Tombstone
Born: September 11, 1978 – ASL expansion franchise
Folded: Postseason 1980
First Game: March 30, 1980 (L 2-1 vs. Sacramento Gold)
Last Game: August 31, 1980 (T 3-3 vs. Sacramento Spirit)
ASL Championships: None
Stadia
1980: Pioneer Stadium
1980: Tak Fudenna Stadium
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Frank Szantho
Our Favorite Stuff
American Soccer League
T-Shirt
For most of its existence, the American Soccer League was a collection of ethnically-based semi-pro clubs clustered in the northeast. But in the 1970’s, the ASL expanded nationwide and became American’s de facto 2nd Division, underneath the bigger-budgeted NASL. This logo was used by the league from the 1970’s until its demise in 1983.
Our favorite distressed ASL logo tee is made by American Retro Apparel and available today in sizes small through XXXL!
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Background
The Golden Gate Gales were an ultra-obscure 2nd Division pro soccer club, that existed for only one season in the American Soccer League (1933-1983). The ASL granted the franchise in September 1978 with the aim of a 1979 launch, but the Gales’ debut was delayed until 1980.
The Gales began the season at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of Cal State Hayward in the East Bay, but attendance was grim. The team’s debut on March 30, 1980 attracted an announced crowd of 1,100 but was “in actuality barely 400” according to San Francisco Examiner writer Ray Ratto. 1Ray Ratto. “Disappointing soccer debut for Gales.” The Examiner (San Francisco, CA). March 31, 1980 The Gales soon downshifted to Tak Fudenna Stadium, a high school facility in Fremont.
The club’s top player was University of San Francisco grad Mal Roche. The English forward scored 17 goals for Golden Gate to lead the ASL in scoring in 1980. The rest of the team wasn’t quite so proficient. The Gales finished their only season with the worst record in the league at 8-14-6. The club went out of business sometime during the winter of 1980-81.
Golden Gate Gales Shop
Downloads
3-31-1980 Sacramento Tops Golden Gate in ASL Season Opener Press Release
3-31-1980 Sacramento Tops Golden Gate In ASL Season Opener Press Release
4-28-1980 Golden Gate Assumes Lead in American Conference Press Release
Links
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2 Responses
I was still in high school then, and in 1980 I saw a game of the Gales vs the Sacramento Gold at California State University, Hayward (now Cal State East Bay). Per the schedule the Gales played the Gold twice each home and away (not sure if the first or second visit is the one I was at). I still have a program from the game and in the program there are copies of letters from the mayor of Hayward and the Hayward Chamber of Commerce General Manager welcoming the team to Hayward. I do remember that the crowd was scarce that day, and the team that year was not good, so a mid-season move to Tak Fudena Stadium in Fremont (a high school stadium) where the rent would be less makes sense.
When I was still in high school I saw a Golden Gate Gales vs. Sacramento Gold game at California State University, Hayward (now known as California State University East Bay. The program I still have from the game exhibits some letters from the Hayward mayor and the general manager of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, one of which names CSU Hayward as the home field of the team.
As I recall, attendance was slim that day, so I presume a move to the high school stadium for a good portion of the schedule saved some operating expenses.