Ray Ratto was around then? Former NASL NY Cosmos and USMNT player Chico Borja just died at 61...RIP! . Former Wichita Wings player Chico Borja passes away at 61 GOODBYE, CHICO: Former Cosmos, USMNT player Borja ...
Saw this team defeat Costa Rica at Stanford in '84. I remember the size of the crowd was about 85,000 (in the old Stanford Stadium), I think a record for a US soccer game at the time.
Ratto is surprisingly well-versed about NASL soccer. I've always found him exasperating in that he tends to be so cynical and negative on most every subject, while at the same time usually pretty knowledgeable. But he can be especially dismissive when it comes to American soccer and MLS. Having heard him expound on the dynamics and financial constraints of the old NASL, I do have to give him credit. Like on most subjects, he has some pretty good insights. Just wish he'd be a little more open about how far the sport has come in America. Then again, he is part of the media, who seem to have it written into their job descriptions to marginalize American soccer and I doubt that'll ever change. Unlike Ratto, most of them are too lazy and threatened by their lack of knowledge on soccer to actually be able to speak or write intelligently about it. So they just kick it to the curb and pretend like there's nothing to talk about. Then again, it's not like management is giving our local media anything worth talking about.
As hard as it might be to believe, I played against Art (and The Wee Man) a few times....adult co-ed league in the 80s.
I went to many Tacoma Stars games in the mid to late 80's, and it was a joy to not only watch Zungul when he arrived, but, this is where Preki first played soccer in the US and he was a phenomenal indoor payer as well. Lots of great times in the Tacoma Dome, the largest wooden Buckminster Fuller inspired geodesic dome (by volume) in the world.
Golden Bay Earthquakes 1983 Home (NASL) Jan Goossens (10), George Katakalidis (19), Germain Iglesias (9), Stan Terlecki (13)
Laurie Calloway (3), Buzz Demling (2), Momcilo Gavric (5), Brian Budd (12) Vancouver Whitecaps at San Jose Earthquakes Brian Budd (9), Derek Craig (16), Gabbo Gavric San Jose Earthquakes at Vancouver Whitecaps Kevin Kewley (11), Davie Kemp (13), Roy Turner (6) Dallas Tornado at San Jose Earthquakes
Happy 74th birthday to Tony Powell (number 6), the 6-foot-2 English defender who made over 200 appearances each for Bournemouth and Norwich City, then jumped to the NASL in 1981 and made 68 appearances over 3 seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes (1981-82) and Seattle Sounders (1983).
MISL Action: Pittsburgh Spirit forwards Godfrey Ingram and Paul Child seem to disagree with the official’s call.