American Soccer League (1972-1974)
Tombstone
Born: 1972 – ASL expansion franchise
Re-Branded: 1975 (Cleveland Cobras)
First Game: June 1972 (Details uncertain)
Last Game: September 7, 1974 (T 3-3 vs. Connecticut Wildcats)
ASL Championships: None
Stadium
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners: ?
Sale (1974): $70,000 (Stars owner to Howard Collier)1NO BYLINE. “Soccer”. The Post (Cincinnati, OH). December 31, 1974
Our Favorite Stuff
Cleveland Stars Logo T-Shirt
The Stars, who played at Finnie Stadium in Berea from 1972 to 1974, were the most obscure of Cleveland’s various pro soccer clubs. The club was neither as well-financed as the Stokers of the 1960’s, nor as popular as the indoor Force, nor as enduring as their own lower division successor club, the Cobras. But the Stars did the dirty work of keeping pro soccer alive in Northeast Ohio during a particularly unforgiving era.
This design is also available as a Hooded or Crewneck Sweatshirt and as a Women’s Tank Top today from Cincinnati’s Old School Shirts!
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Background
The Cleveland Stars were a lower-division professional soccer team that competed in the American Soccer League for three seasons from 1972 through 1974. The ASL was traditionally a Northeastern circuit, but in the winter of 1972 the league formed a Midwestern Conference by hastily awarding six expansion clubs to Cleveland, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
The Stars played on artificial turf at Finnie Stadium on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College in suburban Berea. The team posted a winning record in each of its three seasons under the Stars banner, but claimed a postseason victory in the ASL playoffs.
Prior to the 1975 season, the Stars re-branded themselves as the Cleveland Cobras. The Cobras remained the in ASL for seven more seasons from 1975 through 1981. In 1982, the Cobras moved away to Atlanta, Georgia under new ownership. The American Soccer League disbanded following the 1983 season.
Cleveland Stars Soccer Shop
Our Favorite Stuff
American Soccer League
T-Shirt
For most of its existence, the American Soccer League was a collection of ethnically-based semi-pro clubs clustered in the northeast. But in the 1970’s, the ASL expanded nationwide and became American’s de facto 2nd Division, underneath the bigger-budgeted NASL. This logo was used by the league from the 1970’s until its demise in 1983.
We like this ASL logo tee from American Retro Apparel (they offer a grey version also) and it’s available today in sizes small through XXXL!
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Editor's Pick
The History of Soccer
in Greater Cleveland
From 1906 until 1981
By Thomas Hatfield
The History of Soccer in Greater Cleveland from 1906 until 1981 covers the Beginnings (1906-1919), the Golden Age (1920-1932), Period of Decline (1933-1945), Period of Revival (1946-1966) and the Early Modern Period (1967-1981).
Hatfield’s research covers Cleveland clubs included here on FWIL such as the Cleveland Stokers of the NASL and the Stars and Cobras of the American Soccer League.
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Downloads
7-6-1974 Stars @ Connecticut Wildcats Roster
7-6-1974 Cleveland Stars @ Connecticut Wildcats Roster
Links
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