Southern California Lazers

American Soccer League (1978)

Tombstone

Born: 1978 – ASL expansion franchise
Folded: January 31, 1979¹

First Game: April 22, 1978 (T 1-1 @ California Sunshine)
Last Game: August 29, 1978 (L 2-1 @ California Sunshine)

ASL Championships: None

Stadium

Murdock Stadium

Branding

Team Colors:

Ownership

Owner: Jack Young

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

This ultra obscure American soccer program (top) comes from a dealer over in the UK. The Southern California Lazers were a one-year wonder in the old American Soccer League (1933-1983). For most of its 50-year existence, the ASL was an ethnically-based minor league operation in Northeastern industrial cities. But in a mid-1970’s bid for mainstream relevance the league hired Bob Cousy as its Commissioner. The former NBA legend – who admittedly knew nothing about soccer – oversaw an ambitious nationwide expansion effort.

A real estate developer named Jack Young was one of the main architects of the ASL’s West Coast expansion, which began in 1976. Young bought the Los Angeles Skyhawks expansion club, which won the ASL championship under the direction of Head Coach Ron Newman in their first season. A reported crowd of 9,000 turned out to see the championship game at a high school stadium outside L.A. After two seasons, Young sold the Skyhawks and formed the Lazers as an ASL expansion franchise in nearby Torrance, California for the 1978 season.

On The Field

There were several notable players on the club, including Head Coach Laurie Calloway of England. This was Calloway’s first coaching post – he would later go on to Head Coach positions in the NASL and Major League Soccer. The biggest name on the club was Rildo, the former Brazilian international defender who played on Brazil’s 1966 World Cup team. Rildo followed his long-time Brazil and Santos F.C. teammate Pele to America in 1977 to play for the New York Cosmos. But by 1978 he founded himself relegated to the lower divisions with the Lazers. Midfielder Bernie Fagan had a long career in the NASL from 1974 to 1982, interrupted by this lone 2nd division season with Southern California in 1978.

The End

The Lazers were competitive, finishing the 1978 ASL season at 15-8-1. Goalkeeper John Granville, defenders Paul Cahill and Rildo, and forward Sid Wallace all earned 1st Team All-ASL honors.

The club also claimed the 2nd highest attendance figures in the league at 3,195 per match at Murdock Stadium on the campus of El Camino College. But at the end of the season Jack Young folded the team and departed the soccer business.