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USL CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCES WESTERN CONFERENCE GROUPS

San Antonio FC will compete in Group D for the remainder of the 2020 USL Championship season, the league announced today. In addition, the USL Championship announced the rest of the four groups made up of teams from the Western Conference that will battle for a place in the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs when the league returns to play on Saturday, July 11.

Joining SAFC in Group D will be the Austin Bold, FC Tulsa, OKC Energy FC and RGV FC. Since the club’s inception in 2016, SAFC has compiled a 5-2-2 record vs. FC Tulsa, a 2-1-7 record against OKC Energy FC, a 3-5-4 record vs. RGV FC, and a 1-1-0 record against the Austin Bold. Last season, SAFC went 2-3-3 combined against the four other teams that fill out Group D.

Each team in Group D will play its fellow group members three times. The remaining games will be played against teams that fall within a similar geographic region. San Antonio FC started the season with a 1-0 win over Real Monarchs SLC on March 7. The win will count towards the 16-game season that will be resumed in 2020.

USL Championship Groups A-D:

Group A: Portland Timbers 2, Reno 1868 FC, Sacramento Republic FC, Tacoma Defiance

Group B: LA Galaxy II, Las Vegas Lights FC, Orange County SC, Phoenix Rising FC, San Diego Loyal SC

Group C: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, New Mexico United, Real Monarchs SLC

Group D: Austin Bold FC, OKC Energy FC, Rio Grande Valley FC, San Antonio FC, FC Tulsa

USL Championship Groups A-D:

Group A: Portland Timbers 2, Reno 1868 FC, Sacramento Republic FC, Tacoma Defiance

Group B: LA Galaxy II, Las Vegas Lights FC, Orange County SC, Phoenix Rising FC, San Diego Loyal SC

Group C: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, New Mexico United, Real Monarchs SLC

Group D: Austin Bold FC, OKC Energy FC, Rio Grande Valley FC, San Antonio FC, FC Tulsa

USL CHAMPIONSHIP UNVEILS 2020 SEASON FORMAT

The USL Championship announced on Wednesday an updated format for the remainder of the 2020 season that will see clubs divided into eight groups to complete a 16-game regular season followed by a single-elimination playoff. Group details will be announced at a later date.

Regular Season Structure

In order to limit travel, the regular season will see the Championship’s clubs divided into eight regionalized groups, and each team will complete a 16-game regular season. There will be five groups made up of four teams, and three groups made up of five teams to cover the 35 member clubs of the Championship.

The regular season games will be played over 13 weeks, concluding on the weekend of October 2-4. Games completed prior to the season suspension in March will be counted and included in the schedule, including San Antonio’s 1-0 win over the Real Monarchs on March 7. SAFC will therefore have 15 games remaining in the updated schedule.

Balance of Schedule

Each team’s schedule will be made up of 12 games from within its own group, with the remaining four games to be played against teams that fall within a similar geographic region. Through this, each team placed in a four-team group will play its three fellow group members four times, while each team placed in a five-team group will play its four fellow group members three times.

Games played prior to the suspension of the season will count toward the allotment of 16 overall games, either as in-group contests or as one of the additional four contests that will complete the schedule.

Teams will be initially scheduled to play a balanced schedule of eight games home and away in the regular season. However, the Board of Governors has also approved the ability for clubs to play an unbalanced amount of home and away matches, if necessary.

2020 USL Championship Playoffs Structure

The top two teams from each group in the regular season will advance to the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, producing a field of 16 teams overall in a regionalized single-elimination bracket. Group winners will be paired with Group runners-up in the Round of 16, with home advantage being determined by record for the remainder of the bracket.

Regular Season Structure

Balance of Schedule

2020 USL Championship Playoffs Structure

USL Championship to Allow Five Substitutions for 2020 Season

The USL Championship announced today the league’s Board of Governors has approved a motion that will allow five substitutes to be used for the remainder of the 2020 season.

The number of substitutes represents an increase from the three substitutions rule that had been in place. However, to avoid disruption to the game, each team will only have three opportunities to make all of its allotted five substitutions.

Substitutions may also be made at halftime without counting against a club’s three in-game opportunities.

The decision is in line with the temporary law amendment made by the International Football Association Board in May. Matchday squads will remain at 18 players, with clubs mandated to provide 23-man provisional squad lists at least 48 hours prior to kickoff, as per league rules.

The 2020 Championship season is currently scheduled to resume on Saturday, July 11. More details on the resumption of the season, including the format for the remaining regular season and 2020 Championship Playoffs will be made public as they are available.

The USL Championship announced today the league’s Board of Governors has approved a motion that will allow five substitutes to be used for the remainder of the 2020 season.

Substitutions may also be made at halftime without counting against a club’s three in-game opportunities.

Thunder Past – Part 6

For a short period of time in the 1970's the North American Soccer League (NASL) gathered an extraordinary collection of some of the world's most famous soccer players. Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Eusebio, Best, etc. are examples of world class talent who played for multiple years in North America. Texas NASL teams took a different approach. Many solid veterans comprised rosters, but European stars and their large salaries were rare. San Antonio Thunder defender Bobby Moore was one of those stars.

Heading into the second season, San Antonio Thunder owner Ward Lay knew that he had to increase the star power of his team. 1975 attendance did not live up to expectations, thus the need for a refreshed roster. Lay and Coach Don Batie's efforts produced somebody who fit that role, world-class English defender Moore. In my estimation he is the best, most recognized soccer player to suit up for a Texas team.

For a short period of time in the 1970’s the North American Soccer League (NASL) gathered an extraordinary collection of some of the world’s most famous soccer players. Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Eusebio, Best, etc. are examples of world class talent who played for multiple years in North America. Texas NASL teams took a different approach. Many solid veterans comprised rosters, but European stars and their large salaries were rare. San Antonio Thunder defender Bobby Moore was one of those stars.

Heading into the second season, San Antonio Thunder owner Ward Lay knew that he had to increase the star power of his team. 1975 attendance did not live up to expectations, thus the need for a refreshed roster. Lay and Coach Don Batie’s efforts produced somebody who fit that role, world-class English defender Moore. In my estimation he is the best, most recognized soccer player to suit up for a Texas team.

Before Moore signed, Ward Lay first attempted to bring George Best to San Antonio instead. Best, known as much for his off the field activities as on, is still recognized as one of the world's best soccer players. In the 1960's and early 1970's, the Northern Ireland international forward scored 137 goals at Manchester United. After a falling out with United's manager in 1974, Best had brief spells elsewhere before he decided to join the NASL.

George Best coming to 1976 San Antonio was not meant to be. According to Batie, Best did not show for two separate meetings in England to negotiate a contract. Before the Thunder played the Los Angeles Aztecs, the club Best eventually joined, he admitted that San Antonio never really stood a chance because singer Elton John wanted him to come to play in LA. That city was a better fit for his lifestyle anyway.

Thunder Coaching Staff Heads to Great Britain

Batie traveled to England and Scotland after the 1975 season ended to recruit players for the 1976 squad. In a recent interview, he commented that he first saw Moore play in an Anglo-Scottish Cup semifinal match in Motherwell. Lacking local contacts, Batie had retained Bobby Calder-a legendary Scottish scout-to help the Thunder sign players.

Batie did not ask for briefings from Calder before evaluating the players and teams he saw play. As a result, he did not know Moore was part of the team playing Motherwell that day. Batie shared his memories of seeing Moore for the first time. "The game started, and I was immediately drawn to one player, Fulham’s #6. I had never seen a player play the game so easily, who was so much in control, and so much ahead of the game." Batie continued, "I said to Bobby Calder; that’s the player we need. That’s the player we can build a team around. Calder just laughed and said, 'Don’t you know who that is? That’s Bobby Moore. You will never sign Bobby Moore." Batie mentioned that this would become an inside joke between them as players Calder told him he would never sign eventually joined the 1976 Thunder.

Batie's Initial Trip to London to Meet with Fulham

Calder then arranged for Batie to meet Fulham's manager Alec Stock in London to discuss whether Moore was available to come to San Antonio on loan. When he arrived for the meeting, he was told that Stock was aware of the meeting but was at a youth game and would be back shortly.

Since the office was closing, he was asked to wait outside for a few minutes until Stock returned. Batie said he waited for hours outside the office under cover in the rain until Stock, who had forgotten about the meeting, returned. Extremely apologetic, he invited Batie into his office. He then spent the next few hours sharing stories about his career experiences, Bobby Moore, and English soccer in general. After that meeting a lunch with Moore and his wife was arranged at Batie's hotel for a few days later. Batie sold San Antonio and his vision for the Thunder and Moore agreed that he was interested in joining the club for the summer.

Closing the Deal with Fulham was Challenging

All seemed to be heading in the right direction, but unfortunately, there was one stumbling block. A key director at Fulham, Eric Miller, was opposed to Moore going to the United States. Both Batie and Lay made separate, bizarre trips to London in early 1976 to complete negotiations with Miller. Batie tells the story of joining Moore and Miller in a hotel suite for dinner. When he walked in the door the first thing Miller said to Batie, who had never met the man, was 'I hate Americans and I hate you.' Miller then went on to say that the only things he liked about America were jazz musician Count Basie and Cadillacs. The meeting went downhill from there, Moore apologized afterwards and Batie returned to San Antonio believing the deal was dead.

Multiple Trips to England Needed to Acquire Moore

Moore eventually convinced Fulham to let him go, but Ward Lay needed to travel to London to close the deal with the obstinate Miller. After a marathon overnight session an agreement was reached. In a San Antonio Light interview, Lay noted that Miller apparently had him followed prior to the meeting. "This Miller is incredible man. He knew every move I made from the time I left New York to London. He either followed me or had me followed, just to observe me."

The Thunder finalized an agreement that made Moore the club's highest paid player shortly before the season began. Lay mentioned in the Light interview that Moore also received an oil well, new car and an apartment on a golf course. Batie told me he does not remember any of this happening, but thought it made for a good story.

Bobby Moore Made a Significant Impact on the Thunder and the NASL

Before Moore signed, Ward Lay first attempted to bring George Best to San Antonio instead. Best, known as much for his off the field activities as on, is still recognized as one of the world’s best soccer players. In the 1960’s and early 1970’s, the Northern Ireland international forward scored 137 goals at Manchester United. After a falling out with United’s manager in 1974, Best had brief spells elsewhere before he decided to join the NASL.

Thunder Coaching Staff Heads to Great Britain

Batie did not ask for briefings from Calder before evaluating the players and teams he saw play. As a result, he did not know Moore was part of the team playing Motherwell that day. Batie shared his memories of seeing Moore for the first time. “The game started, and I was immediately drawn to one player, Fulham’s #6. I had never seen a player play the game so easily, who was so much in control, and so much ahead of the game.” Batie continued, “I said to Bobby Calder; that’s the player we need. That’s the player we can build a team around. Calder just laughed and said, ‘Don’t you know who that is? That’s Bobby Moore. You will never sign Bobby Moore.” Batie mentioned that this would become an inside joke between them as players Calder told him he would never sign eventually joined the 1976 Thunder.

Batie’s Initial Trip to London to Meet with Fulham

Calder then arranged for Batie to meet Fulham’s manager Alec Stock in London to discuss whether Moore was available to come to San Antonio on loan. When he arrived for the meeting, he was told that Stock was aware of the meeting but was at a youth game and would be back shortly.

Since the office was closing, he was asked to wait outside for a few minutes until Stock returned. Batie said he waited for hours outside the office under cover in the rain until Stock, who had forgotten about the meeting, returned. Extremely apologetic, he invited Batie into his office. He then spent the next few hours sharing stories about his career experiences, Bobby Moore, and English soccer in general. After that meeting a lunch with Moore and his wife was arranged at Batie’s hotel for a few days later. Batie sold San Antonio and his vision for the Thunder and Moore agreed that he was interested in joining the club for the summer.

Closing the Deal with Fulham was Challenging

All seemed to be heading in the right direction, but unfortunately, there was one stumbling block. A key director at Fulham, Eric Miller, was opposed to Moore going to the United States. Both Batie and Lay made separate, bizarre trips to London in early 1976 to complete negotiations with Miller. Batie tells the story of joining Moore and Miller in a hotel suite for dinner. When he walked in the door the first thing Miller said to Batie, who had never met the man, was ‘I hate Americans and I hate you.’ Miller then went on to say that the only things he liked about America were jazz musician Count Basie and Cadillacs. The meeting went downhill from there, Moore apologized afterwards and Batie returned to San Antonio believing the deal was dead.

Multiple Trips to England Needed to Acquire Moore

Moore eventually convinced Fulham to let him go, but Ward Lay needed to travel to London to close the deal with the obstinate Miller. After a marathon overnight session an agreement was reached. In a San Antonio Light interview, Lay noted that Miller apparently had him followed prior to the meeting. “This Miller is incredible man. He knew every move I made from the time I left New York to London. He either followed me or had me followed, just to observe me.”

The Thunder finalized an agreement that made Moore the club’s highest paid player shortly before the season began. Lay mentioned in the Light interview that Moore also received an oil well, new car and an apartment on a golf course. Batie told me he does not remember any of this happening, but thought it made for a good story.

Bobby Moore Made a Significant Impact on the Thunder and the NASL

High paid international players near the end of their careers coming to the U.S. to retire while playing is a common stereotype. This was rarer in the NASL because the league was rife with players who brought their historical rivalries across the Atlantic. Bobby Moore's competitive fire with the Thunder was no different in San Antonio. He was the only Thunder player who played in all 24 matches and averaged 87 minutes per game over the course of the season. Moore also actively joined in community activities. Local school soccer clinics, civic speaking engagements and charitable work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association are examples.

Batie Considered Moore to be a Mentor

Batie fondly remembers Moore's contributions and considered him to be a mentor.

"I have nothing but positive thoughts about Bobby. He still had legs and could play. He was a great team leader and one of the best locker room guys I have ever had. Cannot say enough about him." Batie also shared how he made it a point to sit next to Moore on all of the road trip plane flights and spent most of the time talking soccer “I probably learned more soccer from Bobby Moore than anybody else ever. He was a world of knowledge.”

He shared one specific play that highlighted the contributions Moore made to the club. In a midseason home match, the Thunder earned a corner kick five seconds before halftime. The ball was kicked back near midfield and Moore was the only one who reacted. Picking up the ball, he ran straight to the corner, played the ball in and the Thunder scored.

Batie said this was only one example of the key trait that separated Moore from others on the field. “Bobby could see one, two or three plays ahead on every play. He knew where the ball was going, and he would be there waiting for it to get there before anybody else would ever anticipate that. He was that smart as a player and knew the game that well.”

Moore Helped Support Young American Players

Young American left back Mark Stahl spent the majority of the 1976 season playing next to Moore, who held down the sweeper position in the center of the defense. He discussed his mentoring relationship with Moore.

"He kind of took me under his wing. Once it looked like I would be the regular left back [he opened up to me]. At practices I certainly paid attention when he would tell me to do something."

Stahl also mentioned offense vs. defense practices where Batie and Moore would constantly send pacy Canadian international forward Victor Kodelja directly at him. Moore would provide tips along the way after observing his reactions to these one-on-ones. Stahl also agreed with Batie's observations about Moore's on-field vision.

"He may not have had the speed he did when he was younger, but he had that vision to read the game. You wonder how a person ends up in the right position all the time. That's anticipation and being able to read the play based on experience. Bobby Moore had that."

Representing the United States in the 1976 Bicentennial Cup

High paid international players near the end of their careers coming to the U.S. to retire while playing is a common stereotype. This was rarer in the NASL because the league was rife with players who brought their historical rivalries across the Atlantic. Bobby Moore’s competitive fire with the Thunder was no different in San Antonio. He was the only Thunder player who played in all 24 matches and averaged 87 minutes per game over the course of the season. Moore also actively joined in community activities. Local school soccer clinics, civic speaking engagements and charitable work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association are examples.

Batie Considered Moore to be a Mentor

Batie fondly remembers Moore’s contributions and considered him to be a mentor.

“I have nothing but positive thoughts about Bobby. He still had legs and could play. He was a great team leader and one of the best locker room guys I have ever had. Cannot say enough about him.” Batie also shared how he made it a point to sit next to Moore on all of the road trip plane flights and spent most of the time talking soccer “I probably learned more soccer from Bobby Moore than anybody else ever. He was a world of knowledge.”

Moore Helped Support Young American Players

“He kind of took me under his wing. Once it looked like I would be the regular left back [he opened up to me]. At practices I certainly paid attention when he would tell me to do something.”

“He may not have had the speed he did when he was younger, but he had that vision to read the game. You wonder how a person ends up in the right position all the time. That’s anticipation and being able to read the play based on experience. Bobby Moore had that.”

Representing the United States in the 1976 Bicentennial Cup

U.S. Soccer organized a tournament in June of 1976 to celebrate the country's 200th birthday. England, Brazil, Italy, and the U.S. team played a series of exhibition matches across the country. Three Thunder players were invited to try out for the squad, but only Moore played in this tournament. Pele also joined the U.S. team, and for the first time, the long- time rivals played on the same squad.

Bobby Moore's Ambitious Goals in the U.S. Never Materialized

From the first day Bobby Moore arrived in San Antonio he had a burning desire to help the sport succeed in the city. His original goal was to end his career in the U.S. and possibly pursue a coaching path. The Thunder finished the 1976 season one-point out of a playoff position, and nobody was more disappointed than Moore. In the final game the Thunder would play in San Antonio, Moore led the team to one of the best performances the team produced. Batie learned later that evening that Moore played while knowing his father had suffered a life-threatening stroke earlier in the day. He noted that Moore was the consummate team player and would not think about bringing personal challenges into the locker room before this pivotal match.

Under the Radar in San Antonio

Batie said he wanted to bring Moore back as a player-coach if the team had returned to San Antonio for the 1977 season, noting “Not sure that Bobby was ever appreciated by some of his teammates as much as I appreciated him…as much as he should have been.”

Thunder Scottish goalkeeper Bobby Clark discussed Moore’s future as a coach in David Tossell’s book-Playing for Uncle Sam. “Don [Batie] had been a college coach and now he was handling all the pros and he gave Bobby a lot of responsibility. Clark continued “Bobby had a nice way and a nice manner and was very calm. I thought he would have done well as a coach.” He also discussed Moore’s uncanny ability to hit a 40-or-50-yard ball right on to somebody’s foot, something also raved about by Mark Stahl.

I believe the same lack of appreciation for Moore can be said for San Antonio too. Reading through old newspaper archives, it is surprising how little coverage he received while he was there. The cartoon below was one of the few examples where the press acknowledged how special a player he was at the time.

Moore later returned to the U.S. for two seasons in Seattle and Charlotte. Batie said he last saw Moore when he was part of a delegation attending a U.S. Youth International game in Santa Clara, CA in the 1980's. Moore, who was a cancer survivor, succumbed to a different form of cancer in 1993 at the age of 51. The youngest from the England 1966 World Cup winners to pass, Bobby Moore is still idolized in England.

Bobby Moore is the Most Famous Soccer Player to Play for a Texas Team

U.S. Soccer organized a tournament in June of 1976 to celebrate the country’s 200th birthday. England, Brazil, Italy, and the U.S. team played a series of exhibition matches across the country. Three Thunder players were invited to try out for the squad, but only Moore played in this tournament. Pele also joined the U.S. team, and for the first time, the long- time rivals played on the same squad.

Bobby Moore’s Ambitious Goals in the U.S. Never Materialized

Under the Radar in San Antonio

Moore later returned to the U.S. for two seasons in Seattle and Charlotte. Batie said he last saw Moore when he was part of a delegation attending a U.S. Youth International game in Santa Clara, CA in the 1980’s. Moore, who was a cancer survivor, succumbed to a different form of cancer in 1993 at the age of 51. The youngest from the England 1966 World Cup winners to pass, Bobby Moore is still idolized in England.

Bobby Moore is the Most Famous Soccer Player to Play for a Texas Team

Bobby Moore is my answer to the question of who the best soccer player to play on a Texas professional team is, though this opinion is not straight forward. A case can also be made for Mexican star Hugo Sanchez, who played for the Dallas Burn in their inaugural 1996 season. Sanchez was a legendary forward at Atletico and Real Madrid, scoring more than 200 goals over a 12-year career in Spain. He also tallied 29 times in 58 international appearances for the Mexican National Team.

Moore captained both the England 1966 and 1970 World Cup squads. When he came to San Antonio, he was the most capped international player ever to that point. His battles with Pele were world renowned. Pele said that Moore was the best defender he played against, after they played in the 1970 World Cup. Moore finished second in the European Footballer of the Year award in 1970, no small feat for a defender.

https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/remembering-bobby-moore-2017217

In a small way he also has some responsibility for the first national professional soccer leagues in the United States. The final of the 1966 World Cup, which Moore's English side won, was nationally televised here. Positive TV ratings are credited as a key reason for the arrival of professional soccer here the next year.

So, with a nod to Sanchez, in my opinion Moore was the best to play for a Texas soccer team. It is a shame that both only played one season each in Texas.

Sources for this article include: (1) San Antonio Light newspaper archives (sourced online from Genealogy.com) (2) Excellent reference material and images courtesy of Dave Morrison at www.nasljerseys.com (3) Statistical information from Wikipedia sites for Bobby Moore and Hugo Sanchez (4) Playing for Uncle Sam-David Tossell page #100 (5) Don Batie personal collection

https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/remembering-bobby-moore-2017217

In a small way he also has some responsibility for the first national professional soccer leagues in the United States. The final of the 1966 World Cup, which Moore’s English side won, was nationally televised here. Positive TV ratings are credited as a key reason for the arrival of professional soccer here the next year.

So, with a nod to Sanchez, in my opinion Moore was the best to play for a Texas soccer team. It is a shame that both only played one season each in Texas.

USL CHAMPIONSHIP TO RETURN TO PLAY FOR 2020 SEASON

The USL Championship Board of Governors today voted in favor of returning to play for the 2020 season, with a provisional start date set for July 11. While additional information on competition format, scheduling, broadcast and other important details will be made available in the coming weeks, it’s important to note that the league’s return to play will be conducted in strict alignment with all local and state public health guidelines.

“After several months of uncertainty for fans, staff, coaches and players, we are excited to have the opportunity to prepare for the return of USL Championship soccer this summer,” said SAFC Managing Director Tim Holt. “Our club has continued to prepare for this eventuality during the hiatus, and we are focused on delivering more memorable moments on and off the field during the 2020 season. We look forward to sharing more details on the season once they are confirmed in the period ahead.”

Thunder Past – Part 5

San Antonio soccer fans had the opportunity to watch Pele, (arguably still) the most famous soccer player in the world in 1976, when he and the New York Cosmos arrived to play the San Antonio Thunder in an NASL exhibition match on March 31st to kick off their second season.

Pele's Impact on Soccer in the United States

It is difficult to overestimate the impact Pele had on soccer in the United States when he joined the Cosmos in the middle of the 1975 season. The NASL launched in 1968 when two separate leagues, who began play the previous year, overcame their differences and merged to form the new organization. Achieving any kind of professional soccer relevance in the U.S. was difficult in those days. The NASL almost folded after the first year and grew slowly for the next four years before Pele's arrival created a buzz that turbocharged a few years of rapid growth in the league. NASL's leadership knew that Pele was the only soccer player on the planet who could capture the imagination of the U.S. and Canadian general sports fan. In many respects his arrival in the mid-70's created an even bigger buzz around the sport than David Beckham did when he joined MLS in 2007. The NASL was unable to secure a steady TV contract at the time and Pele's arrival created enough interest that an internationally televised exhibition match against the Dallas Tornado was scheduled in June 1975 to kick-off his career here.

Pele’s Impact on Soccer in the United States

It is difficult to overestimate the impact Pele had on soccer in the United States when he joined the Cosmos in the middle of the 1975 season. The NASL launched in 1968 when two separate leagues, who began play the previous year, overcame their differences and merged to form the new organization. Achieving any kind of professional soccer relevance in the U.S. was difficult in those days. The NASL almost folded after the first year and grew slowly for the next four years before Pele’s arrival created a buzz that turbocharged a few years of rapid growth in the league. NASL’s leadership knew that Pele was the only soccer player on the planet who could capture the imagination of the U.S. and Canadian general sports fan. In many respects his arrival in the mid-70’s created an even bigger buzz around the sport than David Beckham did when he joined MLS in 2007. The NASL was unable to secure a steady TV contract at the time and Pele’s arrival created enough interest that an internationally televised exhibition match against the Dallas Tornado was scheduled in June 1975 to kick-off his career here.

San Antonio Game Part of a NY Cosmos Preseason Trip

Pele was by far the most league's expensive signing to that point. His seven-figure salary was jointly financed by the league owners, meaning that he was essentially owned by all clubs. Despite this joint investment, the Cosmos received a $25,000 appearance fee to come to San Antonio. This may not seem like a lot of money compared to fees today, but it was significant then since the top ticket price for this match was $5.00. In February, the San Antonio Express reported enough interest in Pele's appearance that Mexicana Airlines would be flying charters to San Antonio from Mexico City and Monterrey for this game.

Prior to the start of the 1976 season, Pele and the Cosmos went on a six-match preseason trip to generate interest throughout the league. San Antonio was the third stop on this tour and the match was played three days after Pele was the featured attraction for the opening of the renovated Ownby Stadium in Dallas. On March 28th, New York beat the Dallas Tornado 1-0 on what was described as a "picture-perfect" Pele free kick.

San Antonio Game Part of a NY Cosmos Preseason Trip

Pele was by far the most league’s expensive signing to that point. His seven-figure salary was jointly financed by the league owners, meaning that he was essentially owned by all clubs. Despite this joint investment, the Cosmos received a $25,000 appearance fee to come to San Antonio. This may not seem like a lot of money compared to fees today, but it was significant then since the top ticket price for this match was $5.00. In February, the San Antonio Express reported enough interest in Pele’s appearance that Mexicana Airlines would be flying charters to San Antonio from Mexico City and Monterrey for this game.

Pele's Visit Put Soccer on the Map in San Antonio

The Cosmos arrived in San Antonio shortly after this match. Taking full advantage of the opportunity to showcase Pele, the Thunder hosted multiple youth clinics including one he attended at a local school, a press conference, and a reception at what is now the Sheraton Gunter hotel in downtown San Antonio where the Cosmos were staying.

In an interview this week, Thunder head coach Don Batie told an amusing story involving the clinic Pele attended. Pele had picture cards he would hand out to youth he encountered at such events. At the conclusion of this clinic, Batie and Thunder midfielder Renato Costa brought their young boys to meet Pele. He had run out of cards to give the kids and was very apologetic. Batie forgot about this until a clueless security guard approached him in the Thunder locker room before the game and told him that "somebody named Pele" was at the door and wanted to see him. Sure enough, Pele was at the door in uniform with a signed poster (below) to make up for the lack of a giveaway at the clinic and later took a picture with the two boys.

Pele’s Visit Put Soccer on the Map in San Antonio

In an interview this week, Thunder head coach Don Batie told an amusing story involving the clinic Pele attended. Pele had picture cards he would hand out to youth he encountered at such events. At the conclusion of this clinic, Batie and Thunder midfielder Renato Costa brought their young boys to meet Pele. He had run out of cards to give the kids and was very apologetic. Batie forgot about this until a clueless security guard approached him in the Thunder locker room before the game and told him that “somebody named Pele” was at the door and wanted to see him. Sure enough, Pele was at the door in uniform with a signed poster (below) to make up for the lack of a giveaway at the clinic and later took a picture with the two boys.

Thunder defender Mark Stahl, in an interview this week, told me this story was consistent with his experiences during an exhibition series he played against Pele later that year. Stahl was a guest player with the Dallas Tornado who traveled with the Cosmos to play promotional matches in three potential NASL expansion markets. The limited time he spent directly with Pele in these travels left a positive impression. "Every interaction I had and my observations of him were that he was a class act, very humble and modest and extremely accessible to people."

The press conference for Pele also marked the introduction of Thunder defender Bobby Moore who had just arrived from England. Moore, who was on loan from Fulham, still had responsibilities for his club so he flew in for a few days to play against the Cosmos before returning to England. Moore, who at the time was the most capped English international and captained the 1966 World Cup winner, had played Pele in the past, most famously at the 1970 Mexico World Cup in Guadalajara. This press conference was a love-in as Pele and Moore took turns gushing effusively about the excellence of the other. In Pele's case this praise was not just for the press that day. After the 1970 World Cup game Pele said about Moore "He was one of the best players I've ever known. The best defender." They also recreated the famous photo below captured after the World Cup match on the field immediately prior to the Thunder game. Batie mentioned this re-creation in our interview and noted that it was much friendlier than the perception presented by the initial image. He said that Bobby Moore's memories of this encounter reflected this. "[The original photo] wasn't a very affectionate time, actually what Pele was doing was taking out part of Bobby's cheek with his fingernails."

According to coach Batie, Pele was exhausted after the clinics and initially did not show at the reception which had been organized for him. Players, friends of the owner Ward Lay, and a local A-list were in attendance. A party of Brazilian players from both the Thunder and Cosmos were dispatched to his room to talk through the door and attempt to change his mind. He eventually came down and both he and Bobby Moore made a few comments. Pele then mingled for a short period before bowing out for the evening. When it appeared Pele would be a no-show, Batie said, in attempt to salvage the evening, Bobby Moore approached him and suggested that, since he was internationally famous also and was already there, that Batie should "go with that" and introduce him to the crowd instead. Batie noted that he dismissed this idea at the time and to this day believes it was a mistake. "Even I didn't have brains enough to do that at that time. I kind of blew that off and went ahead and did what we were doing." Batie continued, "I look back on it now and it is one of my biggest regrets. I should have said you are right Bobby; I should have gone to the crowd right then and said here is our star." Batie noted that he did eventually introduce Moore to the crowd later.

The Largest Crowd for a Thunder Match Came to See Pele

Thunder defender Mark Stahl, in an interview this week, told me this story was consistent with his experiences during an exhibition series he played against Pele later that year. Stahl was a guest player with the Dallas Tornado who traveled with the Cosmos to play promotional matches in three potential NASL expansion markets. The limited time he spent directly with Pele in these travels left a positive impression. “Every interaction I had and my observations of him were that he was a class act, very humble and modest and extremely accessible to people.”

The press conference for Pele also marked the introduction of Thunder defender Bobby Moore who had just arrived from England. Moore, who was on loan from Fulham, still had responsibilities for his club so he flew in for a few days to play against the Cosmos before returning to England. Moore, who at the time was the most capped English international and captained the 1966 World Cup winner, had played Pele in the past, most famously at the 1970 Mexico World Cup in Guadalajara. This press conference was a love-in as Pele and Moore took turns gushing effusively about the excellence of the other. In Pele’s case this praise was not just for the press that day. After the 1970 World Cup game Pele said about Moore “He was one of the best players I’ve ever known. The best defender.” They also recreated the famous photo below captured after the World Cup match on the field immediately prior to the Thunder game. Batie mentioned this re-creation in our interview and noted that it was much friendlier than the perception presented by the initial image. He said that Bobby Moore’s memories of this encounter reflected this. “[The original photo] wasn’t a very affectionate time, actually what Pele was doing was taking out part of Bobby’s cheek with his fingernails.”

According to coach Batie, Pele was exhausted after the clinics and initially did not show at the reception which had been organized for him. Players, friends of the owner Ward Lay, and a local A-list were in attendance. A party of Brazilian players from both the Thunder and Cosmos were dispatched to his room to talk through the door and attempt to change his mind. He eventually came down and both he and Bobby Moore made a few comments. Pele then mingled for a short period before bowing out for the evening. When it appeared Pele would be a no-show, Batie said, in attempt to salvage the evening, Bobby Moore approached him and suggested that, since he was internationally famous also and was already there, that Batie should “go with that” and introduce him to the crowd instead. Batie noted that he dismissed this idea at the time and to this day believes it was a mistake. “Even I didn’t have brains enough to do that at that time. I kind of blew that off and went ahead and did what we were doing.” Batie continued, “I look back on it now and it is one of my biggest regrets. I should have said you are right Bobby; I should have gone to the crowd right then and said here is our star.” Batie noted that he did eventually introduce Moore to the crowd later.

The Largest Crowd for a Thunder Match Came to See Pele

An estimated crowd of 14,800 showed up on a cool night at Alamo Stadium to watch the match. Though the attendance was well short of capacity, it turned out to be twice the size of any non-fireworks crowd at a Thunder game in the two seasons they played in San Antonio. This was also the first match the Thunder played at Alamo Stadium since their announced move from North East Stadium where they played in 1975. They now had the ability to sell beer at their games for the first time. This was not possible when they first explored playing at the school district owned stadium at the time the franchise was awarded, but this barrier was broken down by the arrival of the World Football League the previous year. Though that team only lasted one season, the ability to sell beer at the stadium remained.

Pregame entertainment was provided by a pipe organ supplied by the local Shriners and a mariachi band from a local restaurant. After Pele was introduced to the crowd and received a rousing ovation, he was surrounded by what Express columnist Dan Cook described as "everyone within a three-mile area with a flash camera. Pele was mobbed by amateurs who elbowed each other like professional photographers." Cook added that a loud PA announcer and four policemen finally restored order and Pele was able to continue a brief warm-up session.

New Thunder Players Lead the Team to Victory

Pregame entertainment was provided by a pipe organ supplied by the local Shriners and a mariachi band from a local restaurant. After Pele was introduced to the crowd and received a rousing ovation, he was surrounded by what Express columnist Dan Cook described as “everyone within a three-mile area with a flash camera. Pele was mobbed by amateurs who elbowed each other like professional photographers.” Cook added that a loud PA announcer and four policemen finally restored order and Pele was able to continue a brief warm-up session.

New Thunder Players Lead the Team to Victory

The Thunder won the match 1-0 on a 76th minute goal from Canadian International forward Victor Kodelja who was making his Thunder debut. The play started when Bobby Moore found midfielder Jim Henry open on the right side near the end line. Henry sent the ball to an unmarked Kodelja who slammed it to the left side of the net from 15 yards out past the sprawling Cosmos goalkeeper. Kodelja gave credit to Henry and Moore for the goal after the match "Henry made a really nice run down the right side. I've got to really give credit to Jim and Bobby. It was a heads-up play on both their parts. They really made that play happen."

The Thunder won the match 1-0 on a 76th minute goal from Canadian International forward Victor Kodelja who was making his Thunder debut. The play started when Bobby Moore found midfielder Jim Henry open on the right side near the end line. Henry sent the ball to an unmarked Kodelja who slammed it to the left side of the net from 15 yards out past the sprawling Cosmos goalkeeper. Kodelja gave credit to Henry and Moore for the goal after the match “Henry made a really nice run down the right side. I’ve got to really give credit to Jim and Bobby. It was a heads-up play on both their parts. They really made that play happen.”

The unquestioned star of the night, however, was rookie Thunder goalkeeper Pete Mannos. San Antonio's top pick from the previous NASL college draft was not even supposed to play. The Thunder had recruited Scottish International goalkeeper Bobby Clark, but like Moore, he was on loan and did not arrive in time for the match due to responsibilities to Aberdeen, his Scotland club. Mannos made two superb saves to keep the Cosmos off the board. The first save came in the 60th minute when Mannos stopped what was described as a cannon shot from Cosmos forward Tony Field from 15 yards out. In the Express after the game Mannos said "I never saw a ball hit like that. I got my right hand out and punched it out, but I was glad to see it go over the end line." The second save was the one that caught the crowd's attention. In a situation that was similar to the free kick goal that Pele scored to win in Dallas, Mannos was able to stretch far to his left to stop a Pele shot hit low to the back post that went through the Thunder wall.

Pele only spent a few minutes at the stadium after the match. In a brief interview he complimented Mannos for the save, then traded jerseys with Thunder defender Carlos Rodriguez and was quickly escorted to a waiting van to escape the mob that wanted to meet him. Rodriguez later gave the jersey to Batie who shared the image below.

The unquestioned star of the night, however, was rookie Thunder goalkeeper Pete Mannos. San Antonio’s top pick from the previous NASL college draft was not even supposed to play. The Thunder had recruited Scottish International goalkeeper Bobby Clark, but like Moore, he was on loan and did not arrive in time for the match due to responsibilities to Aberdeen, his Scotland club. Mannos made two superb saves to keep the Cosmos off the board. The first save came in the 60th minute when Mannos stopped what was described as a cannon shot from Cosmos forward Tony Field from 15 yards out. In the Express after the game Mannos said “I never saw a ball hit like that. I got my right hand out and punched it out, but I was glad to see it go over the end line.” The second save was the one that caught the crowd’s attention. In a situation that was similar to the free kick goal that Pele scored to win in Dallas, Mannos was able to stretch far to his left to stop a Pele shot hit low to the back post that went through the Thunder wall.

Don Batie remembers how well the Thunder played that night "From back to front we totally dominated that game. We were much the better team on the field I thought in that game." Pele had a below par match. Understandable given the constant pressure he dealt with as the face of the league, the fact he was 35 years old and that it was one of an absurd number of exhibition games he played in his career with both Santos and the Cosmos. Other than the free-kick, there was little of the technical magic he usually produced, like he showed a couple of times in the Dallas game a few days earlier. Dan Cook commented in his column "But to be honest, he didn't look any better-or worse-than a dozen other guys on the field. He continued, "Father time has a way of sapping speed, stamina and skill and after he becomes a constant companion, to the mighty ones great deeds are not produced twice a week on signal."

Cook, who was an iconic local sports columnist and sportscaster for KENS TV, perfectly summed up the reason why it did not matter. "But when we are treated to the opportunity of seeing a legend we shouldn't expect legendary performances. It should be just enough just to see Pele doing his thing, the thing he did better than any other man for many years-and still does best once in awhile."

Stahl agreed with Cook and observed over the course of his NASL career he took away one general memory of the numerous "slightly past their prime" international legends he played against. "Cook is absolutely on the money [with how Pele's performance should be viewed]. But I saw this with other players too. They were not in their prime, but every once in a while, in the middle of the game they would pull something out that no one else could do. Those moments of brilliance, they happened but they simply didn't happen with the consistency or frequency that they did in their prime."

Even at that time Pele still had a lot left in the tank when it mattered. He played two more NASL seasons for the Cosmos and led the team to the title in 1977 after the Cosmos added several players capable of playing at his level. Except for a 1985 promotional appearance in Houston when he was in his mid-40's, this exhibition match against the Thunder was the last time Pele would play in Texas.

This Event Did Not Translate into Immediate Future Success

It is unfortunate that the nascent soccer culture in San Antonio at the time failed to recognize the opportunity to see a legend. In retrospect, the inability to sell out an appearance by Pele, who filled stadiums elsewhere, was another warning sign that professional soccer was not meant to be in San Antonio in the mid-1970's. The soccer culture in Texas is quite different now. I clearly remember the electric atmosphere produced by Lionel Messi's appearance at Houston's NRG Stadium for the 2016 Copa America Centenario semifinal against the U.S. Men's National Team. An appearance by Pele or an equivalent player with star power in 2020 San Antonio would certainly produce a completely different reaction today than it did in 1976.

Unfortunately, occasional star-driven events do not translate into long-term success for professional soccer in this country. This visit by Pele was another example of this reality, though at the time it seemed to create a level of excitement that has only been duplicated in San Antonio in subsequent years when the Mexican National team makes infrequent appearances.

Sources for this article include: (1) San Antonio Express newspaper archives (sourced online from Newspapers.com) (2) Excellent reference material and images courtesy of Dave Morrison at www.nasljerseys.com (3) The Best of Dan Cook (2001) pages 137-39 (4) Don Batie personal collection

Don Batie remembers how well the Thunder played that night “From back to front we totally dominated that game. We were much the better team on the field I thought in that game.” Pele had a below par match. Understandable given the constant pressure he dealt with as the face of the league, the fact he was 35 years old and that it was one of an absurd number of exhibition games he played in his career with both Santos and the Cosmos. Other than the free-kick, there was little of the technical magic he usually produced, like he showed a couple of times in the Dallas game a few days earlier. Dan Cook commented in his column “But to be honest, he didn’t look any better-or worse-than a dozen other guys on the field. He continued, “Father time has a way of sapping speed, stamina and skill and after he becomes a constant companion, to the mighty ones great deeds are not produced twice a week on signal.”

Cook, who was an iconic local sports columnist and sportscaster for KENS TV, perfectly summed up the reason why it did not matter. “But when we are treated to the opportunity of seeing a legend we shouldn’t expect legendary performances. It should be just enough just to see Pele doing his thing, the thing he did better than any other man for many years-and still does best once in awhile.”

Stahl agreed with Cook and observed over the course of his NASL career he took away one general memory of the numerous “slightly past their prime” international legends he played against. “Cook is absolutely on the money [with how Pele’s performance should be viewed]. But I saw this with other players too. They were not in their prime, but every once in a while, in the middle of the game they would pull something out that no one else could do. Those moments of brilliance, they happened but they simply didn’t happen with the consistency or frequency that they did in their prime.”

Even at that time Pele still had a lot left in the tank when it mattered. He played two more NASL seasons for the Cosmos and led the team to the title in 1977 after the Cosmos added several players capable of playing at his level. Except for a 1985 promotional appearance in Houston when he was in his mid-40’s, this exhibition match against the Thunder was the last time Pele would play in Texas.

This Event Did Not Translate into Immediate Future Success

It is unfortunate that the nascent soccer culture in San Antonio at the time failed to recognize the opportunity to see a legend. In retrospect, the inability to sell out an appearance by Pele, who filled stadiums elsewhere, was another warning sign that professional soccer was not meant to be in San Antonio in the mid-1970’s. The soccer culture in Texas is quite different now. I clearly remember the electric atmosphere produced by Lionel Messi’s appearance at Houston’s NRG Stadium for the 2016 Copa America Centenario semifinal against the U.S. Men’s National Team. An appearance by Pele or an equivalent player with star power in 2020 San Antonio would certainly produce a completely different reaction today than it did in 1976.

SAFC Pro Academy Joins Major League Soccers Elite Player Development Platform

San Antonio FC today announced that the SAFC Pro Academy will join Major League Soccer’s Elite Player Development platform. 65 former U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs will join the MLS’s existing club academies to create a partnership that will transform youth player development in the United States and Canada.

“San Antonio FC is excited to join the newly founded MLS Elite Youth Development Platform,” said SAFC Pro Academy Director Nick Evans. “Our club is committed to the development of our city’s youth players and committed to the development of the growth of the game nationally. We value greatly the level of the competition from within our region and know this will help enhance our players’ development experience. The MLS Elite Youth Development will serve to provide our players with the nation’s top-level programming schedule. San Antonio FC looks forward to participating at the highest youth level available and contributing to all players’ competitive experiences.”

CLICK HERE for a full list of Founding Member clubs

The 65 youth clubs will join the MLS academies as Founding Members of MLS’ elite player development platform. The new platform, which will include more than 8,000 players throughout the U.S. and Canada, will consist of elite year-round competition, as well as player identification initiatives, coaching education opportunities, and additional programming to create the premier player development environment.

The platform will operate with a groundbreaking governance structure that promotes collaboration, innovation and input across all areas of the soccer landscape. Within the structure, technical working groups will provide recommendations on the platform’s strategic objectives and standards, outline competition guidelines and formats, as well as introduce platform programming. By unifying the elite player development landscape and creating a collaborative structure, the new platform will accelerate and enhance player development in North America.

“There is strong positive momentum and excitement among MLS club academies and elite academy clubs to co-create a platform that will deliver an unparalleled experience for the nation’s top players and clubs,” said Fred Lipka, Vice President and Technical Director of MLS Player Development. “The development of professional and elite players requires a comprehensive and integrated approach, beyond just the competition format, and we are having daily conversations with academy clubs across the country who are committed to building that environment with us.”

The elite academy clubs that are Founding Members of the new platform have also been leaders in the development of players for college, MLS and the national teams. Combined, MLS Academies and the elite academies joining the platform have produced more than 90% of the U.S. Youth National Team players in the last year, making the new platform the top destination for the best young players in North America.

CLICK HERE for a full list of Founding Member clubs

REGISTRATION FOR 2020 SAFC CLUB & CAMO PROGRAM NOW OPEN

Registration for the 2020 SAFC Club & Camo initiative is now open. Founded in 2018 as part of Spurs Give, Club & Camo is a San Antonio FC specific initiative in which the team visits with children from military families for creative activities and outings. Participating children typically come from families in which one or both parents are or have been deployed on active military duty or who are recovering from injuries or conditions suffered while fighting for our country.

The purpose of Club & Camo is for SAFC players to spend time in the community and make a positive impact on youth who have been affected in any way by their parents’ brave sacrifice for our nation. Players aim to serve as mentors, support figures, and positive influences for kids participating in the program.

Due to the ongoing safety precautions due to COVID-19, Club & Camo will shift to a digital format for the foreseeable future. Activities will include virtual fitness lessons, a cooking tutorial, learning simple coding, among others.

Thunder Past – Part 4

Before the season started, San Antonio Thunder head coach Alex Perolli talked about championships and claimed that the expansion Thunder would be one of the most competitive NASL teams. There was a basis for the optimism. Perolli had won two NASL Championships, including the previous season when he guided the Los Angeles Aztecs to the title. He built the Thunder with a core of veterans from his previous title winning rosters.

Unfortunately, Perolli learned the hard lesson of many professional clubs, that past recent performance does not translate into success the next year. Nine games into the season he was gone, replaced by a college coach from Northern California who had been a finalist for the job when owner Ward Lay made the initial hire. Don Batie was able to turn the team around to a certain extent, but the brutal 1-8 start, roster upheaval, injuries, and the reality that many teams were better caught up with them at the end. The Thunder completed the season with 6 wins, 16 losses, 59 points, and a negative 18 goal differential. This finish was last in the Central Division and the Thunder ended with the fewest points in the entire league.

1975 Season Storylines

Before Alex Perolli was let go, newspapers reported dissatisfaction with him among the players. The lack of any visible playing style and little lineup consistency were a couple of the reasons cited for the locker room issues. Offseason roster turbulence continued into the season and two key players were released a few weeks before Perolli departed. This was the final straw for Assistant Coach Ricardo Ordonez, who resigned and he and one of the released players publicly called out Perolli in the media. Unhappy with the results on the field, turmoil, and poor attendance, owner Ward Lay took control of all business and soccer operations in late May. Fans circulated a petition in the stadium that gathered over 1,000 signatures asking for the return of Ordonez in the weeks leading up to Perolli's departure. Bizarrely, the club agreed to host a public presentation of this petition to owner Lay on the field one hour before the Tampa Bay match.
A week after Batie took over as head coach, he took the team away to Chico, CA (where he coached his college team) for a reset and to rebuild team spirit. They played an exhibition match against a Chico State University team and then traveled from there to Portland for their next league match.
The first Thunder road win in Baltimore on July 9th came after the team arrived late at the team hotel only a few hours before the match. A swim to shake off the airplane stiffness and a quick meal was all the time available before heading to the stadium. They also won the next game in Philadelphia a few days after, the only two road wins of the season.
The Texas Challenge Cup, sponsored by the athletic club of a San Antonio synagogue, was won by the Dallas Tornado. Though the Thunder won two of the three games played between them, the winner was determined by goal differential (plus 3 for Dallas).
In addition to the typical promotions U.S. soccer teams have always used, the Thunder added a couple of unusual half time activities. Midfielder Jim Doherty was married at halftime in one of the matches, with teammates standing as his wedding party. Since the team was being soundly beaten at the time, apparently many of the players decided not to play along and stayed in the locker room. In another unique promotion, 200 local high school kids were inducted into the U.S. Army in a ceremony. The most unusual though was when the Thunder reserve goalkeeper Tom Eidson was asked to participate in a half-time stunt. A company called Soccer-Roo would award 100 "skins" to contestants who could beat Eidson in a penalty shot. According to reports, some did.
Eidson was the first native Texan to ever play for a South Texas-based professional soccer club. A native of Huntsville, he was part of the University of Houston club team and played on trial for the Thunder in preseason. Eidson arrived in mid-May and only featured in one match, when he had to replace the starting goalkeeper who had been sent off late in the second half in a loss at Vancouver. He was the only Texan to play for the Thunder and I cannot find any record of him playing professionally again.
General Manager Mike Boyle, in response to San Jose Earthquakes GM Dick Berg calling San Antonio a "one-horse town," said he would give the Earthquakes a horse if the Thunder lost a home match to San Jose on May 16. The Thunder lost, but fortunately San Jose did not take him up on the bet. After the loss, Boyle said he had trouble sleeping the previous week because the Appaloosa (below) was expensive, the owner left him on his own to pay for it and he also learned after making the bet that the Earthquakes best player had a ranch near San Jose.

1975 Season Storylines

Before Alex Perolli was let go, newspapers reported dissatisfaction with him among the players. The lack of any visible playing style and little lineup consistency were a couple of the reasons cited for the locker room issues. Offseason roster turbulence continued into the season and two key players were released a few weeks before Perolli departed. This was the final straw for Assistant Coach Ricardo Ordonez, who resigned and he and one of the released players publicly called out Perolli in the media. Unhappy with the results on the field, turmoil, and poor attendance, owner Ward Lay took control of all business and soccer operations in late May. Fans circulated a petition in the stadium that gathered over 1,000 signatures asking for the return of Ordonez in the weeks leading up to Perolli’s departure. Bizarrely, the club agreed to host a public presentation of this petition to owner Lay on the field one hour before the Tampa Bay match.
A week after Batie took over as head coach, he took the team away to Chico, CA (where he coached his college team) for a reset and to rebuild team spirit. They played an exhibition match against a Chico State University team and then traveled from there to Portland for their next league match.
The first Thunder road win in Baltimore on July 9th came after the team arrived late at the team hotel only a few hours before the match. A swim to shake off the airplane stiffness and a quick meal was all the time available before heading to the stadium. They also won the next game in Philadelphia a few days after, the only two road wins of the season.
The Texas Challenge Cup, sponsored by the athletic club of a San Antonio synagogue, was won by the Dallas Tornado. Though the Thunder won two of the three games played between them, the winner was determined by goal differential (plus 3 for Dallas).
In addition to the typical promotions U.S. soccer teams have always used, the Thunder added a couple of unusual half time activities. Midfielder Jim Doherty was married at halftime in one of the matches, with teammates standing as his wedding party. Since the team was being soundly beaten at the time, apparently many of the players decided not to play along and stayed in the locker room. In another unique promotion, 200 local high school kids were inducted into the U.S. Army in a ceremony. The most unusual though was when the Thunder reserve goalkeeper Tom Eidson was asked to participate in a half-time stunt. A company called Soccer-Roo would award 100 “skins” to contestants who could beat Eidson in a penalty shot. According to reports, some did.
Eidson was the first native Texan to ever play for a South Texas-based professional soccer club. A native of Huntsville, he was part of the University of Houston club team and played on trial for the Thunder in preseason. Eidson arrived in mid-May and only featured in one match, when he had to replace the starting goalkeeper who had been sent off late in the second half in a loss at Vancouver. He was the only Texan to play for the Thunder and I cannot find any record of him playing professionally again.
General Manager Mike Boyle, in response to San Jose Earthquakes GM Dick Berg calling San Antonio a “one-horse town,” said he would give the Earthquakes a horse if the Thunder lost a home match to San Jose on May 16. The Thunder lost, but fortunately San Jose did not take him up on the bet. After the loss, Boyle said he had trouble sleeping the previous week because the Appaloosa (below) was expensive, the owner left him on his own to pay for it and he also learned after making the bet that the Earthquakes best player had a ranch near San Jose.

1975 San Antonio Thunder Match Results

San Antonio Thunder 1975 season (home team listed first)

Total record: 6-16 Home: 4-7 Away: 2-9

April 12: Thunder-2 Dallas Tornado-1 (OT) SA: Peter Filotis, Jim Doherty DAL: Ilija Mitic (PK) ATT: 5,142

April 26: Los Angeles Aztecs-3 Thunder-0 LA: Uri Banhoffer, Julie Veee, Bobby Sibbald (PK) RC: SA: Raul Forteis ATT: 7,747

May 3: Thunder-0 Washington Diplomats-2 WA: Leroy DeLeon, Garry Darrell ATT: 5,370

May 9: Thunder-2 St. Louis Stars-3 (OT-PK 3-5) SA: Jose Berico (2) STL: John Hawley, John Carenza ATT: 1,853

May 16: Thunder-1 San Jose Earthquakes-2 SA: Jose Berico SJ: Archie Roboostoff, Boris Bandov ATT: 3,853

May 21: Thunder-1 Chicago Sting-2 SA: Jim Doherty CHI: Russell Allen, Gordon Hill ATT: 3,711

May 24: St. Louis Stars-1 Thunder-0 STL: John Hawley ATT: 2,831

May 31: Thunder-0 Tampa Bay Rowdies-4 TB: Derek Smethurst, Clyde Best, Randy Garber, Farrukh Quraishi RC (2): SA: Ned Hasanbegovic, Daniel Califano ATT: 4,619

June 5: Vancouver Whitecaps-3 Thunder-0 VAN: Glen Johnson-2 (1-PK), Gary Thompson RC: SA: Trini Cavallero ATT: 7,514

June 14: Thunder-2 Dallas Tornado-1 SA: Jose Marcio, Mori Diane DAL: Kyle Rote, Jr. ATT: 5,542

June 21: Portland Timbers-1 Thunder-0 (OT) PTL: Willy Anderson ATT: 14,080

July 2: Denver Dynamos-6 Thunder-2 DEN: Kaizer Motaung (2), Chaka Ngcobo (2), Ace Ntsoelengoe, Mike Flater SA: Jose Marcio, Cres McTavish ATT: 2,848

July 4: Thunder-4 Chicago Sting-0 SA: Cres McTavish, Renato Costa (2-PK’s), Mori Diane ATT: 5,432

July 9: Baltimore Comets-2 Thunder-3 BALT: Peter Silvester, Alvin Henderson (PK) SA: Jose Marcio (2), Pedro Martinez ATT: 1,781

July 11: Philadelphia Atoms-2 Thunder-3 PHI: Chris Bahr, Bob Hope SA: Own Goal (Manny Matos), Jose Marcio, Luis Marotte ATT: 4,012

July 18: Thunder-1 Denver Dynamos-0 SA: Jose Berico ATT: 5,993

July 25: Chicago Sting-2 Thunder-1 (OT-PK 3-2) CHI: Gordon Hill SA: Jose Marcio ATT: 6,412

July 26: St. Louis Stars-1 Thunder-0 STL: Al Trost ATT: 7,129

August 1: Thunder-1 Miami Toros-2 (OT) SA: Dan Counce MIA: Steve David (2) ATT: 3,837

August 3: Denver Dynamos-2 Thunder-1 DEN: Peter Short, Ace Ntsoelengoe SA: Dan Counce ATT: 2,165

August 6: Thunder-0 Seattle Sounders-1 SEA: Jim Gabriel ATT: 3,194 (Rescheduled from 6/27)

August 9: Dallas Tornado-5 Thunder-0 DAL: ATT: Mickey Moore (2), Richie Reynolds, Bobby Moffat, Alty McKenzie ATT: 5,221