The 1979 NASL Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational was a four-team indoor soccer tournament held at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida on the final weekend of January 1979.[1][2]
Overview
Four North American Soccer League teams participated in the two-day event; the Dallas Tornado, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the Tulsa Roughnecks. Matches were 45 minutes long and divided into three 15-minute periods with an intermission between each. Each session consisted of two games (i.e. a doubleheader). Nearly 12,700 people attended the two sessions. Dallas and Tampa Bay each won both of their matches, but Dallas Tornado were crowned champions based on a greater goal differential. Dallas forward Jim Ryan lead the invitational in scoring with 7 goals. The tournament's final match saw goalkeeper Winston DuBose of Tampa Bay become only the second NASL goalie to record a rare indoor shut-out.[3][4] Dallas goalkeeper Ken Cooper had accomplished the feat on two previous occasions.[5]
These were not the only indoor games played that winter. With a fully sanctioned season of NASL indoor soccer still eleven months away,[6] NASL teams were free to schedule their own games at that time. Tampa Bay, for example played three other indoor matches. By contrast, Fort Lauderdale scheduled only the two games of the invitational.[2] The competing Major Indoor Soccer League had already begun their first season in December 1978.
Map of clubs
Tournament results
Sessions
Session 1: January 27, 1979
| 7:00 PM EST | Dallas Tornado | 8–7 | Tulsa Roughnecks | Attendance: 6,342 |
| 8:30 PM EST | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6–4 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | |
Session 2: January 28, 1979[7]
| 6:00 PM EST | Dallas Tornado | 7–2 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Attendance: 6,338 |
| 7:30 PM EST | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–0 | Tulsa Roughnecks | |
Match reports
Session 1
| January 27, 1979 Match 1 | Dallas Tornado | 8–7 | Tulsa Roughnecks | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 7:00 PM | Ryan  (1:46)Collins (6:34)Ley (8:16)Ryan (11:47)Ryan (12:34)Haaskivi (16:46)Haaskivi (37:56)Ley (43:56) |
Report 1 Report 2 |
Mitchell (1:53) Sautter (12:43)Danaeifard (13:24)Earle (17:18)Abrahams (18:23)Abrahams (32:14)Ralbovsky (37:24) |
Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,342 |
| January 27, 1979 Match 2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6–4 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 8:30 PM | Marsh (9:16) Mirandinha (11:50)Mirandinha (20:44) Maurer (26:38)Wegerle (27:43)Quraishi (28:25) |
Report 1 Report 2 |
Njie (20:33) Gemeri (24:37)Njie (30:21)Vaninger (34:13) |
Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,342 |
Session 2
| January 28, 1979 Match 1 | Dallas Tornado | 7–2 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 6:00 PM | Ryan (9:38) Collins (16:28)Haaskivi (23:58)Ryan (28:54)Ryan (38:07)Haaskivi (41:04)Ryan (43:38) |
Report on p. 2-C | Wiggemansen (14:36) Gemeri (21:01) |
Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,338 |
| January 28, 1979 Match 2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–0 | Tulsa Roughnecks | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 7:30 PM | Marsh (1:49) Mirandinha (17:50)Mirandinha (31:47) |
Report on p. 2-C | none | Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,338 |
Final standings
GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, GD = Goal Differential
| 1979 Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | League | Record | GF | GA | GD | Position |
| Dallas Tornado* | NASL | 2–0 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 1st place |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | NASL | 2–0 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 2nd place (runners-up) |
| Tulsa Roughnecks | NASL | 0–2 | 7 | 11 | –4 | 3rd place |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | NASL | 0–2 | 6 | 13 | –7 | 4th place |
*Dallas wins title on goal differential
Statistical leaders
Scoring
Goals (worth 2 points), Assists (worth 1 point)
| Leading scorers | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
 Jimmy Ryan (Dallas) |
7 | 1 | 15 |
 Kai Haaskivi (Dallas) |
4 | 5 | 13 |
 Mirandinha (Tampa Bay) |
4 | 1 | 9 |
 Rodney Marsh (Tampa Bay) |
2 | 3 | 7 |
| George Ley (Dallas) |
2 | 1 | 5 |
| Steve Earle (Tulsa) |
1 | 3 | 5 |
| Laurie Abrahams (Tulsa) |
2 | 0 | 4 |
 Chris Collins (Dallas) |
2 | 0 | 4 |
 Tibor Gemeri (Ft Lauderdale) |
2 | 0 | 4 |
| Al Njie (Ft Lauderdale) |
2 | 0 | 4 |
 Roy Wiggemansen (Ft Lauderdale) |
1 | 2 | 4 |
Goalkeeping
GA = Goals Against, GAA = Goals Against Average, SV = Saves, SF = Shots Faced, % = Save Percentage
| Leading Goalkeepers | Minutes | GA | GAA | SV | SF | % | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston DuBose (Tampa Bay) |
90 | 4 | 2.00 | 14 | 18 | .778 | 2 | 0 |
| Ken Cooper (Dallas) |
45 | 2 | 2.00 | 6 | 8 | .750 | 1 | 0 |
| Colin Boulton (Tulsa) |
90 | 11 | 5.50 | 13 | 24 | .542 | 0 | 2 |
| Steve Zerhusen (Ft. Lauderdale) |
90 | 13 | 6.50 | 22 | 35 | .629 | 0 | 2 |
| Billy Phillips (Dallas) |
45 | 7 | 7.00 | 10 | 17 | .588 | 1 | 0 |
Non-tournament matches
In addition to the tournament itself, several NASL teams participated in international indoor friendlies, and tune-ups for both the tournament and 1979 outdoor season. Dallas and Houston played twice in December 1978.[2][8] The Rowdies–Hurricane match on January 25 was played using the MISL-size goals, timing and ball, as the arena was already set up for the Hurricane's alter ego, the MISL's Houston Summit.[9] As part of a six-match, NASL tour in February, perennial Soviet powerhouse FC Dynamo Moscow scheduled three indoor games.[10][11]
Match reports
| December 1, 1978 1 | Houston Hurricane | 7–8 | Dallas Tornado | Wichita, Kansas |
| 7:30 PM (CST) | Marasco (23:15) Newman (24:50)Morielli (34:25)Morielli (39:30)Morielli (40:06)Vaccaro (48:38)Morielli (49:45) |
Report | Garcia (24:15) Renshaw (25:35)Child (29:09)Cervin (37:04)Pecher (44:30)Simões (45:07)Child (45:16)Garcia (53:58) |
Stadium: Kansas Coliseum Attendance: 6,019[12] |
| December 19, 1978 2 | Houston Hurricane | 3–7 | Dallas Tornado | Houston, Texas |
| Report | Garcia , , |
Stadium: The Summit Attendance: 5,007 |
| January 25, 1979 3 (MISL rules) | Houston Hurricane | 4–6 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Houston, Texas |
| 8:00 PM (CST) | Vaccaro (15:17) Russell (18:26)Russell (34:57)Vasquez (48:57) |
Report on p. 1C Report B |
Wegerle (00:44) Van der Beck (24:28)Marsh (24:51)Wegerle (31:02)Connell (44:37)Wegerle (59:46) |
Stadium: The Summit Attendance: 2,743 |
| February 2, 1979 4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6–15 | Houston Hurricane | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 8:00 PM (EST) | Wegerle (00:17) McLeod (25:26)Marsh (28:12)Mirandinha (31:48)McLeod (43:44)Quraishi (54:38) |
Report A Report on p. 10C |
Jump (3:12) Anderson (8:04)Stremlau (9:40)Jump (12:07)Lindsay (18:14)Lindsay (20:38)Haaskivi (27:51)Anderson (29:03)Jump (33:33)Lindsay (33:50)Charbonneau (34:55) Anderson (41:14)Maurer, (T.B.) (49:12)Anderson (35:25)Anderson (59:19) |
Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,002 |
| February 2, 1979 5 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 6–4 | Chicago Sting | Wichita, Kansas |
| 7:35 PM (CST) | Earle (3:40) McDonald (18:20)Gazonas Mitchell 16' (pen.)Abrahams (46:01)Ralbovsky (47:55) |
Report 1 Report 2 |
Wilson (0:32) Nevers (15:26)Ingram Fajkus (44:26) |
Stadium: Britt Brown Arena Attendance: 4,023 |
| February 13, 1979 6 Int'l friendly | Tulsa Roughnecks | 3–10 | FC Dynamo Moscow | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 7:30 (CST) | Abrahams Earle (23:30)Sautter (Danaeifard) |
Report 1 Report 2 |
Latysh (8:25) Petrushin Yakubik , , Reznik , |
Stadium: Tulsa Assembly Center Attendance: 6,166[13][14] |
| February 19, 1979 7 Int'l friendly | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–8 | FC Dynamo Moscow | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Kist (25:32) |
Report on p. 5C | Gershkovich (1:49) Lovchev (4:43)Latysh (12:51)Yakubik (15:47)Latysh (18:29)Reznik (35:25)Reznik (46:36)Maksimenkov (56:00) |
Stadium: Bayfront Center Attendance: 6,040 |
| February 25, 1979 8 Int'l friendly | Oakland Stompers | Canceled | FC Dynamo Moscow | Oakland, California |
| Cancelled: Team sold on Feb 19, moved to Edmonton on Feb 22. | Report | Stadium: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | ||
| Note: NASL approves sale and move to Edmonton | ||||
See also
References
- ↑ "1979 Rowdies Indoor Magazine". Tampa Bay Rowdies Appreciation Blog. Ian Morris. September 2, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Tierney, Mike (January 27, 1979). "Blast off! Rowdies aim for indoor orbit". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1c. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ↑ Beard, Randy (January 29, 1979). "Rowdies Had To Do More". The Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
- ↑ Tierney, Mike (January 29, 1979). "Rowdies win a battle 3–0, but lose the war". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1c. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
- ↑ "Dallas Captures Indoor Soccer Invite". Lakeland Ledger. January 29, 1979. p. 4D. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
- ↑ "Indoor Returning, Officially This Time". Evening Independent. September 28, 1979. p. 4-C. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
- ↑ "Rowdies Defeat Strikers". Lakeland Ledger. January 28, 1979. p. 1C. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Google News Archive Search.
- ↑ Marcia Schallert, editor. (1979). Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational match program. Tampa, FL. Tampa Bay Rowdies. p 12
- ↑ Tierney, Mike (January 25, 1979). "Rowdies hope to hold onto goalie". St. Petersburg Times. p. 4C. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ↑ "Tulsa-Moscow Game Set". The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA). January 18, 1979. p. B-3. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ↑ Carr, Al (February 22, 1979). "Russians See Through the Clouds". Los Angeles Times. p. Part III-11. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ↑ Elliot, Mal (February 3, 1979). "Tulsa Edges Chicago 6-4 In Soccer Thriller Here". Wichita Eagle and Beacon. p. 4D. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
- ↑ Lindblad, Elven. "Roughnecks Soccer Steps Indoors" (PDF). Oklahoma Today. Vol. 30–1 (Winter 1979 ed.). p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ↑ Tierney, Mike (February 15, 1979). "Rowdies woo league MVP". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3C. Retrieved July 18, 2018.