GO Indoor

The Early Days of U.S. Indoor Soccer Part II of IV he arrival of professional indoor league soccer was complete when the N e w Yor k A r r o w s defeated the Phi ladelphi a Fev er to win the M a j or I nd oo r S oc c e r L eague's inaugural championship in early 1979. The league had been an overall success, with high quality play, an impressive roster of top stars, and attendance climbing steadily throughout the season. Their success was not long on the NA SL . The senior league soon announced that it would play a full indoor season for 1979-80. Having pioneered the indoor pro concept in the mid 70s, Commi s s i on e r P hi l W oos nam now regretted the league's initial hesitation to enter the field and was now playing catch-up. Its initial effort was not aided by the fact that only 10 of the 24 NASL teams chose to take part in the first season. Even the A mer ican Soccer L eague was considering joining the run, initially announcing a plans for a full schedule in 197980. These plans were delayed and ultimately abandoned. The MISL was not resting on their laurels. For 1979-80, it added five teams (in B uf f al o, Har t f or d, W ichit a, De tr oit and St. L ouis), to bring the circuit to ten (having lost Cinci nnat i to financial difficulties). The St . L oui s Steamers were an immediate hit with the fans and pioneered the concept of whiz-bang effects and promotions, making the event somewhat of a three-ring circus, yet without detracting from the game, which remained fast, exciting and colorful, with particular appeal to American audiences. The Steamers surged immediately to the top of the League's attendance rankings. Attendance was up to 6,102 fans per game. The New York Arrows repeated as champions, boasting an overpowering lineup of major NASL stars including Shep M es s i ng, Stev e Zungul, Bra nk o Segot a, and Juli Vee e. Other squads boasted J oe y F i n k (Phil ly ), Kai Haas k iv i (Hous t on), Fred Gr gu r e v (Phi l l y ) a n d A l a n M a y er (Pi tt s burgh). The NASL's inaugural season did respectably well, drawing over 4,000 per game, although they were over- T 6 • Dec.-Jan. 2002 • G O A L Ind o o r ued to surge, the St. Louis Steamers–and now K a n s a s Ci t y Co m e t s B uf f a l o and St a ll ions –continued to dazzle their fans with pyrotechnics and top-notch soccer. By Dave Litterer Changes were afoot however. The NASL, wracked by dissenshadowed by the MISL, despite boast- sion and losing franchises ing several stars of their own, including right and left in a sea of red S te v e M oy e r s , ink, cancelled its 1982-83 California's M i n ne s o t a 's Ti n o L e t t i e r i a nd season, leading Chi c a go, De troit 's Pat o M ar genic. One player San Diego and Gol den Bay who made an auspicious indoor debut to join the MISL for the indoor this year was young (!) Vi c t or season. The MISL now boasted 14 Noguier a of the A tl ant a Chief s, who teams, and San Diego made its mark, has been a stellar player to this day- winning the Western Division and the league championship. Fans were –now with the M il wauk ee W av e. stunned when the New York Arrows Steve Zungul and traded Steve Zungul to Golden Bay the New York Arrows Juli Veee partway through the season. This became the first playproved to be a mixed blessing for er-team dynasty of Steve but was the beginning of the the league as the end for the Arrows. After falling to Arrows won the first .500, the Arrows finished one more four league champiseason and went bankrupt. Zungul, onships and Zungul was the league MVP for those four however, copped another scoring title, years, as well as winning the scoring and when the Golden Bay Earthquakes returned to the NASL, so did Steve. He trophy from years 2 through 5. The rivalry between the NASL and promptly won the scoring title for the MISL had shades of similarity with the NASL's indoor AND outdoor seasons, outdoor USA -N PSL tiff, although in this even though the Earthquakes did case merger was clearly out of the poorly in both schedules. The MISL had achieved what few question. Just as in the past, the rivalry heated up to a dangerous point, as had thought possible by the 1983-84 bidding wars arose, and the NASL season. Clearly the healthier of the upped the ante by forcing almost all of two soccer leagues (The ASL had just its teams to take part in 1980-81. This folded after their 51st season), St. created some dissension among some Louis, Cleveland and Kansas City reguclubs, which were not totally sold on larly outdrew their Nat ional Hoc k ey the idea. Nevertheless, its second sea- L e a g ue or N a t i o na l B a s k e t ba l l son saw the indoor debuts for many of A s s ociat ion counterparts. The NASL the top stars of the NASL. Kai Haaskivi, was reeling, almost ready to collapse, now playing for the E d mo nt on and the MISL was clearly the class outDr ill ers, led them to the NASL indoor fit. The league was expanded to an title, while Sa n Diego Sock ers ' Julie unprecedented 48 games, and the Veee scored 51 goals in 17 games the Steamers finally got some success on following year, a figure not even Steve the field to go with their big crowds, Zungul could match. In 1981-82, winning the Western title with a tough Ge or ge B e s t , K ar l - H e i nz Gr a n i t z a defensive squad and the league's best and Giorgi o Chinagl ia were some of goalkeeper S I l i j e w s k i). (S l ob o the stars to dot the top Bal ti mor e Bl as t also made its appearSteve Zungul scorers list. ance known as they took the Eastern S Both leagues had title with the league's best scorer (St an their best seasons ever St amenk ov ic, 34 goals and 97 points), in 1981-82, both in leading to perhaps the best champiterms of quality of play onship series yet, with Baltimore bestand popularity, but ing St. Louis in an exciting series that this was at the included a devastating expense of a bloody bidding war that opener, a nail biting was having serious financial repercus- Overtime game and a sions for both leagues. For the time 10-3 blowout to seal the being, however, the MISL was on a deal. The NASL was almost a shadow this more stable footing and was winning year. It revived its indoor season, and most of the wars. The Arrows contin- expanded it to 40 games, but only ten teams took part and not many noticed. After shedding more franchises and limping through a disastrous 1984 campaign (Even the successful 1984 Olympics couldn't bring then business), the NASL cancelled its 1984-85 indoor season, leading four teams to jump to the MISL (San Diego, Chicago, the Cos mos and M innes ota St rik er s). The MISL had won their first Soccer War in emphatic style. Baltimore continued its juggernaut, again winning the East, and fans welcomed back Steve Zungul to reclaim his accustomed place atop the scorers list. Also in the top were many more familiar NASL names such as Karl-Heinz Granitza of Chicago, and Branko Segota of the Sockers. San Diego returned to form, taking the West and defeating Baltimore Blast for the title. Attendance was up, the rosters were backed with new talent and new teams, play was better than ever, and the Uni te d S tates N ati onal Team was dominated by MISL players. What more could one ask for? Well, late in the season, the NASL, having only two commitments from the remaining 7 teams, chose to disband. Now the MISL truly had the field to itself. It bolstered rosters, bringing in yet another wave of top talent. The bidding war being over, things looked like they could only get better. The socalled "glory days" had arrived. The 1984-85 season was a year of significant endings and also beginnings. It marked the end of the NASL and the soccer war between it and the MISL. But some other beginnings would have significant repercussions (both good and bad), not only for the MISL and indoor soccer, but also for soccer as a whole. This season saw the beginning of a small Midwestern circuit, called the A mer ican I ndoor Soccer A s s oci ati on, launched as an attempt to provide an opportunity for American born players to gain experience, and also to satisfy markets unserved by the MISL. An expansion franchise, which brought up the rear in the MISL East, bore the now familiar name, Da llas Si dek i ck s, along with the debut of its rising star, Tatu. And on the west coast, a small outdoor league, the W e s t e r n Soccer A ll iance, began, which was the first building block of what is now the A-League in the USL, the 2nd division

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