Spotlight

Karl-Heinz Granitza of the Chicago Sting on the cover of a 1984 Sting program

Chicago Sting

July 20, 2013 1 Comment

The Chicago Sting were an accomplished pro soccer club that enjoyed success both outdoors and indoors during a thirteen-year run from 1975 through 1988. The Sting formed as an outdoor club in 1975 in the North American Soccer League. Early seasons saw mediocrity on the pitch and pitiful crowds as the club constantly rotated matches between Comiskey Park, Soldier Field and Wrigley Field. The Sting peaked in the early 1980’s, capturing the NASL’s Soccer Bowl ’81 championship and beginning to play indoor soccer during the winters, where Sting matches were a popular attraction at Chicago Stadium. The NASL folded in 1984 bringing the Sting’s outdoor era to an end, but the team went on to play four more indoor seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League before disbanding in 1988.

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historic Football

1974 Chicago Fire Media Guide from the World Football League

Chicago Fire (1974)

October 22, 2014 1 Comment

Not to be confused with the modern day Major League Soccer franchise, the Chicago Fire were founding members of the upstart World Football League in the summer of 1974. The WFL sought to challenge the supremacy of the National Football League as a major league football product and launched raids on NFL rosters. The Fire got off to a promising 7-2 start and drew strong crowds to Soldier Field. But an 11-game losing streak and a series of embarrassing financial setbacks across the league cooled Fire boss Tom Origer’s enthusiasm. The exasperated owner forfeited the Fire’s final game and shuttered the franchise soon afterwards. Rookie receiver James Scott was the Fire’s breakout star. After the demise of the WFL Scott went on to play seven seasons for the Chicago Bears from 1976 to 1983.

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Honoring the Negro Leagues

Cleveland Buckeyes

Baltimore Elite Giants (1938-1951)

February 27, 2026 No Comments

The Baltimore Elite Giants got their start in Nashville, before moving to Columbus, Ohio for one year, then to Washington, D.C. They moved down the road in Baltimore in 1938 and played there until 1950, before spending their final season back in Tennessee.

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Retro Hockey

Winnipeg Jets program

Winnipeg Jets (1972-1996)

March 6, 2025 2 Comments

The original Winnipeg Jets were charter members of the WHA in 1972. They moved to the NHL in 1979, along with three other WHA squads. In 1995, they were sold and moved to Phoenix for the 1996-97 hockey season. The name was revived when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Manitoba in 2011 and assumed the Jets name but not their history.

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baseball History

1998 Atlantic City Surf baseball program from the Atlantic League

Atlantic City Surf

December 31, 2017 2 Comments

The Atlantic City Surf were one of the six original franchises in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The Atlantic League was (and remains) the most ambitious league to arise out of the independent baseball boom of the 1990’s. The Surf played at the Sandcastle, a 5,900-seat ballpark built on the grounds of Atlantic City’s municipal airport, Bader Field. The stadium was built with $11.5 million in Casino Reinvestment Development Authority funds and $3 million in taxpayer bonds.

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Soccer Indoor and outdoor

Eric Wynalda of the San Jose Clash on the cover of a 1997 Major League Soccer Freekick souvenir program

San Jose Clash

December 3, 2020 No Comments

Major League Soccer (1996-1999) Born: June 15, 1994 – MLS founding franchise Re-Branded: October 27, 1999 (San Jose Earthquakes) First Game: April 6, 1996 (W 1-0 vs. D.C. United) Last Game: October 6, 1999 (W1-0 vs Kansas City Wizards) MLS Cup Championships: None (during Clash era) Stadium: Spartan Stadium (26,000) Team Colors: Cloudy Jade,

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Arena Football

Offensive Specialist Damian Harrell on the cover of the 2005 Colorado Crush Media Guide from the Arena Football League

Colorado Crush

March 9, 2015 1 Comment

The Colorado Crush were Denver’s entry in the Arena Football League for six seasons between 2003 and 2008. This was Denver’s second go round with the Arena League, following the earlier Denver Dynamite that played at McNichols Arena between 1987 and 1991. The Crush played at Pepsi Arena, the city’s NBA/NHL palace that had replaced McNichols in 1999, and were owned by a trio of local sports titans: Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, and Nuggets/Avalanche owner Stan Kroenke. The Crush’s finest hour came at the end of the 2005 season, when they defeated the Georgia Force 51-48 in Arena Bowl XIX.

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Pro Basketball

1970-71 Sporting News American Basketball Association Guide

American Basketball Association (1967-1976)

March 25, 2012 No Comments

The American Basketball Association (ABA) was formed in 1967 as a competitor to the established National Basketball Association (NBA). It started with 11 teams, and within a few years was angling for a merger with the older league. In 1976, the NBA took in four ABA teams, while three other surviving teams disbanded.

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Canadian Football League

San Antonio Texans Canadian Football League

San Antonio Texans

November 4, 2018 4 Comments

The San Antonio Texans were a One-Year Wonder in the Canadian Football League, playing a single season at the Alamodome in the autumn of 1995. The franchise had a twisty backstory, dating back to the formation of the NFL-backed World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1990.

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