1983-84 MISL Season

By Dave Litterer of The US Soccer History Archives, with supplemental materials by Steve Holroyd and Paul Reeths

Now in its sixth year of existence, the Major Indoor Soccer League could sit back and revel in its success. In very little time, the MISL had eclipsed the NASL in terms of popularity. In fact, many soccer pundits had taken to predicting that it was indoor soccer, and not the outdoor game, that was destined to make the game go over in the United States. Indeed, it appeared as if the North American Soccer League was conceding defeat, especially when it announced that its 1984-85 indoor season would be 40 games long, with its outdoor being shortened as a result.

Although MISL Commissioner Earl Foreman would rightly crow about his league's "victory," 1984-85 was an up-and-down year for the junior circuit. Some franchises became booming successes: Baltimore played to near sellout crowds every night (11,188 average), and St. Louis (13,995), Kansas City (15,786), and Cleveland (13,100) also drew large crowds on a regular basis. Cleveland's turnaround was spectacular, given the fact the team averaged a paltry 6,609 a game just a year earlier. On the other hand, the once promising Buffalo franchise became an embarrassment, and was caught trying to sneak out of town, Baltimore Colts style, in July. Similarly, the Phoenix Pride (n�e Inferno) would also be gone by the end of the year.

And what of the New York Arrows? Winners of the MISL's first four titles, the Arrows were shadows of their former selves, especially after the trade of Steve Zungul to Golden Bay the prior season. In 1983-84, the club finished a woeful 20-28, worst in club history. They went through three coaches and traded away their leading scorer, the durable Fred Grgurev, midway through the season. Like Buffalo, New York would be gone by July.

On the field, however, the league had another successful season. Baltimore's Stan Stamenkovic, rescued from the hell of the moribund Memphis franchise and free of the looming shadows of Zungul and Branko Segota, who were playing in the "other" league, the "Pizza Man" led the league in scoring en route to the MVP award. Baltimore forward Joe Fink became the first American to score 200 career MISL goals. Goalkeepers also had a good year: St. Louis keeper Slobo Ilijevski broke his own record, establishing a new GAA mark with his 3.67 average. Wichita's Mike Dowler set league standards for games played, minutes played, and shots faced. The irrepressible Shep Messing became the first goalkeeper to earn 100 wins, even though he was essentially the only bright spot on a dying Arrows squad. Finally, Phoenix goalkeeper Blagoje Tamindzic became the first goalkeeper to score a goal on an actual shot when he dribbled the length of the field and fired a shot past stunned Kansas City keeper Jim Tiejens on March 10. Tamindzic's reward? A stern reprimand from his coach for taking such a risk.

After a long season and playoff schedule, the league's two division winners faced off in the final. St. Louis remained a sentimental favorite, given their failures in two other finals against New York, and also given their status as the league's flagship franchise. They were also not without a measure of talent as coach Dave Clemens had his players embracing the "total soccer" concept. Along with Ilijevski in goal, the Steamers could count on top defenders such as Steve Pecher and Tony Bellinger. Up top, meanwhile, St. Louis scored a major coup by signing away Ricky Davis from the New York Cosmos. Davis, who wound up the team's leading scorer in spite of a series of nagging injuries, received help with the acquisition of Njego Pesa from a sagging Arrows franchise. Rounding out the Steamers roster was attacking midfielder Daryl Doran and play starter Ty Keough. Unfortunately for St. Louis, they faced a red-hot Baltimore team in the finals. With Joey Fink scoring five goals in the decisive fifth game, and the impeccable goalkeeping tandem of Keith Van Eron and Scott Manning minding the nets, the Blast simply overwhelmed their opposition.

Overall, it was a successful year for the league. Trouble loomed on the horizon, however. During the year, the players voted to unionize, with the Major Indoor League Soccer Players Association becoming certified as the collective bargaining representative by a 175-38 vote.