Earthquakes history -- NASL style!, Part 2

falvo · Nov 29, 2019

NASL Legends: Guus Hiddink and Johan Neeskens

falvo · Dec 1, 2019

Davie Robb challenges San Jose Earthquakes' John Rowlands and former Rowdies' goalie Mike Hewitt for the ball, at Spartan Stadium in 1978.

falvo · Dec 1, 2019

Mike Hewitt blocks a shot from San Jose Earthquakes' Paul Child, during the 1975 NASL Indoor Championship Game, played at the Cow Palace. With Mike Connell and Doug Wark in the background.

falvo · Dec 7, 2019

falvo · Dec 8, 2019

NASL Legends: George Katakalidis, Godfrey Ingram and Mike Hunter

falvo · Dec 9, 2019

Did You Know? Veteran referee Toros Kibritjian (center) was fired by MISL early in the 1986-87 season after his autobiography, "Quest for the Cup" criticized teams such as the Chicago Sting and Sting players and coaches, and seemed to indicate he was not unbiased when officiating their games. 'I can`t have it,'' said MISL commissioner Bill Kentling. ''Someone who has made the kind of remarks he did can`t be an objective official.'' But Kibritjian, a 30-year veteran of NASL, NCAA and MISL games, refused to apologize or retract the book and sued MISL in 1987, gaining reinstatement the next season with a monetary award.
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falvo · Dec 10, 2019

falvo · Dec 11, 2019

Did You Know? Colorado Caribous striker Jomo Sono left his own wedding mid-ceremony in South Africa in 1979 when word was passed that his local club, Orlando Pirates, was losing in a Johannesburg derby match. Sono got to the game in time to set up 3 goals and score the 4th himself in a 4-2 win over Highlands Park, then returned to his wedding. "Imagine how it felt - it was the happiest day of our lives and then my father-in-law gave me the news ... My heart sank. I knew I had to make a choice," Sono said later. "It was celebrated as a commitment, but in truth it was madness." For the record, Sono and his wife, Gail, recently celebrated their 40th anniversary, and Sono ultimately bought the Highlands Park franchise and turned it into his own successful club, Jomo Cosmos.
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falvo · Dec 14, 2019

NASL Quotes: "How I score goals I cannot tell you, it happens in a dream. It comes from God. But why is easy -- I will not lose. It hurts me physically to be defeated." -- Steve Zungul, Golden Bay Earthquakes
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falvo · Dec 16, 2019

NASL National Team: Steve Zungul, Yugoslavia

falvo · Dec 17, 2019

NASL National Team: Fernando Clavijo, USA...…RIP!

sj_oldtimer · Dec 18, 2019

falvo said: ↑

NASL National Team: Steve Zungul, Yugoslavia

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Arguably one of the top three forwards in Europe when he left Yugoslavia for an uncertain future in the US. Hard to believe he was only able to play two outdoor seasons after leaving. As much as people dislike Carl Berg (because of his opposition to the MLS Quakes stadium attempts), he was the one responsible for Zungul being a member of those two Quakes teams.

falvo · Dec 19, 2019

NASL Fans: Joe Horvath, Washington Diplomats

falvo · Dec 19, 2019

NASL National Team: Leonardo Cuellar, Mexico

falvo · Dec 23, 2019

Happy 60th birthday to Hans Kraay Jr. (number 20), the Dutch defender who followed his father, coach Hans Kraay Sr., to the Edmonton Drillers in 1979 as a 20-year old and scored 5 goals in 38 games with Edmonton and the San Jose Earthquakes (1980), then went on to a long career as player, coach and television personality in The Netherlands.
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Did You Know? The 1979-80 Hartford Hellions were among the worst teams in MISL history, winning just 6 games and finishing with a -89 goal differential. But don't blame goalkeeper Mike Hewitt -- in the 12 games he played with Hartford that season, Hewitt faced 331 shots and was forced to make a save every 2.69 minutes.
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falvo · Dec 24, 2019

Mark and Buzz Demling celebrate with Leroy "Dilly" DeLeon after he scored against the Aztecs down in L.A. Not sure if it was the Rose Bowl or the LA Coliseum. Picture was on the cover of Soccer America
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falvo · Dec 27, 2019

NASL Line-Ups: The New York Cosmos' starting XI in 1979 featured 10 different nationalities (West Germany, Portugal, Italy, England, Yugoslavia, Brazil, Iran, The Netherlands, USA, Turkey).
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falvo · Dec 27, 2019

Happy 69th birthday to Doug Wark, the Scottish-American forward who was an All American at Hartwick College but left after his sophomore season to join the NASL, then scored 4 goals in 6 seasons with the Rochester Lancers (1974), Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975-76), San Diego Jaws (1976), Las Vegas Quicksilvers (1977), San Diego Sockers (1978) and San Jose Earthquakes (1978), while also scoring 35 goals in MISL (Cincinnati Kids, Baltimore Blast and San Francisco Fog)
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Happy 69th birthday to Italy international Roberto Bettega (number 11), the athletic Juventus striker who scored 129 goals in 14 seasons in Turin -- winning 7 Serie A titles, 1 Coppa Italia and 1 UEFA Cup in the process -- while also competing in the 1978 FIFA World Cup and the 1980 European Championship, then transferred to the NASL in 1983 and led the Toronto Blizzard to back-to-back Soccer Bowl finals, notching 10 goals and 21 assists in 48 matches.
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falvo · Dec 27, 2019

RIP Wolfgang Sühnholz! September 14, 1946 - December 27h, 2019...

falvo · Dec 28, 2019

Did You Know? Although Branko Segota obtained a special waiver to sign as an under-age 17-year old with the MISL's New York Arrows in 1978, the NASL had no such provision and staged a special draft in 1979 when Segota became 18. The New York Cosmos secured Segota's rights, but promptly traded him to the Rochester Lancers for 6 draft picks -- including the number 1 picks in 1980, 1981 and 1982 -- and cash. And although Segota missed the first 13 weeks of the 1979 season and only debuted on 1 July, he scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Fort Lauderdale 2 weeks later and reeled off 11 goals in the next 8 games and finished 24th among NASL scoring leaders that year.
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falvo · Dec 29, 2019

NASL National Team: Mike Ivanow, USA

falvo · Jan 1, 2020

NASL Throwbacks: The Rochester Lancers will wear throwback jerseys in the 2020 National Premier Soccer League outdoor season to honour the 50th anniversary of the namesake club that won the NASL title in 1970.

falvo · Jan 1, 2020

Happy 79th birthday to Dragan "Don" Popović, the Yugoslavian midfielder who made 69 appearances in 3 NASL seasons with the Kansas City Spurs (1968-69) and St. Louis Stars (1969-71) -- earning all-NASL honors in 1971 -- then re-invented himself as a highly successful coach, winning 4 straight MISL championships with the New York Arrows, wooing Steve Zungul away from Europe and developing young players like Branko Segota, and receiving the MISL Coach of the Year Award (1981) with New York and later the NASL Coach of the Year Award (1983) with the Golden Bay Earthquakes.
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Happy 72nd birthday to Geoff Davies, the English midfielder who bagged goals in bunches, rolling up 52 scores -- including 7 hat tricks -- for Wigan in 3 seasons, then starred in the NASL with the Boston Minutemen, where he notched 10 goals in 29 games, then added seasons with the Chicago Sting (1976) and San Jose Earthquakes (1977) before helping the Los Angeles Skyhawks reach the 1978 ASL final and adding a final MISL campaign with the San Francisco Fog (1980-81).
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falvo · Jan 3, 2020

NASL Art: Giorgio Chinaglia

falvo · Jan 4, 2020