Category: North American Soccer League

Juli Veee on the cover of a 1985 San Diego Sockers indoor soccer program

San Diego Sockers (1978-1996)

February 10, 2013

The greatest indoor soccer dynasty of all time started out as a struggling outdoor soccer team that couldn’t find a home. As outdoor soccer faltered in San Diego and nationwide in the early 1980’s, the Sockers found new life in the air conditioned confines of the San Diego Sports Arena, winning 10 indoor titles between 1982 and 1992. At the time the original Sockers closed their doors in 1996, they were the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the United States.

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1986-87 Minnesota Strikers Yearbook from the Major Indoor Soccer League

Minnesota Strikers

January 20, 2013

The Minnesota Strikers were a top-flight pro soccer club that played both outdoor and indoor soccer in the Twin Cities between 1984 and 1988. Originally a North American Soccer League club from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the team moved to Minneapolis in 1984 to play an “outdoor” season indoors at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. With the NASL about to fold, the Strikers joined the indoor Major Indoor Soccer League in the fall of 1984 and played four winter seasons at the Met Center before going out of business in June of 1988.

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1968 San Diego Toros program from the North American Soccer League

San Diego Toros

December 17, 2012

The San Diego Toros played one season in the North American Soccer League during the summer of 1968. Playing out of Balboa Stadium, the Toros finished 18-8-6 in 1968 and accumulated the highest point total (186) among the 17 NASL clubs in the league’s standings table. After losing to the Atlanta Chiefs in a two-leg final, the Toros went out of business at the end of the 1968 season.

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1977 Team Hawaii Media Guide from the North American Soccer League

Team Hawaii

December 9, 2012

Honolulu’s brief adventure in the North American Soccer League during the summer of 1977 saw world superstar Pele visit Aloha Stadium. But Team Hawaii departed for Tulsa, Oklahoma after one rain-soaked losing season.

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1976 San Antonio Thunder media guide from the North American Soccer League

San Antonio Thunder

July 6, 2012

San Antonio’s original pro soccer club, the Thunder, joined the North American Soccer League (NASL) as an expansion franchise in 1975. The club lasted for two seasons before moving to Hawaii. The Thunder may well be the only team among the thousands captured here on Fun While It Lasted to set their all-time single-game attendance record for a pre-season exhibition game.

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