National Professional Soccer League (1967)
Tombstone
Born: 1967 – NPSL founding franchise
Folded: January 6, 1968
First Game:
Last Game:
NPSL Championships: None
Stadium
Temple University Stadium (20,000)
Marketing
Team Colors: Maroon & Gold
Ownership
Owners: Art Rooney, Patrick Rooney, John Macartney
Trophy Case
NPSL Most Valuable Player
- 1967: Ruben Navarro
Background
The Philadelphia Spartans were a One-Year Wonder pro soccer entry in the National Professional Soccer League during the summer of 1967. The Rooney family, owners of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, were the financial backers of the club. The NPSL also had a Pittsburgh franchise, the Phantoms, but they were owned by the ownership group of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team.
The team finished 14-9-9 in their only season of play. Although good enough for a second place finish in the NPSL’s Eastern Division, the Spartans did not make the playoffs. The NPSL’s postseason format saw the league’s two regular season division winners advance directly to a two-game championship series.
The Spartans 34-year old Argentine midfielder Ruben Navarro was named the NPSL’s Most Valuable player in 1967, despite scoring only one goal. Fellow Argentine Orlando Garro led the club in scoring with 12 goals and 2 assists.
The Rooney family folded the Spartans in January 1968 citing operating losses of half a million dollars.
A different version of the Philadelphia Spartans began play in the lower-division American Soccer League in 1969 and played until 1972.
In Memoriam
Spartans owner Arthur J. Rooney died on August 25, 1988 at age 87. New York Times obituary.
Argentine defender Ruben Navarro, the NPSL’s 1967 MVP, passed away on July 14, 2003 at the age of 70.
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