N.Y. Cosmos Championship Ring Sells at Auction

The 1977 Championship ring of New York Cosmos owner Steve Ross went on the auction block on October 4th and sold for $6,270.

Ross, who was a titan in the business world, was the CEO of Warner Communications when it purchased the NASL franchise for $1 from its original 10 owners in 1971. He went on to develop financial concepts for American Express, video game icon Atari, DC Comics and MTV, HBO and Nickleodeon television among others.

He eventually rolled his empire under the TIME-WARNER corporation label. However, for soccer fans, it was his visionary support of the world's game that brought Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto and Giorgio Chinaglia to play in America. 

The 10k gold ring with an emerald stone center was made by famed jewelers Jostein. The ring features the insignia of the NASL, the N.Y. Cosmos and a facsimile signature of Pele on the inner band. 

Pele, playing his final season in the NASL, was the catalyst for the club winning a Championship before the legend's retirement in 1977. 

The ring, as an artifact from a business tycoon, sports builder and pop culture icon, is paramount to the N.Y. Yankees' George Steinbrenner, the Chicago Bears' George Halas or  the Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie.

U.S. Open Cup, Sporting Kansas City and London Olympic Artifacts at I.S.A.

The 99th Edition of the U.S. Open Cup was won by Sporting Kansas City as they dethroned the 3-time Champions Seattle Sounders. The battle at Livestrong Sporting Park was physical and it took a penalty shoot-out to stop Seattle from winning an unprecedented 4th straight Cup Final.

Jubilant Kansas City players (above) sport their winner's medals and hold the Open Cup Trophy.

The 99th winners medal which has been added to the I.S.A. Collection.

The seldom seen reverse of the U.S. Open Cup winners medal (above).

American International GRAHAM ZUSI (above) earned his first medal in the 2012 Final.

The match-worn GRAHAM ZUSI jersey, complete with blood and grass strains. The hallmark patch on the inside collar is for LAMAR HUNT, founder of Sporting Kansas City. Hunt's name also appears on the Open Cup competition and trophy.

The reverse of the midfielder's # 8 jersey

 The first Champagne cork (above) from Sporting Kansas City's 2012 victory

Among the celebration was a well traveled ROGER ESPINOSA (far left).

 ESPINOSA starred with HONDURAS in their remarkable run through the 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS

Only days after returning from London, ESPINOSA played in the Cup Final (playing against Brazil above).

The OLYMPIC worn shoes (above) that ESPINOSA wore in the Cup Final.

Another look at the OLYMPIC worn shoes (above and below)

The ticket for the 2012 U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL

The International Soccer Archives has one of the largest collections of U.S. Open Cup memorabilia in the world.

Richmond Kickers - 20 Professional Years

Several leagues and hundreds of clubs in American soccer history have called themselves professional.

 For the RICHMOND KICKERS it has actually been 20 years this season.

The 1993 Team posing in their original green shirts.

With a modern record of 77 wins in U.S. Open Cup history, the club has weathered the storm of re-organization, folding franchises and rebranding of their perspective leagues.  

They have played Cup Giant Killers since the onset of Major League Soccer, now two divisions above them.   They are the club that began the modern era by winning the 1995 U.S. Open Cup.

The 1995 National Champions

The Kickers are a club from top to bottom with tremendous local support both with fans and businesses. The Kickers are identified through several levels of youth teams, all wearing their red jerseys worn ever since their cup triumph. 

This year the club celebrated its 20th anniversary by wearing a specially made green shirt tops which reflect the inaugural season.

The Special jerseys made for the 20th Anniversary

David Bulow returned to the Kickers in 201 for his third tour of duty. After scoring against Sporting Kansas City in last year's Open Cup tournament, he became the sole record holder of the most goals in the 99 year competition.

David Bulow in Action

Bulow's 14 tallies surpassed Johnny Menyongar and 100-goal MLS legend Jamie Moreno who are tied at 13 goals each.

The Kickers have been a solid competitor in the American professional ranks but also the stepping stone for top notch players like Dwayne DeRosario and Richie Williams. 

David Bulow's 20th Anniversary Richmond Kickers jersey has been kindly donated to the International Soccer Archives. (Thanks to Shelley Sowers)

CANADA ... 100 Years of Soccer

Congratulations to the CANADIAN SOCCER ASSOCIATION in celebrating their 100th anniversary.

The foundation of the Dominion of Canada Football Association began in May 1912 and culminated in joining F.I.F.A. in December of that year.

Here are some of those artifacts from the ISA Collection:

1996 Team signed jersey 

Canada's 1st major trophy came as the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup Winners.

The Panini Mexico86 issue (above) marked the first appearance of Canada in the famed World Cup collectable sticker set. 

An official match program from 1976 featuring Pele.

Pele and the North American Soccer League (NASL)  helped developed the Canadian talent in the 1970's with professional teams in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

A rare keepsake medal from the 1980 Tour of Canada by Irish Football League XI.

The British sides were just one of many touring teams that crossed the Dominion of Canada. The earliest being the English amateurs "Pilgrims" in 1905. 

A rare 1910 England v. Scotland medal

The British influence on Canadian Soccer is marked by this 1910 International match (above) representing England vs. Scotland under the direction of Montreal Association Football.

Other Ethnic influences such as the NASL Toronto Metro-Croatia won the NASL title in 1976. Vancouver Whitecaps followed with a Championship in 1979. 

Frank Yallop's # 4 Canada jersey

FRANK YALLOP was born in Canada, but played the majority of his professional career with Ipswich Town in England. He has represented Canada both as a National Team player and their manager.

A rare Gold medal from Toronto Scottish F.C.

Toronto Scottish F.C. were National Champions as well as regional Champions in  the 1920's. 

Regional Associations had great power and influence when Canada was still in its infancy. 

Today, Canada has 3 professional clubs in Major League Soccer and 2 in the North American Soccer League. The National Team is currently qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

MLS playoffs ... American Coaches ... and Kasey Keller as MLS Commissioner

The I.S.A. was on the call as MLS coaches and players weighed in to the playoffs, American coaching (specifically  Bob Bradley's appointment as Egypt's National Team Manager) and last call for American legend - Kasey Keller on goalkeeping and becoming MLS commissioner on January 2nd.

You can listen to the press conference Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders) here (ISA questions begin at the 7:00 minute mark).

And Bruce Arena (LA Galaxy) here. (ISA questions begin at about the 7:50 minute mark.)

And Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City) here. (ISA questions begin at the :0 minute mark.)

On The Brink of Destiny: Orlando City

Since the 1980's Orlando, Florida has been the destination to Disney World - the dream vacation for international travelers. The central Florida area was also a destination for the world's best soccer team as the Citrus Bowl hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 1996 Olympics and the 1998 MLS All-Star Game.

On a smaller level, Orlando has had incarnations of lesser know clubs flirting with fame. The most successful of these was the USL (formerly USISL) Orlando Lions of the early 1990's. Finishing both the 1992 and 1993 seasons with the best league record, they fell short in the play-offs - then known as the "Sizzling Six". 

(Official Match Program from the 1993 USL Championship - ISA Collection)

The club honed its skills by playing some of the best European clubs money could buy including Bayer Leverkusen which visited in 4 successive years to Florida. The Orlando club featured several collegiate and pro journeymen of American soccer.

(Orlando Lions side that faced Bayer Leverkusen - ISA Collection)

The 1993 Championship, played in Daytona Beach's Municipal Stadium, was won by the Greensboro Dynamo defeating Orlando 2:1. The other play-off finalists were San Jose, Dallas, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Just as they are today, Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers played in APSL, a level just above Orlando but not withstanding of the USISL's caliber of skill.

(A 1993 USISL Championship jersey monogrammed with the Final - ISA Collection)

Orlando will play for the USL Championship once again. This time they face Harrisburg City on the 3rd of September at the Citrus Bowl. The Citrus Bowl, the venue for so much international soccer, will host the match. About 10,000 fans are expected to see the game live which is on par with the numbers following MLS and surpassing NASL (2nd Division) attendance.

It is no secret that the ambitions of Orlando City is to join Major League Soccer and be showcased at the highest club level in North America and perhaps more.  With Orlando's large Hispanic population, it could very well appeal to MLS's marketing strategy. 

(Orlando Lions 1993 USISL runners up medal - ISA Collection)

Only time will tell if Orlando will reach its destiny at the club level. A win in the final would be a step in the right direction.

Birth of The Cosmos: 40th Anniversary of the New York Cosmos - Part 3

ANDY MATE: THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL STAR

The International Soccer Archives series chronicling the 40th Anniversary of the New York Cosmos features several "firsts"including artifacts and interviews.

By the time Andy Mate was signed for the North American Soccer League's newest club, he was 31 years old. The New York Cosmos entry into the 3 year old professional circuit relied heavily on the popular amateur and semi-pro organizations like the German-American Soccer League to bolster its squad.

When the Cosmos debuted in 1971, Andy Mate had already spent half his life as a professional footballer and featured on 3 continents and known by 3 different names. Political circumstances prompted him to leave his native Hungary as a 16 year old during the 1956 Revolution.

Born Mate Andras (last name first as many Europeans are addressed), Andy was a promising youth player for the Pest side of the Hungarian Capitol's soccer team. Ujpest Dozsa was one of the city's many talent filled clubs of the 1950's. Mate, following in the footsteps of his idol Ferenc Szusza (for which Ujpest's home stadium isnamed) had already been selected for Hungary's youth team when he felt the upheaval of unrest that landed him in America.

The taste of international soccer was rich in New York as the city hosted the best touring teams in the world. Within a few seasons Andy found himself along with other Hungarian refugees playing for New York Hungaria in the German-American Soccer League (GASL).

Mate, still only 20 years old, found himself a regular pick for the league's All-Star selection exhibition matches against German clubs Eintracht Frankfurt, 1860 Munich, Schalke 04 and even scoring against both Manchester United and Sheffield United.

The Hungaria club won five consecutive GASL league titles before winning "The Double" in 1962. The coveted U.S. Open Cup triumph included defeating the two time holders and A.S.L. Champions - Ukrainian Nationals in the semi-finals. A three goal victory behind the scoring prowess of Andy Mate, who netted twice in the Final, qualified the New Yorkers for the 1963 Concacaf Champions Cup.

(Champions of the United States - New York Hungaria. Andy Mate: back row, center)

In September of 1962, Hungaria toured the Middle East sweeping all opposition with 9 wins and 4 draws in official US Soccer sponsored matches. Mated tallied 19 goals on the tour.

In the 1963 Concacaf competition Hungaria defeated Mexican club Deportivo Oro on 5 goals by Andy, including a hat trick in the 1st leg played at the opponent's Jalisco Stadium.

This consistent stellar play did not go unnoticed as offers came from several international clubs. Despite his European roots and performances against German sides, Mate opted to sign for a South American team.

(American futbolista wearing the Cali shirt)

Andy later explained that his all-star selections in America had crossed paths with Luis Cesar Menotti (1978 World Cup winning manager). who was already contemplating coaching. Menotti's contact with Deportivo Cali of Colombia landed Mate with a contract. Andy starred with 4 Brazilians, 3 Argentinians and 3 Colombians that made up that Cali side. His name and picture often appeared in the newspapers published "team of the week" as Andy Matte !

(Andy Mate - a.k.a. Matte - Deportivo Cali hero immortalized on a Colombian souvenir)

In later years Andy admitted that between the stiffling heat of South America and his ties to New York prompted him to return to his new American home - or so he thought.

All this changed when West Germany’s League newly crowned Bundesliga Champions toured America. On May 17th 1964 Hamburg SV played the German-American all-Stars at Downing Stadium. Mate, who was back with New York Hungaria, was stellar for the select side and scored the winning goal.

Ten days later, Andy lined up for the US National Team for their “forgettable” match against England. He earned his one and only cap in the 10:0 drubbing in New York. Still, there were said to be offers from European clubs like Schalke 04 and Rapid Vienna.

However, West German football was only in its second year of fully funded professional club soccer. and in its infancy, many Bundesliga players still held other jobs. The Bundesliga now had the means to pursue international talent like England, Italy and Spain. Hamburg SV featured the legendary Uwe Seeler, a super star scorer for the German National Team as well as the club. Adding to Hamburg’s goal getting attack for the 1964-65 season would be 21 year old Andy Mate. The transfer fee went to New York Hungaria.

(1964 Budesliga player - Hamburg SV)

Seeler was injured for the beginning of the year and Mate filled in admirably scoring a pair of goals. Almost four years to the day, Mate would play against Manchester United again - this time featuring George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton. In another pre-season exhibition with Hamburg, Andy would have mixed emotions as they hosted and defeated the National Team of Hungary 4 to 1. While management had hoped Seeler and Mate partnership would lead to another title, it do not. Mate sums it up to the loyalty to Seeler and the egos that often go with goal scoring kings.

When the situation at Hamburg did not pan out, Mate, a tool and die maker by trade, returned to New York. American soccer was also trying to establish the professional level of the game. In the early 1960‘s the USA had imported international teams for several years to play short summer tournaments. With moderate success, several leagues sprouted in America lured by television money and the publicity of the 1966 World Cup.

Andy participated with Philadelphia Spartans and the New York Generals (where he was reunited with Menotti) in many of these professional ventures. By the time he signed a contract with the NASL expansion New York Cosmos in March of 1971, he was 31 years old and one of New York’s most traveled players.

Andy Mate was scheduled to start in the Cosmos inaugural league match, but was injured in the Cosmos’ first pre-season game. While Andy had to have a cartilage operation on his knee, the club signed Randy Horton as a replacement during his recovery. Mate did return near the end of the season. On his long-awaited league debut at Yankee Stadium he scored twice !

(The New York Cosmos game program - 1971)

Andy Mate spent 13 years playing soccer in New York and may easily be considered the Cosmos’ first international star.

Special thanks to John Mate for contributions to this article.