Frank Dell'Apa

New York Cosmos

July 7, 1979 – New England Tea Men 1:2 New York Cosmos, Nickerson Field (Att.: 15,763)

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The teams appeared to be developing a rivalry, the Tea Men having twice defeated the New York Cosmos before combined crowd totals of 92,623 in a seven-day period in 1978.

The Cosmos took a two-goal lead on a Marinho free kick and a Giorgio Chinaglia goal, disputed for possible offside. Chris Turner’s header equalized (59’), then Keith Weller missed an open net, Costa Rican midfielder Ringo Cantillo hit the post in the late going, and Weller missed a 76th-minute penalty kick after substitute Salif Keita had been taken down. Keita, playing with a pulled hamstring, replaced Gerry Daly, the Tea Men’s regular penalty taker, who had sustained a neck injury. Nickerson Field’s capacity was about 17,000.

July 7, 1946 – Ponta Delgada 1:1 Chicago Viking AA, U.S. Open Cup final first leg at Mark’s Stadium, N. Tiverton, R.I. (Att.: 4,000)

July 7, 1967 – Baltimore Bays 4:1 Chicago Spurs, Fenway Park (Att.: 2,534)

Bays include Ze Maria, Dennis Viollet, plus captain Juan Santisteban. “Organist John Kiley will give a pre-game concert of songs from 19 countries.”

July 7, 1973 – Boston Astros 4:3 New Jersey Schaefer Brewers, BC Alumni Field (Att.: 3,345)

July 7, 2000 – Revolution acquire Eric Wynalda from Miami in exchange for Ivan McKinley

July 7, 2003 – Revolution transfer Daniel Hernandez to Necaxa

July 7, 2012 – Revolution 2:0 New York Red Bulls (Att.: 14,374)

Jerry Bengtson scores in debut. Goals: Nguyen 24’, Bengtson 84’.

NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

 

 

July 1, 1975 – NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam upholds New York Cosmos’ protest of June 20 game because of crowd problems

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About 20,000 fans packed Nickerson Field, the crowd storming the pitch after a Pelé goal for the New York Cosmos was disallowed in the June 20, 1975 match.  [Read more…] about July 1, 1975 – NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam upholds New York Cosmos’ protest of June 20 game because of crowd problems

June 2, 1973 – U.S. 1:4 SS Lazio at Dillon Stadium, Hartford (Att.: 4,500)

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SS Lazio had a 2W-3L-0D record during a four-city North American tour from May 26-June 10. Lazio lost twice to Santos FC (in Jersey City and Chicago), then defeated a U.S. XI and Toronto Metros-Croatia before falling to Ecuador at Randall’s Island. [Read more…] about June 2, 1973 – U.S. 1:4 SS Lazio at Dillon Stadium, Hartford (Att.: 4,500)

July 8, 1968 – Pele’s Boston debut

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Jamaica national team forward Lloyd McLean’s 25th-minute goal opened the scoring, Pelé and Santos FC then dominating for a 7-1 victory over the Boston Beacons at Fenway Park. Toninho scored twice for Santos, equalizing in the 33rd minute, Pelé converting the go-ahead goal. According to Peter Gammons’ story in The Boston Globe: “ … Although he only scored once and assisted on one goal (Pelé) proved to be one of the most exciting athletes anyone has seen in this area.” Bob Sales’ column compared Pelé to James Brown, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax and Bobby Orr. [Read more…] about July 8, 1968 – Pele’s Boston debut

July 7, 1979 – New England Tea Men 1:2 New York Cosmos at Nickerson Field (Att.: 15,763)

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The Tea Men squandered several chances to equalize, the best a Keith Weller off-target 76th-minute penalty kick after Salif Keita had been taken down. Keita, playing with a pulled hamstring, had been inserted after halftime in place of Gerry Daly, the Tea Men’s regular penalty taker, who had sustained a neck injury. [Read more…] about July 7, 1979 – New England Tea Men 1:2 New York Cosmos at Nickerson Field (Att.: 15,763)

July 2, 1978 – Mike Flanagan-led New England Tea Men kick off winning streak, blank Sockers, Cosmos

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This was the start to a productive week for Mike Flanagan, who scored eight goals as the New England Tea Men won three successive games. Flanagan would go on to be named NASL Most Valuable Player, totaling 30 goals in 28 games. Flanagan, 24 when he joined the Tea Men on loan from Charlton Athletic, was transferred to Crystal Palace after the NASL season, then went to Queens Park Rangers (1980-82), returning to Charlton, then concluding his career with Cambridge United. [Read more…] about July 2, 1978 – Mike Flanagan-led New England Tea Men kick off winning streak, blank Sockers, Cosmos

June 20, 1975 – Eusébio v Pelé

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The two greatest players of their era, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira and Edson Arantes do Nascimento “Pelé”, met in a competitive match for the first time since the 1966 World Cup as the Boston Minutemen took a 2-1 extra time win over the New York Cosmos before an overflow crowd at Boston University’s Nickerson Field. Overflow is the operative word, since the stadium was dangerously oversold, fans standing at field level behind the goals.

Eusébio converted the opening goal on a free kick for the Minutemen, then Pelé scored a disallowed goal (former Harvard goalkeeper Shep Messing deflected a shot over the end line, the ball ricocheting back off spectators), the crowd rushing on to the field. Mark Liveric scored a late equalizer and Wolfgang Suhnholz broke the deadlock in extra time.

The Cosmos protested the game and the result was nullified by NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam on July 1.

Among the best recountings of the game is in Messing’s “The Education of an American Soccer Player.”

The stadium was more than rocking, the stands filled and traffic on Commonwealth Avenue locked up an hour before kickoff.

“It sounds like a soccer crowd in fucking El Salvador,” Messing noted.

The time marked the beginning of the demise of the Minutemen with the start of an SEC investigation into Minutemen owner John Sterge’s petroleum investments in May and the advent of the relaunch of the Cosmos, with the June 10, 1975 signing of Pelé to a $4.5 million contract.

Eusébio and Pelé were near the end of their careers, but both had enough left to lead their teams to championships.

The Minutemen realized this could be their opportunity.

“Any locker room that houses Eusébio should be declared a shrine,” Messing wrote.

Had Sterge been able to maintain the financing, the Minutemen might have made their name on the field. The Minutemen won the NASL’s Northern Division and the Cosmos finished third in 1975. Eusébio and Suhnholz moved to Toronto Metros-Croatia, leading them to the 1976 NASL Soccer Bowl title. Pelé and the Cosmos won the 1977 Soccer Bowl.

June 20, 1975 – Boston Minutemen 2:1 (aet) New York Cosmos at Nickerson Field (Att.: 20,000 est.)

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

 

 

Jan. 25, 1942 – Eusebio da Silva Ferreira born in Lourenço Marques, Mozambique

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Eusebio had a strong New England connection, partly because of the region’s Portuguese population. Eusebio probably could have had success in the Boston area similar to Pelé’s in New York, but circumstances worked against him.

The first soccer game at Foxboro Stadium matched Eusebio’s SL Benfica against Sporting CP on June 16, 1972. Eusebio did not score the first goal at the stadium – Sporting’s Mario Mateus Marinho converted in the sixth minute – but he equalized in the 43rd minute and broke the deadlock in the 80th minute of a 2-2 draw. The match drew a 24,396 crowd and organizers were encouraged enough to schedule a rematch a week later, this time attracting more than 25,000. For perspective, the Boston Red Sox were playing a 12-game homestand from June 9-21, crowds ranging from 8,860 to 21,682.

I never quite understood why a promoter did not follow up with another Benfica-Sporting match in the area. I talked about it with former Patriots’ announcer Gil Santos, who did the PA duties for the Benfica-Sporting games in ’72, but he did not have an answer, either. [Read more…] about Jan. 25, 1942 – Eusebio da Silva Ferreira born in Lourenço Marques, Mozambique