Siegfried Stritzl
Encyclopedia
Siegfried “Siggy or Siggi” Stritzl (born April 12, 1944 in Yugoslavia
) is a former U.S. soccer player who was the 1969 North American Soccer League
Rookie of the Year. He also earned eleven caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team between 1968 and 1973.
lists Stritzl’s first name as Zigfried.http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_P-T.htm#S Various sources also list his nickname as either Siggy or Siggi.
(GASL) between 1961 and 1968 In 1961, he was a member of the GASL Junior All Stars on a tour of Germany.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1961.html In 1963, Blau Weiss-Gottschee won the GASL championship.
In 1969, the Baltimore Bays
of the North American Soccer League
(NASL) signed Stritzl. While the Bays finished the season with the league’s worst record and folded at the end of the season, Stritzl was named the NASL Rookie of the Year. With the collapse of the Bays, Stritzl returned the Blau Weiss-Gottschee for the 1970 GASL season. However, in 1971, the New York Cosmos
of NASL signed Stritzl. He was named as a First Team NASL All Star that season as the Cosmos lost to the Atlanta Chiefs
in the playoff semifinals. In 1972, Stritzl was a Second Team All Star, but this year the Cosmos won the league title, defeating the St. Louis Stars. In 1973, Stritzl played his last season in the NASL. Stritzl played forty-seven NASL regular-season and four post-season games. In 1971, he scored three goals in twenty-one games.
on September 25, 1968. A month later, his second cap came in a world cup qualifying loss to Canada
. Stritzl scored his first of two goals with the national team in the 4-2 loss. Stritzl continued to play for each U.S. national team games in 1968 and 1969. His second goal came in a 5-2 loss to Haiti
on October 21, 1968. After the U.S. failed to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup
, Stritzl was not called into the national team again until a March 20, 1963 loss to Poland
when he came on for Manfred Seissler
. That was his last game with the national team.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) is a former U.S. soccer player who was the 1969 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:...
Rookie of the Year. He also earned eleven caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team between 1968 and 1973.
Alternate spellings
While most sources list his name as Siegfried, the National Soccer Hall of FameNational Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
lists Stritzl’s first name as Zigfried.http://national.soccerhall.org/Registry/MensNationalTeam_P-T.htm#S Various sources also list his nickname as either Siggy or Siggi.
Professional career
Stritzl spent six seasons with Blau-Weiss Gottschee of the German American Soccer LeagueGerman American Soccer League
The German American Soccer League is the previous name of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, a semi-professional and amateur soccer league which was founded in 1923. The league competes primarily in the New York metropolitan area and northern New Jersey.-History:In 1923, five teams, S.C. New York,...
(GASL) between 1961 and 1968 In 1961, he was a member of the GASL Junior All Stars on a tour of Germany.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1961.html In 1963, Blau Weiss-Gottschee won the GASL championship.
In 1969, the 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...
of 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:...
(NASL) signed Stritzl. While the Bays finished the season with the league’s worst record and folded at the end of the season, Stritzl was named the NASL Rookie of the Year. With the collapse of the Bays, Stritzl returned the Blau Weiss-Gottschee for the 1970 GASL season. However, in 1971, the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
of NASL signed Stritzl. He was named as a First Team NASL All Star that season as the Cosmos lost to the 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'...
in the playoff semifinals. In 1972, Stritzl was a Second Team All Star, but this year the Cosmos won the league title, defeating the St. Louis Stars. In 1973, Stritzl played his last season in the NASL. Stritzl played forty-seven NASL regular-season and four post-season games. In 1971, he scored three goals in twenty-one games.
National team
Stritzl earned eleven caps with the U.S. national team. His first game with the national team came in a 4-0 loss to IsraelIsrael national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
on September 25, 1968. A month later, his second cap came in a world cup qualifying loss to Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. Stritzl scored his first of two goals with the national team in the 4-2 loss. Stritzl continued to play for each U.S. national team games in 1968 and 1969. His second goal came in a 5-2 loss to Haiti
Haiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
on October 21, 1968. After the U.S. failed to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
, Stritzl was not called into the national team again until a March 20, 1963 loss to Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
when he came on for Manfred Seissler
Manfred Seissler
Manfred “Manny” Seissler is a former U.S.-German soccer player who began his career in the lower German divisions before moving to the United States. He played one season in the National Professional Soccer League and seven in the North American Soccer League. He also earned one cap with the U.S...
. That was his last game with the national team.