1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season

Tampa Bay Rowdies
1975 indoor season
Owner United States George W. Strawbridge, Jr.
General Manager United States Beau Rodgers
Manager Italy Eddie Firmani
Stadium Bayfront Center
North American Soccer League Regional: Champion
League: Runners-up
Top goalscorer
United States Doug Wark
(10 goals)
Highest home attendance 4,437
(Feb. 14 vs. Diplomats)
Lowest home attendance 4,032
(Feb. 16 vs. Comets)
Average home league attendance 4,235
← first season 1976 →

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the first indoor season of the club's existence. It also marked the first time the expansion Rowdies participated in any North American Soccer League sanctioned competition.

Club

Roster

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Hewitt, MikeMike Hewitt      Scotland
1 Goalkeeper Stetler*, BobBob Stetler*      United States
2 Defender Quraishi, FarrukhFarrukh Quraishi      England
3 Defender Pringle, AlexAlex Pringle      Scotland
4 Midfielder Boyle (capt.), JohnJohn Boyle (capt.)      Scotland
5 Midfielder Cantillo, RingoRingo Cantillo      Costa Rica
6 Defender Connell, MikeMike Connell      South Africa
7 Midfielder Hartze, BernardBernard Hartze      South Africa
8 Midfielder Garber, RandyRandy Garber      United States
9 Defender , LimaLima      Brazil
9 Midfielder Papadakis, NickNick Papadakis      Canada
10 Forward Engerth, EddieEddie Engerth      United States
11 Forward Wark, DougDoug Wark      United States
12 Forward Isaacson, BobBob Isaacson      United States
12 Forward Alvarez, JavierJavier Alvarez      Mexico
13 Midfielder Lezak, ZygmuntZygmunt Lezak      Poland
13 Defender Bluem, JohnJohn Bluem      United States
15 Forward Firmani, EddieEddie Firmani      Italy

*amateur player

Management and technical staff

Review

In part because of the success of the Spring 1974 indoor tour by the Red Army team the NASL decided to hold an indoor tournament of its own.[1] Of the 20 franchises in the league, 16 participated. Teams were separated into four regional groups of four. The Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida was chosen as one of the Regional venues, with the Rowdies as hosts for Region 3. The San Jose Earthquakes were given the honor of hosting the championship semifinals and finals at the Cow Palace.[2]

Region 3 tournament

The winner of the Region 3 would gain an automatic place in the Championship tournament four weeks later in California. In their first tournament game the Rowdies had no trouble with the Washington Diplomats, winning by a score of 7–2.[3] Two nights later Tampa Bay had a tougher task in coming from behind to defeat the Baltimore Comets, 8–6. Those two victories left the Rowdies tied with the Miami Toros in the standings, however the tie-breaker was goal differential. Tampa Bay’s plus 7 goal margin narrowly edged out the Toros’ plus-6, and the Rowdies advanced. Ringo Cantillo was named MVP of the Region, edging out Miami’s Nico Bodonczy by one vote.[4]

Regional standings

Pos Team G W L GF GA GD PTS
1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 2 0 15 8 +7 4
2 Miami Toros 2 2 0 18 12 +6 4
3 Baltimore Comets 2 0 2 14 19 -5 0
4 Washington Diplomats 2 0 2 6 14 -8 0

Championship tournament

Tampa Bay was paired up with the New York Cosmos in the semifinals, while the other semifinal had San Jose clashing with the Dallas Tornado. Led by Doug Wark’s record six-goal performance, the Rowdies jumped out to an early 3–0 lead, and never looked back, as they dispatched the Cosmos, 13–5, to advance to the final on Sunday.[5]

On March 16, 1975, the Tampa Bay faced a heavily favored San Jose Earthquakes team in the Rowdies first of what would be many championship finals, against. With the score 6–1 at the end of the first period, and 8,618 fans behind them, San Jose showed exactly why they were tabbed to win the tournament. From there the home team cruised to an 8–5 victory. In addition to the Rowdies’ runner-up performance, Doug Wark was named to the All-Tournament squad and was the second leading scorer in the tournament.[6]

Bracket

Semifinals Championship Final
      
R4 San Jose Earthquakes 8
R1 Dallas Tornado 5
R4 San Jose Earthquakes 8
R3 Tampa Bay Rowdies 5
R3 Tampa Bay Rowdies 13
R2 New York Cosmos 5

Championship standings

Pos Team G W L GF GA GD
1 San Jose Earthquakes 4 4 0 37 17 +20
2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 4 3 1 33 21 +11
3 Dallas Tornado 4 2 2 14 12 +2
4 New York Cosmos 4 1 3 18 27 -9
5 Miami Toros 2 2 0 18 12 +6

Match reports

Statistics

Scoring

GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points

Player GP G A Pts
Doug Wark410020
Ringo Cantillo45212
Bernard Hartze34311
Farrukh Quraishi44210
Zygmunt Lezak2408
Eddie Engerth3306
Nick Papadakis3204
Mike Connell3102
John Boyle4022
Lima2022
Alex Pringle4011
Randy Garber1011
Javier Alvarez-000
Bob Isaacson-000

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses

Player GP Min GA GAA W L
Mike Hewitt 4 210 21 5.25 3 1
Bob Stetler 0 0 0 0 0 0

Honors

Individual honors

Transfers

Since Tampa Bay was a newly formed club, the entire roster was new.

In

No. Pos. Player Transferred From Fee/Notes Date Source
3 DF Scotland Alex Pringle Scotland Clyde F.C. No details available December 1974 [7][8]
1 GK Scotland Mike Hewitt Scotland Dundee F.C. Contract purchased from Dundee December 1974 [7][8]
7 MF South Africa Bernard Hartze South Africa Cape Town Spurs No details available December 17, 1974 [8][9]
2 DF England Farrukh Quraishi United States Oneonta State 1st overall pick of NASL college draft January 18, 1975 [10]
10 FW United States Eddie Engerth United States Philadelphia amateur team Former Hartwick College player January 20, 1975 [11]
6 DF South Africa Mike Connell South Africa Rangers Johannesburg No details available January 20, 1975 [11]
11 DF United States Doug Wark United States Rochester Lancers Purchased from Rochester January 27, 1975 [12]
4 DF Scotland John Boyle England Orient Obtained release after 5-month pursuit February 6, 1975 [13]
9 MF Canada Nick Papadakis none Free agent February 9, 1975 [14]
8 MF United States Randy Garber United States Penn State 2nd round of college draft February 9, 1975 [14]
12 FW United States Bob Isaacson United States Hartwick College 3rd round of college draft February 9, 1975 [14]
13 DF United States John Bluem United States Hartwick College 4th round of college draft February 9, 1975 [14]
12 FW Mexico Javier Alvarez United States St. Petersburg Kickers Free transfer March 11, 1975 [15]
15 FW Italy Eddie Firmani none Added as an emergency player March 11, 1975 [15]
1 GK United States Bob Stetler United States East Stroudsburg State No contract, to keep amateur status January 1975 [16]

Loan In

No. Pos. Player Loaned From Details Start Source
5 MF Costa Rica Ringo Cantillo United States Cincinnati Comets Indoor season loan February 9, 1975 [14]
9 MF Brazil Lima Mexico Club Deportivo Oro Indoor loan with option for transfer March 11, 1975[15]
13 MF Poland Zygmunt Lezak United States Polonia NY Indoor loan with option for transfer March 11, 1975[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/usadave/usindoor.html
  2. ↑ Zier, Patrick (November 6, 1974). "Preview Of Soccer Set For Bayfront". Lakeland Ledger. p. 2A. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ Martz, Ron (February 15, 1975). "Rousing Rowdie debut: 7–2 victory all". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Martz, Ron (February 17, 1975). "Rowdies do it all". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  5. ↑ Spander, Art (March 15, 1975). "Rowdies triumph". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ Gurney, Jack (March 17, 1975). "Rowdies Shaken By Earthquake". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Pringle named Tampa coach". St. Petersburg Times. September 24, 1975. p. 2-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 Martz, Ron (December 18, 1974). "Striking addition for the Rowdies". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  9. ↑ http://naslsoccer.blogspot.com/2010/09/bernard-hartze.html
  10. ↑ Martz, Ron (January 17, 1975). "Quraishi year-round Rowdy?". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Rowdies sign pair, have six in fold". St. Petersburg Times. January 21, 1975. p. 3-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  12. ↑ Austin, Jim (January 28, 1975). "Rowdies Star-Struck". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ Blankenship, Ken (February 7, 1975). "Rowdies sign a captain: Boyle". St. Petersburg Times. p. 8-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Blankenship, Ken (February 10, 1975). "Rowdies sign four, want more". St. Petersburg Times. p. 20-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Blankenship, Ken (March 12, 1975). "Rowdies brace for title try". St. Petersburg Times. p. 6-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ Bubil, Harold (March 15, 1976). "Goalie Stetler Makes The Most Of First Pro Chance". Sarasota Journal. p. 3-C. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
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