National Professional Soccer League (1967)
Encyclopedia
The National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) was a North America
n professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association (USA)
to form the North American Soccer League
. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States
and one from Canada
. To encourage attacking play, the NPSL introduced a new standings points system that was later used by the NASL - 6 points for a win, 3 for a draw, 0 for a loss and 1 bonus point for each of the first three goals scored. The circuit's commissioner was Ken Macker, an American publisher of three Philippines
-based newspaper
s. The name National Professional Soccer League was revived in 1990 and used by a United States
professional indoor soccer
league.
formed a consortium called the North American Professional Soccer League with the intention of forming a professional soccer league in United States
and Canada
. However this was just one of three groups with similar plans. The NAPSL eventually merged with one of these groups the National Soccer League, led by Richard Millen, to form the National Professional Soccer League. A third group, the United Soccer Association
was sanctioned by both the USSFA and FIFA
. Because of this the NPSL was branded an outlaw league by FIFA and players faced sanctions for signing with it. Despite this the NPSL, which secured a TV contract from CBS
, set about recruiting players, and announced it would be ready to launch in 1967.
which signed a two-year contract to broadcast a game every Sunday afternoon live and in color. Play-by-play voice Jack Whitaker was joined by the former Northern Ireland
international Danny Blanchflower
as a pundit. Blanchflower was not impressed with the standard of play and did not hesitate to say so.
The NPSL was also criticised after Pittsburgh's 2-1 triumph over Toronto in the Falcons' home opener on Sunday, May 14. Of the twenty-one fouls that afternoon, eleven were called to allow CBS to insert commercials
into its telecast. Referee Peter Rhodes also admitted that he had forced players to fake injuries to serve the same purpose. This raised many questions about whether the television network
s and its sponsors were having too much influence over televised sporting events.
The NPSL did however attract some notable players including three former Aston Villa
players Phil Woosnam
, Vic Crowe
and Peter McParland
who, together with another veteran of the English League, Ron Newman
all turned out for Atlanta Chiefs
. Two ex-Real Madrid
players, Juan Santisteban
and Yanko Daucik
, also turned out for Baltimore Bays
and Toronto Falcons
respectively. Santisteban made the NPSL All-Star team and Daucik finished as the league’s topscorer.
The NPSL's only season concluded when Western Division champion Oakland defeated the Bays, winners of the Eastern Division. Dennis Viollet
gave Baltimore a 1-0 win on Sunday, September 3 before a home crowd of 16,619. Six days later, in the second leg at Oakland, Dragan Djukic scored a hat trick
as the Clippers won 4-1 in front of 9,037.
to form the North American Soccer League
. As a result of the merger several of the original NPSL franchises folded or relocated. This was partly to avoid some cities having two teams. Philadelphia Spartans
and Pittsburgh Phantoms both folded, while Chicago Spurs
became Kansas City Spurs
and Los Angeles Toros
became San Diego Toros
. Together with New York Generals
, Baltimore Bays
, Atlanta Chiefs
, Toronto Falcons
, St. Louis Stars
and Oakland Clippers
, these teams then became founding members of the NASL. However only Atlanta Chiefs
, who won the inaugural NASL title, and St. Louis Stars
enjoyed any longevity. The remaining franchises all folded by 1970.
6 points for a win
3 points for a tie
0 points for a loss
1 point for each goal scored up to three per game.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association (USA)
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
to form the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and one from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. To encourage attacking play, the NPSL introduced a new standings points system that was later used by the NASL - 6 points for a win, 3 for a draw, 0 for a loss and 1 bonus point for each of the first three goals scored. The circuit's commissioner was Ken Macker, an American publisher of three Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
-based newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s. The name National Professional Soccer League was revived in 1990 and used by a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
league.
Origins
In 1966 a group of sports entrepreneurs led by Bill Cox and Robert HermannHermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
formed a consortium called the North American Professional Soccer League with the intention of forming a professional soccer league in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However this was just one of three groups with similar plans. The NAPSL eventually merged with one of these groups the National Soccer League, led by Richard Millen, to form the National Professional Soccer League. A third group, the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
was sanctioned by both the USSFA and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. Because of this the NPSL was branded an outlaw league by FIFA and players faced sanctions for signing with it. Despite this the NPSL, which secured a TV contract from CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, set about recruiting players, and announced it would be ready to launch in 1967.
| Franchises | Stadiums (Capacity) | Owners |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Chiefs Atlanta Chiefs The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'... |
Atlanta Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:... (50,893) |
William Bartholomay William Bartholomay William C. Bartholomay is a Chicago executive who made his living in the insurance industry. In 1962 he was the leader of a consortioum who bought the Milwaukee Braves, a National League Baseball franchise, from the previous Braves owner Lou Perini.... (Atlanta Braves Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... ) |
| Baltimore Bays Baltimore Bays The first Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based out of Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The team would become a part of the North American Soccer League , which was the result of a merger between the NPSL and... |
Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road... (52,185) |
Jerold Hoffberger Jerold Hoffberger Jerold Charles 'Jerry' Hoffberger was an American businessman. He was president of the National Brewing Company from 1946 to 1973. He was also part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles of the American League from 1954 to 1965, and majority owner from 1965 to 1979.-Biography:Hoffberger was a lifelong... (Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league... ) |
| Chicago Spurs Chicago Spurs Chicago Spurs were an American professional soccer team based out of Chicago, Illinois that was a charter member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The owners of the franchise were Al Kaczmarek, William Cutler and Michael Butler... |
Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... (100,000) |
William B. Cutler, Michael Butler Michael Butler (producer) Michael Butler is an American theatrical producer best known for bringing the rock musical Hair from the Public Theater to Broadway in 1968. During his time as Hair producer he was dubbed by the press as "the hippie millionaire"... |
| Los Angeles Toros Los Angeles Toros The Los Angeles Toros were an American professional soccer team based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The franchise was owned by Dan Reeves, who also owned the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams.The franchise moved to San... |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... (93,000) |
Dan Reeves Dan Reeves (NFL owner) Daniel "Dan" Reeves was the owner of the Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams from 1941 to his death in 1971.In addition to the controversial move of the Rams from Cleveland to Los Angeles, Reeves is remembered for being the first NFL owner to sign an African-American player in the post World War II era... (Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... ) |
| New York Generals New York Generals For the collegiate baseball team, see New York Generals The New York Generals were a soccer team based out of New York that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League. Their home field was Yankee Stadium... |
Yankee Stadium (67,000) | RKO General Inc. RKO General RKO General was the main holding company through 1991 for the noncore businesses of the General Tire and Rubber Company and, after General Tire's reorganization in the 1980s, GenCorp. The business was based around the consolidation of its parent company's broadcasting interests, dating to 1943, and... , Elser Enterprises Inc. |
| Oakland Clippers Oakland Clippers The Oakland Clippers were a soccer team based out of Oakland, California that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League . Their home field was Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.... |
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (53,000) | Joseph O'Neill, H.T. Hilliard |
| Philadelphia Spartans Philadelphia Spartans The Philadelphia Spartans were a soccer team based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League . They played their only season of existence at Temple Stadium in North Philadelphia. The team was owned by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art... |
Temple University Stadium Temple Stadium Temple Stadium was a stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1928 and hosted the Temple University Owls football team until they moved to Veterans Stadium in 1978.... (20,000) |
John Rooney (Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... ) |
| Pittsburgh Phantoms | Forbes Field Forbes Field Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise... (35,714) |
Peter Block, Richard George (Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... ) |
| St. Louis Stars | Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005.... (50,000) |
Robert Hermann/Bill Bidwill Bill Bidwill William V. "Bill" Bidwill, Sr. is the principal owner and chairman of the board of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was part-owner from 1962 to 1972 with his brother Charles, Jr. and has been sole owner since 1972.-Education:Bidwill went to Georgetown Preparatory School,... (St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... -football) |
| Toronto Falcons Toronto Falcons The Toronto Falcons were a soccer team based in Toronto, Canada. They played only two years, 1967 in the National Professional Soccer League and 1968 in the North American Soccer League . Their home field was Varsity Stadium.... |
Varsity Stadium Varsity Stadium Varsity Stadium is a collegiate football stadium that is home to the Varsity Blues, the athletic teams of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. While the present structure was built in 2007, it is in fact the third major incarnation of the stadium that has occupied the same site... (25,000) |
Joseph Peters |
1967 Season
The NPSL kicked off on Sunday, April 16 with a full slate of five matches. The most notable was Baltimore's 1-0 home victory over Atlanta in front of a crowd of just 8,434. It was televised by CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
which signed a two-year contract to broadcast a game every Sunday afternoon live and in color. Play-by-play voice Jack Whitaker was joined by the former Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
international Danny Blanchflower
Danny Blanchflower
Robert Dennis "Danny" Blanchflower was a former Northern Ireland international footballer and football manager, and journalist who captained Tottenham Hotspur F.C. during its double-winning season of 1961. He was ranked as the greatest player in Spurs history by The Times in 2009...
as a pundit. Blanchflower was not impressed with the standard of play and did not hesitate to say so.
The NPSL was also criticised after Pittsburgh's 2-1 triumph over Toronto in the Falcons' home opener on Sunday, May 14. Of the twenty-one fouls that afternoon, eleven were called to allow CBS to insert commercials
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
into its telecast. Referee Peter Rhodes also admitted that he had forced players to fake injuries to serve the same purpose. This raised many questions about whether the television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
s and its sponsors were having too much influence over televised sporting events.
The NPSL did however attract some notable players including three former Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
players Phil Woosnam
Phil Woosnam
Phillip Abraham Woosnam is a Welsh former Association football inside-right and manager. He went on to become commissioner of the North American Soccer League.-Playing career:...
, Vic Crowe
Vic Crowe
Victor Herbert Crowe was a Wales international football player and later football manager.-Career:Crowe was born in Abercynon, South Wales but moved to Handsworth, Birmingham with his family when he was two years old...
and Peter McParland
Peter McParland
Peter James McParland, MBE is a former professional footballer.-Dundalk & Aston Villa:...
who, together with another veteran of the English League, Ron Newman
Ron Newman (footballer)
Ronald Vernon Newman is a former association football player and coach. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....
all turned out for Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
. Two ex-Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
players, Juan Santisteban
Juan Santisteban
Juan Santisteban Troyano is a retired Spanish football midfielder and manager.-Player:Real Madrid*Intercontinental Cup: 1960*European Cup: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60*Spanish League: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1963–64...
and Yanko Daucik
Yanko Daucik
Yanko Daucik Ciboch was a professional footballer during the 1960s and 1970s. Yanko played for Real Betis, Real Madrid, the Toronto Falcons and RCD Español...
, also turned out for Baltimore Bays
Baltimore Bays
The first Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based out of Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The team would become a part of the North American Soccer League , which was the result of a merger between the NPSL and...
and Toronto Falcons
Toronto Falcons
The Toronto Falcons were a soccer team based in Toronto, Canada. They played only two years, 1967 in the National Professional Soccer League and 1968 in the North American Soccer League . Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
respectively. Santisteban made the NPSL All-Star team and Daucik finished as the league’s topscorer.
The NPSL's only season concluded when Western Division champion Oakland defeated the Bays, winners of the Eastern Division. Dennis Viollet
Dennis Viollet
Dennis Sydney Viollet was an English footballer best remembered for his time with Manchester United in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Club career:...
gave Baltimore a 1-0 win on Sunday, September 3 before a home crowd of 16,619. Six days later, in the second leg at Oakland, Dragan Djukic scored a hat trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
as the Clippers won 4-1 in front of 9,037.
NASL
In December 1967 the NPSL merged the United Soccer AssociationUnited Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
to form the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. As a result of the merger several of the original NPSL franchises folded or relocated. This was partly to avoid some cities having two teams. Philadelphia Spartans
Philadelphia Spartans
The Philadelphia Spartans were a soccer team based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League . They played their only season of existence at Temple Stadium in North Philadelphia. The team was owned by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art...
and Pittsburgh Phantoms both folded, while Chicago Spurs
Chicago Spurs
Chicago Spurs were an American professional soccer team based out of Chicago, Illinois that was a charter member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The owners of the franchise were Al Kaczmarek, William Cutler and Michael Butler...
became Kansas City Spurs
Kansas City Spurs
The Kansas City Spurs were a soccer team who played in the North American Soccer League, based in Kansas City, Missouri. They played their home games at Kansas City Municipal Stadium, former home of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals...
and Los Angeles Toros
Los Angeles Toros
The Los Angeles Toros were an American professional soccer team based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The franchise was owned by Dan Reeves, who also owned the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams.The franchise moved to San...
became San Diego Toros
San Diego Toros
San Diego Toros were a soccer team who played in the North American Soccer League, based in San Diego, California. They played their home games at Balboa Stadium, previously the home of the San Diego Chargers....
. Together with New York Generals
New York Generals
For the collegiate baseball team, see New York Generals The New York Generals were a soccer team based out of New York that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League. Their home field was Yankee Stadium...
, Baltimore Bays
Baltimore Bays
The first Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based out of Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The team would become a part of the North American Soccer League , which was the result of a merger between the NPSL and...
, Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
, Toronto Falcons
Toronto Falcons
The Toronto Falcons were a soccer team based in Toronto, Canada. They played only two years, 1967 in the National Professional Soccer League and 1968 in the North American Soccer League . Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
, St. Louis Stars
St. Louis Stars (soccer)
The St. Louis Stars were a soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri that played in the original NASL from 1967 to 1977.-History:The St. Louis Stars, founded in 1967 as a team in the NPSL were the first ever professional soccer team in St. Louis. The team was headed by Bob Hermann who later went on...
and Oakland Clippers
Oakland Clippers
The Oakland Clippers were a soccer team based out of Oakland, California that played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League . Their home field was Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum....
, these teams then became founding members of the NASL. However only Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
, who won the inaugural NASL title, and St. Louis Stars
St. Louis Stars (soccer)
The St. Louis Stars were a soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri that played in the original NASL from 1967 to 1977.-History:The St. Louis Stars, founded in 1967 as a team in the NPSL were the first ever professional soccer team in St. Louis. The team was headed by Bob Hermann who later went on...
enjoyed any longevity. The remaining franchises all folded by 1970.
Standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T= Ties GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts= point system6 points for a win
3 points for a tie
0 points for a loss
1 point for each goal scored up to three per game.
Eastern Division
| Teams | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Bays | 32 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 53 | 47 | 162 |
| Philadelphia Spartans | 32 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 53 | 43 | 157 |
| New York Generals | 32 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 60 | 58 | 143 |
| Atlanta Chiefs | 31 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 51 | 46 | 135 |
| Pittsburgh Phantoms | 31 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 59 | 74 | 132 |
Western Division
| Teams | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Clippers | 32 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 64 | 34 | 185 |
| St. Louis Stars | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 54 | 57 | 156 |
| Chicago Spurs | 32 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 50 | 55 | 142 |
| Toronto Falcons | 32 | 10 | 17 | 5 | 59 | 70 | 127 |
| Los Angeles Toros | 32 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 42 | 61 | 114 |
Championship
Selected players
 Walter ChyzowychWalter Chyzowych Walter Chyzowych was a Ukrainian born soccer player who played for Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals and Newark Sitch of the American Soccer League and was later a coach for theUnited States national soccer team....  Bob GanslerBob Gansler Bob Gansler is a Hungarian-born American soccer player and coach of German descent. He coached the US National Team at the 1990 World Cup, the team's first appearance at the tournament since 1950.... Pat McBride Pat mcbride Patrick "Pat" McBride is a retired American soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....  Ilija MiticIlija Mitic Ilija Mitic is a former Serbian American professional soccer player. He was a star of the North American Soccer League, its 7th all-time leading scorer with 239 points in 166 games, including 101 goals....  Willy RoyWilly Roy Willy Roy is a retired U.S. soccer forward and coach. He played for several teams in the National Professional Soccer League and the North American Soccer League in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the United States national team from 1965 to 1973... Edgar Marin Edgar Marín Edgar Marín Leví is a retired Costa Rican footballer.-Club career:Between 1967 and 1969, Marín played for Deportivo Saprissa, as well as in the NASL for the Oakland Clippers and Kansas City Spurs.... Terry Adlington Terry Adlington Terry Adlington was an English professional football goalkeeper. He began his career in England, but ended it in the United States with the North American Soccer League.-Football career:... Ron Newman Ron Newman (footballer) Ronald Vernon Newman is a former association football player and coach. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.... |
Dennis Viollet Dennis Viollet Dennis Sydney Viollet was an English footballer best remembered for his time with Manchester United in the 1950s and early 1960s.-Club career:... Eric Barber Eric Barber Eric Barber is a former Irish professional footballer. He spent most of his career playing for Shelbourne in the League of Ireland with whom he had three spells from 1958 to 1966, 1971–75 and 1978–80, managing them during the 1979–80 season.-Professional:During his time with Shels, Barber scored... Bill Brown Bill Brown (goalkeeper) William Dallas Fyfe Brown was the goalkeeper with Tottenham Hotspur when they won the "double" of League championship and FA Cup in 1961 - the first club in the 20th century to do so....  Yanko DaucikYanko Daucik Yanko Daucik Ciboch was a professional footballer during the 1960s and 1970s. Yanko played for Real Betis, Real Madrid, the Toronto Falcons and RCD Español... Juan Santisteban Juan Santisteban Juan Santisteban Troyano is a retired Spanish football midfielder and manager.-Player:Real Madrid*Intercontinental Cup: 1960*European Cup: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60*Spanish League: 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1963–64... Co Prins Co Prins Jacobus Theodorus Wilhelmus "Co" Prins was a Dutch football player. He played 184 matches for football club Ajax Amsterdam from 1959 to 1966 where he scored 60 goals. He played for the German football team 1... Peter McParland Peter McParland Peter James McParland, MBE is a former professional footballer.-Dundalk & Aston Villa:... Vic Crowe Vic Crowe Victor Herbert Crowe was a Wales international football player and later football manager.-Career:Crowe was born in Abercynon, South Wales but moved to Handsworth, Birmingham with his family when he was two years old... Phil Woosnam Phil Woosnam Phillip Abraham Woosnam is a Welsh former Association football inside-right and manager. He went on to become commissioner of the North American Soccer League.-Playing career:... |