American Indoor Soccer Association (1986-1987)
Tombstone
Born: May 1986 – AISA expansion franchise
Folded: 1987
First Game: October 31, 1986 (L 3-0 @ Fort Wayne Flames)
Last Game: April 5, 1987 (L 7-3 and L 1-0 Mini-game vs. Chicago Shoccers)
AISA Championships: None
Arena
Toledo Sports Arena (5,160)11986-87 American Indoor Soccer Association League Directory
Opened: 1947
Demolished: 2007
Branding
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners: Ed Cochran, John Glase, Joshua Gottlieb, Frank DeJulius & Robert Ransom
Attendance
Background
The Toledo Pride were a One-Year Wonder indoor soccer outfit, playing in the Midwest-based American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA). The Pride played a winter schedule during 1986-87, filling empty dates at the Toledo Sports Arena after the city’s long-time minor league ice hockey club went out of business earlier in 1986.
The Pride finished their only season with a 14-28 record, but that was good enough to qualify for the playoffs under the AISA’s generous format. The Chicago Shoccers eliminated the Pride in the first round.
The late Carlos Salguero was Toledo’s leading scorer with 45 goals and 23 assists. Salguero ranked 4th in the AISA in both goals and overall scoring.
The Pride endured an absolutely brutal season off the field. Original head coach/general manager Klaas de Boer either was fired or quit two months into the season. He later sued and obtained a judgement against the team’s owners. de Boer’s replacement in the GM chair, John Durham, got arrested after two months on the job for grand theft and writing bad checks on team accounts midway. Durham later received a one-year prison term in June 1987.2“For The Record”, The News-Messenger (Fremont, OH), June 13, 1987 League AISA officials considered bumping the Pride from the league’s playoff schedule due to the team’s insolvency, but the owners of the Toledo Sports Arena ultimately stepped up to guarantee the team’s expenses to finish out the season.3Associated Press. “Financial aid puts team in playoffs.” The Marion Star (Marion, OH). April 4, 1987
The Toledo Pride folded quietly during the spring/early summer of 1987.
In Memoriam
Forward Carlos Salguero (Pride ’86-’87) passed away December 26, 2006 from cancer at age 51.
Downloads
1986-87 American Indoor Soccer Association Directory
1986-87 American Indoor Soccer Association Directory
Links
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