles (1977, 1978, 1980, 1982) with Alberto. NASL Dateline: On 28 September 1981, the NASL Board of Governors approved the merger of 2 of the league's most iconic franchises, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Dallas Tornado, with the two clubs in agreement to share players, coaches and assets with the Tampa Bay club to remain in operation for the 1982 NASL season.
Did You Know? The San Jose Earthquakes set the NASL record for sellouts in a single season when they filled Spartan Stadium's 17,579 seats 8 times in 1977. Happy 66th birthday to Bruce Gant (number 14), the younger of 2 brothers to play in the NASL who earned NAIA All American honors at Simon Fraser University and played for Canada's youth international teams, then was chosen by the Portland Timbers with the 7th overall pick of the 1979 NASL Draft and made 59 appearances in 5 NASL seasons with Portland (1979) and the Montreal Manic (1983). NASL Action: New York Cosmos forward Giorgio Chinaglia and Philadelphia Fury defender John Dempsey battle for a header at Giants Stadium. NASL Dateline: On 27 September 1981, the Atlanta Chiefs ceased operations for the 2nd time in a decade after losing nearly $7 million in 3 NASL seasons and averaging just 6,189 in attendance in 1981 in cavernous Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium. The franchise joined 6 others in withdrawing from the league, threatening the NASL's long-term future. NASL Dateline: On 28 September 1984, Pato Margetic scored twice and Manny Rojas and Karl-Heinz Granitza added solo goals as the Chicago Sting held off the Vancouver Whitecaps, 4-3, in Game 3 of the semifinals of the NASL Playoffs before 10,139 at Comiskey Park to advance to the Soccer Bowl '84 Series. MSL Dateline: On 28 September 1990, the Budweiser Challenge Cup kicked off with the U.S. National Team drawn against an MSL All Star squad for a 2-game series designed to spur interest in professional soccer - and leave MSL's outdoor options open going forward. Game 1 saw the two teams play to at 1-1 draw on goals by Bruce Murray (U.S.) and Ted Eck (MSL) at Arrowhead Stadium. USA Squad: Anton Nistl, Mark Dodd, Troy Dayak, Steve Pittman, Desmond Armstrong, Jimmy Banks, Robin Fraser, Marcelo Balboa, Mike Windischmann, Paul Krumpe, Brian Bliss, Dan Donigan, Kevin Grimes, Scott Benedetti, Bruce Murray, Eric Wynalda, Eric Eichmann, Philip Gyau, Peter Vermes. MSL Squad: Zoltán Tóth, Ron Fearon, Chico Moreira, George Fernandez, Kim Røntved, Fernando Clavijo, Bruce Savage, Daryl Doran, Mike Sweeney, Chico' Borja, Dale Ervine, Claudio De Oliveira, Brian Quinn, Preki Radosavljevic, Gary Heale, Tatu, Ted Eck, Paul Wright, David Byrne NASL Dateline: On 28 September 1981, the Calgary Boomers' 1-year existence came to a swift end after a merger with the Edmonton Drillers that had been approved by the NASL's Board of Governors could not be finalized. Calgary finished at 17-15 and made the playoffs in 1981 after relocating from Memphis, but owner Nelson Skalbania's crumbling sports empire and real estate holdings collapsed under debts of $30 million. Happy 72nd birthday to Peter Lechermann (number 22), the West German defender who played in both The Netherlands and West Germany, but made his greatest impact in North America, where he scored 4 goals in 62 games in 3 NASL seasons with the San Diego Sockers (1978-80) and San Jose Earthquakes (1980), then moved indoors and contributed 19 career goals with the Hartford Hellions (1979-80) and Phoenix Inferno (1980-81).
Happy 76th birthday to Geoff Butler (far left), the veteran English defender who enjoyed extended spells with Middlesbrough (1965-67) and Bournemouth (1975-81) and led Norwich City to the 1973 League Cup final, but also spent 2 NASL seasons on loan to the Baltimore Comets, notching 2 goals and 14 assists in 40 games from 1974-75. Happy 84th birthday to David Socha, the former Portsmouth player who found far greater success as the pre-eminent America referee of his era, working NASL matches from 1978-84 but gaining global fame when he became only the 2nd American to officiate a World Cup match in 1982 and followed that up by working the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals as well, in addition to the Soccer Bowl '82 and the Soccer Bowl Series '84, the 1984 Olympic Games, and the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World All Star Games. NASL Fans: Teófilo Cubillas / Fort Lauderdale Strikers NASL National Team: Tommy Smith, Team America (1976 Bicentennial Cup) NASL Memories: Frank Coluccio once co-owned the Seattle Sounders with his brother, Vince, and later re-purchased the franchise in a doomed effort to save it, but will always be remembered as an icon of Pacific Northwest soccer. Born on 28 September 1928, Coluccio and his brother built one of the region's most successful construction companies before buying controlling interest in the Sounders in 1979, and presided over the team's glory years that included a the NASL's best record (25-7) in 1980 and a trip to Soccer Bowl '82. But the sale of the team in late 1982 to an investment group headed by former NFL star Bruce Anderson soured the fan base and destroyed the team's credibility, forcing Coluccio to buy back the club in an unsuccessful attempt to stabilize it. An attempt to form an indoor team also fell short. Sadly, Coluccio passed away in 2014 at the age of 85. Happy 66th birthday to midfielder Doug Evans (number eight), the Welsh youth international who spent 8 seasons with Norwich City, but also played in 17 games for the Connecticut Bicentennials during the 1977 NASL season. Happy 68th birthday to Mark Moran (number eight), the St. Louis midfielder who helped SIU-Edwardsville reach the 1974 NCAA final and was selected by the Minnesota Kicks in the 3rd round of the 1977 NASL Draft, then went on to notch 3 goals and 15 assists in 74 games through the 1981 NASL season. Happy 66th birthday to defender Tommy Mulroy (pictured at center), the 2-time National Junior College All American at Ulster County Community College who spent the 1976 NASL season with the Miami Toros and the 1977 NASL Indoor season with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, then played with the MISL's Pittsburgh Spirit (1978-79), Hartford Hellions (1979-81), New York Arrows (1983-84) and New York Express (1986-87) -- earning MISL All Star honors in 1979 -- and set the world record for juggling a soccer ball in 1978 when he recorded 12,295 touches over the course of more than 2 hours on observation deck atop the Empire State Building. NASL Fans: Erich Geyer / San Diego Sockers
MISL Dateline: On 30 September 1978, veteran East Coast sports executives Earl Foreman and Ed Tepper announced the formation of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), which would begin play 11 weeks later with 6 franchises: the Houston Summit, New York Arrows, Cleveland Force, Philadelphia Fever, Pittsburgh Spirit and Cincinnati Kids.
NASL Action: Team America trialists Tony Crescitelli, Dan Canter, Bruce Savage, Chico Borja and Sonny Askew work out during the team's Florida training camp prior to the 1983 NASL season.
NASL Ticket Brochures: The San Jose Earthquakes' flirtation with the MISL for the 1982-83 indoor season beckoned fans inside. NASL National Team: Pelé and Bobby Moore, Team America (1976 Bicentennial Cup) Happy 71st birthday to Mark Demling (pictured at left), the American defender who was the younger of 2 brothers to play in the NASL and helped Saint Louis University to 3 NCAA titles from 1970 to 1973 -- with Demling as captain in 1973 -- then was drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes and spent 7 seasons in the NASL, recording 2 goals in 56 games and ultimately closing out his career with the MISL's San Francisco Fog in 1980-81. Did You Know? Tampa Bay Rowdies striker Oscar Fabbiani averaged 1.85 goals per game in 2 indoor seasons, including an incredible 13 goals in a 4-game stretch midway through the 1980-81 NASL Indoor campaign. NASL Fans: Mark Lindsay / Tampa Bay Rowdies
Our friend came up on 1970s Soccer USA NASL Fans today! Loved the striped socks! Paul Child, Mani Hernandez & Buzz Demling / San Jose Earthquakes
Happy 83rd birthday to Yugoslavia international Milan Cop (number 5), the veteran Red Star Belgrade defender who joined the Oakland Clippers for the inaugural NASL season in 1968, earning all-NASL honors and helping the Clippers to the league's 2nd-best record, and then returned in 1974 with the expansion San Jose Earthquakes (5 games).
NASL Head Shots: California Surf, 1981 NASL Dateline: On 7 October 1981, Gordon Sweetzer scored twice and Mike Stojanovic and Branko Segota added goals as Canada thrashed the New York Cosmos, 4-0, in Game 2 of the World Cup Soccer Series before 10,688 at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. The Cosmos, just 10 days past their loss in Soccer Bowl '81, were impressed by their opponents. "This is the best team Canada has ever had," said New York striker Giorgio Chinaglia. "They had more occasions to score goals and there is no doubt in my mind they will go to Spain. NASL National Team: Roberto Cabanas, Paraguay NASL Dateline: On 7 October 1980, the United States National Team got a 67th minute goal from Rick Davis en route to a 1-1 draw with Portugal in an international friendly before 15,000 in Lisbon. The U.S. lineup: Mausser; Pecher (captain), Smith (Fowles, 60), Bellinger, Keough (Crudo, 56); Bandov, Cantillo, Davis, Van Der Beck (Hulcer, 64); Peterson (Moyers, 78), Nanchoff NASL Action: Giorgio Chinaglia, Vladislav Bogicevic and Werner Roth celebrate a New York Cosmos goal against the Tulsa Roughnecks at Giants Stadium. Happy 61st birthday to Joe Papaleo, the upstate New York goalkeeper who earned All America honors at Syracuse University and was a 1st-round draft choice of both the New York Cosmos (NASL, 1982) and Pittsburgh Spirit (MISL, 1982), but signed with Pittsburgh to kick-start a 10-year indoor career with the Spirit (1982-86), Tacoma Stars (1986-87) and Dallas Sidekicks (1987-92), reaching the 1987 and 1992 MISL finals, winning the 1990 MISL Goalkeeper of the Year Award and playing in 2 MISL All Star Games. NASL Memories: Ivan Lukačević was a powerful Croatian striker whose 44 NASL career goals rank 38th all-time but don't include his pivotal post-season strikes -- including a goal in Toronto Metro-Croatia's Soccer Bowl '76 victory. Born on 7 October 1946, Lukačević (pictured at left) spent a decade in the Yugoslavian league -- and scored 126 goals for NK Osijek -- before signing with Toronto in 1975 and spent 5 years scoring in bunches for Metros-Croatia and the Blizzard, including a phenomenal 16 goals in 17 games in 1978. A fan favorite with a broad smile, Lukačević was also a battler on the field who doled out elbows and bruises. Sadly, Lukačević passed away in 2003 at the age of 56 NASL Action: Vancouver Whitecaps defender Pierce O'Leary closes down Portland Timbers forward Ron Futcher in a Cascadia Cup match at Empire Stadium. MISL Ticket Brochures: The New York Cosmos made big promises for the 1984-85 MISL season, but folded abruptly at mid-season. MISL Merchandise: San Francisco Fog bumper sticker
NASL Dateline: On 16 October 1983, the New York Cosmos bid "arrivederci" to Giorgio Chinaglia, the all-time NASL scoring leader and member of 4 Soccer Bowl-winning teams, in a farewell match against Lazio in Rome. Chinaglia played the 1st half for New York and the 2nd for Lazio -- and scored for the Italians -- in a 3-1 Cosmos' loss before 40,000 at Stadio Olimpico. NASL Adverts: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Memphis Rogues / Atlanta Chiefs vs. Washington Diplomats pre-season games, 1979 NASL Legends: Dave Obenour NASL Quotes: "It was a real mishmosh in Philadelphia. We'd have team meetings and guys would just laugh. It was just ridiculous. I'd just come from L.A. where we had Rinus Michels and we used to sit in the lockerroom like we were in a monastery or something. In Philly, Frank Worthington and these guys would be loose as a goose and the Yugoslavs would be all upset and it was a joke. Our big hope was that we would get our checks the next weekend. But here, man, it's a rebirth!" - Bob Rigby, goalkeeper explaining the welcome success and professionalism of the Montreal Manic in 1981. MISL Fans: Karl-Heinz Granitza / Chicago Sting Happy 80th birthday to Scotland international Charlie Cooke (number 5), the fiery winger who made 299 appearances with Chelsea and captured the FA Cup (1970) and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1971), then joined the Los Angeles Aztecs in 1976 and built a 6-year NASL career that included stints with the Memphis Rogues and California Surf -- netting 2 all-NASL honors in the process, and a spell as the Rogues' player-coach -- and concluded with 2 MISL seasons with the Cleveland Force and the Dallas Sidekicks NASL Fans: Sam Bick / Minnesota Kicks NASL Dateline: On 14 October 1976, the San Diego Jaws franchise was born when San Jose car dealer Ken Keegan bought the embattled Baltimore Comets and relocated the team 3,000 miles west to the Aztec Bowl at San Diego State University. Named after the hit Universal Pictures film from the previous summer, "Jaws," the soccer team flopped on the field, finishing 9-15 and leaving after one season to try their luck in Las Vegas as the Quicksilvers.
NASL Dateline: On 16 October 1977, the United States got goals from George Nanchoff and Greg Villa and handed China a 2-1 defeat in the 3rd and final game of the Chinese-USA series before 17,500 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The U.S. finished with 2 wins and a draw against China, which also played against NASL teams. USA Line-Up: USA: Alan Mayer, Jim Pollihan, Glenn Myernick, Don Droege, Dave D'Errico, Steve Ralbovsky (Fred Pereira), Al Trost (Tony Donlic), Boris Bandov, Rick Davis, George Nanchoff, Greg Villa (Colin Fowles)