1983–84 NASL Indoor season

The 1983–84 North American Soccer League indoor season was the fourth and last in league history. The San Diego Sockers defeated the New York Cosmos for their third straight indoor title, having won the NASL Indoor title in 1981–82 and the MISL title in 1982–83.

North American Soccer League -1983–84 Indoor Season-
Season1983–84
ChampionsSan Diego Sockers
(2nd Title)
PremiersSan Diego Sockers
Matches played112
Goals scored1,377 (12.29 per match)
Top goalscorer Steve Zungul
(63 goals)
← 1983
Final Season →

Season recap

The NASL was struggling for life at this point, and finding teams to play the indoor season would be difficult. While San Diego, the Chicago Sting and the Golden Bay Earthquakes were committed to the league, filling out the ranks would be problematic. With the league making plain their desire to have both an indoor and outdoor element going forward, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers decided to move to Minnesota for the 1984 NASL season due to a lack of suitable arenas in the local area.[1]

The Tampa Bay Rowdies were unsure whether or not they would be able to play, as the previous owners had committed to play in the indoor season and then sold the team. This left the new owners in the lurch.[2] The lack of a suitable arena was also an issue, eventually forcing Rowdies' home games to be split among three sites.[3] The Tulsa Roughnecks were only in the league thanks to a fundraiser that put $65,000 in the team's coffers, even though the team had won the outdoor Soccer Bowl just weeks earlier.[4]

Despite the uncertainty, this would be the largest NASL Indoor season ever as a 32-game regular season, a best-of-three semifinal round and a best-of-five championship series were on the schedule. Also, the first (and only) All-Star Game in NASL history took place on February 8 at Chicago Stadium. The hometown Chicago Sting took on an All-Star team of the six other squads. Despite four goals from Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza, the All-Stars won 9–8.[5]

Not surprisingly, the teams with steady management performed best through the season. The Sockers averaged over 11,000 for their home games and finished first, overcoming a slow 8-8 start.[6] The hot streak continued in the playoffs as the team won all five of their postseason games en route to the NASL title.[7]

The NASL confirmed plans for 40-game indoor seasons in 1985 and 1986 near the end of the season,[8] but folded for good in March 1985.[9] By then, San Diego, Minnesota, New York and Chicago had joined the MISL.[10] While the Sockers, Strikers and Sting experienced success in the MISL, the Cosmos would start the season but drop out on February 22, 1985.[11]

Teams
Team City/Area Arena
Chicago Sting Chicago Chicago Stadium
Golden Bay Earthquakes Oakland, California
Daly City, California		 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
Cow Palace
New York Cosmos East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York, New York		 Brendan Byrne Arena (8 games)
Madison Square Garden[12] (8 games)
San Diego Sockers San Diego San Diego Sports Arena
Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
Lakeland, Florida		 Tampa Fairgrounds Arena (8 games)
Bayfront Center (5 games)
Lakeland Civic Center (3 games)
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavilion
Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Pacific Coliseum

Regular season

The 1983–84 regular season schedule ran from November 11, 1983, to March 25, 1984. The 32 games per team was almost double the length of previous NASL Indoor seasons.

W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games Behind 1st Place, Pct. = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against

Final Standings W L Pct. GB GF GA Home Road
San Diego Sockers2111.656–19614814–27–9
New York Cosmos2012.625121919813–37–9
Chicago Sting2012.625118314812–48–8
Golden Bay Earthquakes1913.594220619012–47–9
Vancouver Whitecaps1220.37591872096–106–10
Tulsa Roughnecks1121.344101662167–94–12
Tampa Bay Rowdies923.281121772255–114–12

Regular season statistics

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Steve Zungul Golden Bay Earthquakes326356119
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting32593392
Juli Veee San Diego Sockers28452974
Carl Valentine Vancouver Whitecaps32442670
Chico Borja New York Cosmos31293766
Godfrey Ingram Golden Bay Earthquakes32382563
Tatu Tampa Bay Rowdies30491160
Stan Terlecki New York Cosmos23342357
Peter Ward Vancouver Whitecaps28421254
Kaz Deyna San Diego Sockers27282452

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses

Player Team GP Min GA GAA W L
Jim GorsekSan Diego Sockers181074734.08144
Victor NogueiraChicago Sting3218731364.362010
Bob RigbyGolden Bay Earthquakes3118901845.841813
David BrcicNew York Cosmos2615701555.92188
Jürgen StarsTampa Bay Rowdies2615061716.81818
Winston DuBoseTulsa Roughnecks2214161616.82715

1984 NASL All-Star Game

On February 8, the city of Chicago hosted what turned out to be the only All-Star game in NASL history. The Chicago Sting battled a team of All-Stars from the other six teams for the benefit of Chicago Tribune Charities. The starters were voted on by the players, while San Diego coach Ron Newman selected the reserves.[13] The All-Stars outdueled the Sting 9–8 before 14,328 fans at Chicago Stadium, despite an MVP performance by Chicago's Karl-Heinz Granitza. Granitza scored four goals on the night.[14][15]

All-Star Game Starters  Position  All-Star Game Reserves
*Alan Mayer, San Diego G David Brcic, New York • Tino Lettieri Vancouver[16]
Barry Wallace, Tulsa D Angelo DiBernardo, New York • Frantz Mathieu, Tampa Bay
Fernando Clavijo, Golden Bay D Mike Connell, Tampa Bay • Gert Wieczorkowski, San Diego
Steve Zungul, Golden Bay F Carl Valentine, Vancouver • ^Stan Terlecki, New York
Kaz Deyna, San Diego F Jean Willrich, San Diego • Zequinha, Tulsa[17]
Juli Veee, San Diego F Peter Ward, Vancouver

*Alan Mayer of San Diego was originally selected as a starter but due to a broken finger was unable to play. Tino Lettieri of Vancouver was named as his replacement.[18]^Stan Terlecki of New York was originally selected as a reserve but due to injury was unable to play. Zequinha of Tulsa was named as his replacement.[19]

Match report
February 8, 1984 All-Star Game Chicago Sting 8–9 NASL All-Stars Chicago, Illinois
8:00 PM (CST) Margetic  00:48' (Fajkus)
Granitza  3:23' (Fajkus)
Weiner  7:00' (Simanton)
Granitza  23:27' (Fajkus)
Granitza  27:32' (pen.)
Granitza  29:19' (Margetic)
Margetic  45:32' (Fajkus)
Margetic  56:33' (Fajkus)		 Report Zungul  00:48' (Clavijo)
Zequinha  3:23' (Ward)
Ward  7:00' (Valentine)
Ward  23:27' (Willrich)
Valentine  27:32' (Mathieu)
Zungul  29:19' (Wieczorkowski)
Veee  37:50' (Zungul)
Deyna  54:08' (Zungul)
Wieczorkowski  57:16' (Willrich)		 Stadium: Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 14,328
Referee: Feliks Fuksman & Julio Salas

NASL All-Stars

During the finals the NASL announced the traditional All-NASL team of All-Stars, as voted on by the players at the end of the regular season.[20]

First Team  Position  Second Team
Victor Nogueira, Chicago G David Brcic, New York
Fernando Clavijo, Golden Bay D Dan Canter, New York
Gert Wieczorkowski, San Diego D Martin Donnelly, San Diego
Kaz Deyna, San Diego M Juli Veee, San Diego
Steve Zungul, Golden Bay F Carl Valentine, Vancouver
Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago F Pato Margetic, Chicago • Stan Terlecki, New York

Playoffs

Bracket
Semifinals
Best-of-3 		Championship Series
Best-of-5
          
1 San Diego Sockers 5 7 –
4 Golden Bay Earthquakes 2 2 –
1 San Diego Sockers 5 10 7
2 New York Cosmos 2 4 3
2 New York Cosmos 4 3 8
3 Chicago Sting 3 7 7

Semifinals

Best of three series

Higher seed Lower seed Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Attendance
San Diego Sockers–Golden Bay Earthquakes5–27–2xMarch 29 • San Diego Sports Arena • 10,870
April 1 • Oakland Coliseum Arena • 4,413
New York Cosmos–Chicago Sting4–33–78–7March 28 • Brendan Byrne Arena • 2,842
March 30 • Chicago Stadium • 15,462
April 1 • Brendan Byrne Arena • 5,420

Championship Series

Best of five series

Higher seed Lower seed Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Attendance
San Diego Sockers–New York Cosmos5–210–47–3xxApril 5 • San Diego Sports Arena • 12,006
April 8 • San Diego Sports Arena • 12,696
April 11 • Brendan Byrne Arena • 4,717

Championship match reports
April 5, 1984 Game 1 San Diego Sockers 5–2 New York Cosmos San Diego, California
8:00 P.M. (PST) Willrich  12:17' (Crow)
Donnelly  17:12' (Quinn)
Willrich  25:17' (Veee)
Deyna  26' (Veee)
Deyna  44:17' (Donnelly)		 Report A
Report B		 Borja  4:06' (Kozić)
Parkinson  56'		 Stadium: San Diego Sports Arena
Attendance: 12,006
April 8, 1984 Game 2 San Diego Sockers 10–4 New York Cosmos San Diego, California
6:30 P.M. (PST) Deyna  6:52' (Veee)
Pérez  14:01'
Coker  19:02'
O'Kane  20:29'
Quinn  21:36' (Newman)
Willrich  3rd Qtr' (Hilkes)
Coker  3rd Qtr' (Hilkes)
Pérez  4th Qtr' (Coker)
Pérez  4th Qtr'
Skouras  4th Qtr'		 Report A
Report B		 Moyers  11:46'
Moyers  4th Qtr'
De Matthaeis  4th Qtr'
De Matthaeis  4th Qtr'		 Stadium: San Diego Sports Arena
Attendance: 12,696
April 11, 1984 Game 3 New York Cosmos 3–7 San Diego Sockers East Rutherford, New Jersey
8:00 P.M. (EST) DiBernardo  3:15'
Parkinson  6:47' (Borja)
Borja  29:29' (Gray)		 Report A
Report B		 Namdar  17:37' (Willrich)
Willrich  20:16' (Gorsek)
Crow  21:25' (Pérez)
Crow  33:23' (Pérez)
Deyna  43:04' (Veee)
Veee  44:32' (Quinn)
Pérez  52:37' (Willrich)		 Stadium: Brendan Byrne Arena
Attendance: 4,717
Referee: Gordon Arrowsmith (Canada)
and Peter Johnson


1983–84 NASL Indoor Champions: San Diego Sockers

Post-season awards

Team attendance totals
Club[23] Games Total Average
Chicago Sting 16 189,228 11,827
San Diego Sockers 16 182,633 11,415
New York Cosmos 16 78,391 4,899
Golden Bay Earthquakes 16 72,190 4,512
Tulsa Roughnecks 16 59,304 3,707
Vancouver Whitecaps 16 46,336 2,896
Tampa Bay Rowdies 16 43,065 2,692
OVERALL 112 671,147 5,992

References
  1. Marmor, Jon (December 1, 1983). "Strikers' Departure Is Official". Palm Beach Post. p. D1. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  2. Beard, Randy (November 1, 1983). "Rowdies scrub the indoor season". The Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  3. Beard, Randy (November 5, 1983). "Don't hold your breath as Rowdies unveil schedule". The Evening Independent. p. 4-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  4. "NASL results: 1 team lost, 1 team saved". Milwaukee Journal. November 5, 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  5. "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  6. Beard, Randy (March 1, 1984). "Frustration continues for Rowdies: Sockers' spurt means season winding down". The Evening Independent. p. 6-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  7. "San Diego soccer champs". Ottawa Citizen. April 12, 1984. p. 54. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  8. "Must Play in '84, Sting Is Told". New York Times. February 10, 1984. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via nytimes.com.
  9. "NASL down to two teams, won't play this season". Eugene Register-Guard. March 29, 1985. p. 2D. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  10. "MISL takes four NASL teams". Boca Raton News. August 31, 1984. p. 2C. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  11. "Cosmos pull out of MISL, NASL". Ellensburg Daily Record. February 23, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 2012-06-02 – via Google News Archive Search.
  12. Yannis, Pat (March 8, 1984). "Hartford Shift Seen For Indoor Cosmos". New York Times. Retrieved 22 December 2016 – via newyorktimes.com.
  13. Beard, Randy (February 3, 1984). "All-star picks baffle Rowdies Connell, Mathieu". The Evening Independent. p. 6-C. Retrieved 2013-05-03 – via Google News Archive Search.
  14. "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  15. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19840209&id=XIFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OBIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3768,1770074
  16. "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  17. "Hey Now, You're An All-Star". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  18. Miranda, Randy (February 2, 1984). "Coach Marsh should know verdict soon". Lakeland Ledger. p. 5D. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  19. "stat sheet; Moves; SOCCER". The Spokesman-Review. February 8, 1984. p. 20. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  20. "NASL all-stars". Chicago Tribune. April 10, 1984. p. 4; sec 4. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  21. "NASL: Cosmos get serious". Record-Journal. April 5, 1984. p. 20. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYG9-lnDjOo
  23. "Attendance Project: NASL Indoor". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
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