United Soccer Association (1967)
Tombstone
Born: 1967 – USA founding franchise
Folded: January 1968
First Game: May 28, 1967 (T 1-1 vs. Toronto City)
Last Game: July 8, 1967 (T 2-2 vs. Houston Stars)
USA Championships: None
Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Opened: 1923
Demolished: 2009-2010
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Madison Square Garden Corp.
Background
The New York Skyliners were a professional soccer entry that lasted for one season at Yankee Stadium during the summer of 1967.
The Skyliners were members of the United Soccer Association, a league which imported European and South American clubs into the United States to play under pseudonyms during their domestic offseasons. The Skyliners were actually Cerro of Uruguay. All of the Skyliners were Uruguayan except for leading scorer Benedicto Ribeiro (Brazil), forward Luis Suarez (Argentina) and goalkeeper Osmar Miguelucci (Argentina).
The Skyliners kicked off the league schedule on May 28, 1967 at Yankee Stadium. Opponent “Toronto City” was actually Hibernians of Scotland. The match drew a season-high crowd of 21,781 and ended in a 1-1 draw.
A June 16th, 1967 Skyliners home match against the Chicago Mustangs was halted and declared a draw with three minutes remaining after Italian fans who supported the Mustangs (actually Cagliari Calcio of Italy) vaulted out of the stands and assaulted referee Leo Goldstein.
Since all of the USA clubs were foreign clubs that were essentially on offseason tour, the league schedule was very short. The season was only 12 games long. The Skyliners were one of the weaker clubs with a 2-4-6 record. Skyliners attendance was second best in the league with a claimed average of 8,766 fans per match for six home dates at Yankees Stadium. But this wasn’t really cause for celebration as attendance across the league was considered disastrous.
The End
Following the 1967 season the United Soccer Association merged with the rival National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. Both the USA and the NPSL had New York City franchises. In fact, both the Skyliners and the NPSL’s New York Generals played at Yankee Stadium in 1967. Initial plans called for the Skyliners and the Generals to merge. But ultimately Madison Square Garden Corp, the owners of the Skyliners, decided to fold the club in January 1968. The Generals continued on as New York’s club for the 1968 season.
Links
United Soccer Association Programs
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One Response
Hello. Where can I buy this program? Please contact me. Thanks.