National Soccer League (1976-1980?)
Tombstone
Born: 1977
Died: 1980?
First Game:
Last Game:
NSL Championships: None
Stadia
1978: War Memorial Stadium
Opened: 1937
Demolished: 1989
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Anthony Bodami
Background
This soccer program (above) from the obscure, semi-pro Buffalo Blazers showed up in the post box office box earlier this week. The Blazers were members of the National Soccer League, an Eastern Canada circuit that operated for nearly seven decades from the late 1920’s until 1997. Every so often, a team from an American border city like Buffalo or Detroit would sneak in for a couple of seasons, as was the case with the Blazers during the late 1970’s.
NSL teams were usually organized along ethnic lines at the time. Some of the Blazers’ competitors of the era were named Toronto Croatia, Hamilton Italo-Canadians and Serbian White Eagles. The Blazers didn’t wear their ethnic affiliation on their sleeves quite so much, but they were more or less an Italian-American club, at least judging by the advertisers and investors listed in the club’s 1978 souvenir program. Team owner/President Anthony Bodami, Jr. was a local contractor.
The Blazers played at the Rockpile, aka the old War Memorial Stadium, which was also home to the city’s minor league baseball team, the Buffalo Bisons.
Aannnd … that’s about it. There isn’t much information about the National Soccer League available online, and this program was certainly no help either, as it fails to provide so much as a list of the players’ names.
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10 Responses
Hi Andy,
Great site!
I found a reference in a 1978 Spokesman-Review newspaper from Spokane Washington which said that early in 1978 the Blazers had moved to Hyde Park Stadium in Niagara Falls, NY. The stadium is currently named Sal Maglie Stadium. Maybe the War Memorial Stadium was undergoing repairs at the time?
My Dad was the president and founder of the
Blazers. A brilliant man ahead of the times.
So sad he was not here to see and be part
Of the popularity of soccer now and see
His great grandson’s out on the field.
Your dad was “salt of the earth”, a true soccer man in every sense of the word I played for the Blazers 1976 -1978 your father was then president. He sunk a lot of money into that team. I have a picture of me and your dad when I was awarded player of the year from the local Buffalo news. Incredible memories, playing at War Memorial stadium. What a great man!!!
Actually…the Blazers played at All-High Stadium…a Buffalo Public School stadium that hosted not only soccer, but football and track as well for the public high schools in the city…
Hi Matt,
The Blazers did play at War Memorial in 1978, according to the program pictured at the top of post and to some press stories available through Newspapers.com. There are also some press references to the team playing at Lackawanna Stadium (maybe 1977?), but I haven’t pin able to pin that down enough yet to post it here. Hadn’t heard about All-High Stadium – what year(s) do you recall the team played there?
Drew
Being a very nerdy person I have a page about this:
https://thecnsl.com/2019/11/30/fields-and-stadiums-buffalo-blazers-and-its-various-playing-locations-1976-1980/
Cheers, Chris
Chris,
Yes, that page is supremely nerdy. Nice work – I’m sure I can waste a lot of hours on there! Cheers,
Drew
I am looking to find pictures of my Uncle who I believe played for the Buffalo Blazers. His name was Larek Federmann. Does anyone have stats or roster information on the Buffalo Blazers that might have my uncle’s information on it.
I played against them in 1980 , Bradford Marshlanders soccer club at Lackawanna Stadium .
Played against them at Lackawanna Stadium in June of 1980 with the Bradford Marshlanders soccer club .