Chicago Spurs

Chicago Spurs
Full nameChicago Spurs
Nickname(s)Spurs
Founded1966
Dissolved1967 (relocated)
StadiumSoldier Field,
Chicago, Illinois
Capacity61,500
Owner(s)United States Michael Butler
United States Al Kaczamarek
United States William Cutler
Head coachEngland Alan Rogers
LeagueNational Professional Soccer League
19673rd, Western Division
Playoffs: DNQ

Chicago Spurs were an American soccer team that was a charter member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967. The team was based in Chicago, Illinois and played their home games at the Soldier Field. When the NPSL merged with the rival United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League, the team moved and became the Kansas City Spurs, leaving the Chicago market to the Chicago Mustangs

History

In 1966, several groups of entrepreneurs were exploring the idea of forming a professional soccer league in United States and Canada. Two of these groups merged to form the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and franchise rights were awarded to ten ownership groups. The Chicago franchise was awarded to Michael Butler and William Cutler, the partners appointed Alvis Kaczmarek to manage the team as team president.[1] In October, Kaczmarek hired Alan Rogers to coach the new team.[2] The Spurs opened the 1967 season at Soldier Field with a 1–0 victory over the St. Louis Stars with 4,725 fans in attendance.[3][4] The team finished the season in third place of the Western Division with a record of ten wins, eleven loses and eleven draws, with an average attendance of 2,619.[5]

Following the 1967 season, the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association (USA) to form the North American Soccer League (NASL). The new league decided against two-team cities, and in order to keep from competing with the Chicago Mustangs of the former USA, owned by White Sox co-owner Arthur Allyn Jr., who were chosen to be the city's NASL representative, the Spurs were sold to a group from Kansas City, Missouri and moved there to become the Kansas City Spurs.[6]

Year-by-year

Year Division W L T Pts League Playoffs Avg. attendance
1967 NPSL 10 11 11 142 3rd, Western Division Did not qualify 2,619

Coaches

See also

References

  1. ^ "New Soccer Manager Named". The St. Petersburg Evening Independent. September 15, 1966. p. 19A. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  2. ^ "Chicago Soccer Team Signs British Coach". The Morning Record. October 25, 1966. p. 4. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "Pro Soccer Games Draw 46,547 Fans". The Norwalk Hour. April 17, 1967. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Chicago Clips St. Louis 1-0". St. Joseph Gazette. April 17, 1967. p. 1B. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "North American Soccer League". RSSSF. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "Pro League to Operate Two Divisions". The Vancouver Sun. January 5, 1968. Retrieved December 24, 2021.