Earthquakes history -- NASL style!, Part 2

Happy 67th birthday to Mike Hunter (number 3), the Santa Clara University defender who was selected by the expansion Detroit Lightning in the 1st round of the 1979 MISL Draft and made 20 appearances that season indoors, then was a 2nd-round pick of the San Jose Earthquakes in the 1980 NALS Draft and played in 98 games over the next 5 years with San Jose / Golden Bay, then was sold to the Los Angeles Lazers when the NASL collapsed in 1984 and closed out with 2 more MISL seasons (1984-86).





NASL Memories: Bobby Hope was a Scotland international who balanced a standout English league career with 4 excellent loan seasons to NASL clubs. Born on 28 September 1943, Hope (pictured at left, with his Hollywood namesake) was a 5-foot-8 inside forward who scored 33 goals in 336 appearances for West Bromwich Albion -- winning the 1966 League Cup and the 1968 FA Cup in the process -- then transferred to Birmingham City and spent 4 loan seasons in the NASL, contributing 7 goals and 30 assists in 80 games with the Philadelphia Atoms (1975) and Dallas Tornado (1976-78), earning all-NASL honors in 1975 and 1976. Sadly, Hope passed away in 2022 at the age of 77.



Soccer in the 1970s: New York Cosmos coach Eddie Firmani pulls on a jacket as rain begins to fall during Pelé's 1977 farewell match against Santos FC at Giants Stadium.



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 Memories: Momčilo "Gabbo" Gavrić was a Serbian left back who immigrated to the United States from Yugoslavia in 1967 and won the 1967 NPSL title with the Oakland Clippers and later the 1971 NASL championship with the Dallas Tornado, but found his greatest success with the San Jose Earthquakes. Born on 4 August 1938, Gavric made 46 appearances over 3 seasons with San Jose, but began serving as player-coach in 1975 and worked in that capacity through 1978. Gavric led the Earthquakes to the 1975 NASL Indoor title -- winning co-MVP honors in the process -- and was twice named all-NASL. He also found time to play for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL in 1969, hitting 22 of 24 PATs he attempted. Sadly, Gavric died in 2010 as a result of complications from Parkinson's Disease. He was 72.



NASL Dateline: On 29 September 1980, Neill Roberts returned from a month-long absence due to a shoulder injury and scored the lone goal as the Tampa Bay Rowdies kicked off a 6-game post-season European tour with a 1-0 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in England.




Soccer in the 1970s: Minnesota Kicks playmaker Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe was cover boy material in the NASL heyday.



NASL Memories: Paul Cahill became Portsmouth's youngest-ever captain at 21 years of age and went on to make over 100 appearances for clubs like Coventry City, Tranmere Rovers and Stockport County, but found his greatest success in North America. Born on 29 September 1955, Cahill (number 17) earned all-ASL honors with the Southern California Lazers in 1978, then signed with the California Surf and quickly became one of the league's most reliable defenders, making 81 appearances with California (1979-80) and the San Jose / Golden Bay Earthquakes (1981-82), while often marking some of the NASL's top scorers. Sadly, Cahill died in 2021 at the age of 65.



Happy 69th birthday to Mike Pickering (number 11), the English central defender who made more than 100 appearances for Barnsley (1974-77), Sheffield Wednesday (1978-84) and Rotherham United (1984-86), but also spent the 1981 NASL season on loan to the San Diego Sockers.

 

NASL Dateline: On 1 October 1977, the New York Cosmos, a crowd of 75,646 at Giants Stadium and a global TV audience estimated 500 million said goodbye to Pelé after 3 years of remarkable NASL output that put soccer firmly on the American sports map. The Cosmos notched a 2-1 defeat of Pelé's old team, Santos FC, in an exhibition match, with Pelé playing a half for each team in a game that ended in a downpour and a victory lap with celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford, and Henry Kissinger in attendance.

 

Happy 74th birthday to Mark Demling, the American defender and the younger of 2 brothers to play in the NASL who 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.

 

The San Jose Earthquakes are deeply saddened by the passing of our founder and longtime owner Milan Mandaric.

We are forever indebted to Milan for bringing professional soccer to San Jose and building the Earthquakes into one of the longest running clubs in the United States.

His focus on developing soccer at the grassroots level and connecting his club closely with the community not only helped create countless soccer fans and players around San Jose and Northern California, but will serve as his lasting legacy as the sport continues to flourish.

Thank you, Milan.

 

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Archie!

NASL Memories: Archie Roboostoff was a strapping American forward at a time when they didn't exist in world soccer, yet he still crafted a 5-year NASL career that included the 1972 Olympic Games and extended service with the U.S. National Team. Born on 8 October 1951 in Shanghai - Roboostoff's family initially fled Russia when the Communists took over and relocated to China, then fled China when the Communists gained power there too - Roboostoff (pictured in red) quickly settled into American life in the Bay Area. Signed by the expansion San Jose Earthquakes in 1974, Roboostoff racked up 20 goals in 101 matches with San Jose (1974-75), the San Diego Jaws (1976), Portland Timbers (1977-78) and Oakland Stompers (1978), and helped the Earthquakes win the 1975 NASL Indoor title by scoring 3 goals in 8-5 championship final win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Sadly, Roboostoff passed away in 2019 at the age of 67.

 

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, then handed his iconic number 9 jersey to Cosmos teammate Roberto Cabanas.










NASL Action: Tampa Bay Rowdies forward Adrian Alston veers away from New York Cosmos defender Mike Dillon at Tampa Stadium



NASL Dateline: On 14 October 1981, player-coach Peter Lorimer delivered a goal in the 49th minute but it wasn’t enough to keep the Vancouver Whitecaps from dropping a 3-1 decision to Napoli before 12,500 in Italy, the 3rd game of Vancouver's 2-week European tour.

 

Soccer in the 1970s:

San Jose Earthquakes defender Mark Demling poses with NASL legend Pelé.




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).



Happy 83rd 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, and later coached the Wichita Wings (1986-88).



Soccer in the 1970s: Johan Cruyff, Giorgio Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer pose for the cameras at a training session prior to the 1978 World All Star Game at Giants Stadium.









NASL Dateline: On 18 October 1977, the Las Vegas Quicksilvers franchise that had relocated from San Diego the year before closed up shop and headed back to San Diego after a disappointing season in Sin City. Despite a formidable line-up that included Eusebio, Wolfgang Suhnholz, Chris Dangerfield, Humberto Coelho, Derek Trevis and Alan Mayer, the Quicksilvers could not sustain a fast start and wound up dead-last with an 11-15 record, mounting legal and financial problems, and $32,000 in unpaid rent at Las Vegas Stadium.

 

Slowly going thru the worlds largest collection of Earthquakes memorabilia outside of California...
1974 Programs..only need 3 more for complete set..anyone selling 1974 programs?

 

Johnny Moore (8), Eusebio (10) Las Vegas Quicksilvers at San Jose Earthquakes



All-Star 1980-81 West (MISL)

Don Ebert, Johnny Moore, Tony Bellinger, Ty Keough, Steve Pecher

 

NASL Head Shots: San Jose Earthquakes, 1980

 

NASL Merchandise: San Jose Earthquakes cards

 

Sweet...did they do these 1974-75 only??
but..why do I have 3 different Buzz Demling's??

Was 1974 the ones with Roos Atkins ad?

 

NASL Schedules: San Jose Earthquakes, 1981

 

NASL Head Shots: San Jose Shakers / San Jose Earthquakes

 

San Jose Earthquakes Cheerleaders 1974

 

Happy 745h birthday to Desmond "Des" Backos (number 6), the South African forward who played virtually all of his 21-year career with domestic clubs like Johannesburg Rangers, Highlands Park and Hellenic, but joined the Los Angeles Aztecs for the 1976 NASL season and contributed 3 goals and 5 assists in 20 games.

 

Gotta be a record!!

 

NASL Memories: Peter Beardsley and his wife, Sandra, share a laugh with Vancouver Whitecaps general manager Peter Bridgwater after joining the club on a loan contract from Carlisle United in 1981.

 

Happy 79th birthday to West Germany international Bernd "Bernie" Gersdorff, the dependable midfielder who followed up a 14-year career with Bundesliga clubs like Bayern Munich, Eintracht Braunschweig, Hertha Berlin and Tennis Borussia Berlin by jumping to the NASL in 1979, where he notched 16 goals and 7 assists in 2 seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes (1979-80) and San Diego Sockers (1980) - and made headlines during a game at Spartan Stadium in 1979 when he noticed the referee had dropped his yellow card, so Gersdorff picked it up and yellow carded the referee instead.

 

https://www.socceramerica.com/as-th...r-in-america-sash-supplies-history-backstory/

 

Speaking of Society for American Soccer History:

Preserving and exhibiting Bay Area soccer history
Written by Don Gagliardi on July 28, 2015 in California, MLS, NASL I, San Jose

https://www.ussoccerhistory.org/preserving-and-exhibiting-bay-area-soccer-history/

 

If I'm not mistaken, this game against the Washington Diplomats was played on Saturday July 15, 1978 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose.

The Quakes lost 1–5 to the Dips and West German defender Volkar Fass who had been recently traded from the Oakland Stompers for John Rowlands (and who later turned physician in Germany) was the loan goalscorer for San Jose.

 

Happy 80th birthday to The Netherlands international Peter Ressel, the high-scoring winger who won the Dutch league title and UEFA Cup with Feyenoord (1974) and the European Cup Winners' Cup with Anderlecht in 1976 and again in 1978 along with the Belgian Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 1976, but who also spent 3 productive seasons in the NASL, bagging a combined 26 goals in 87 games with the San Jose Earthquakes (1978) and the Chicago Sting (1979-80).