Soccer Mavn: NASL 1976- Seattle Sounders @ St. Louis Stars: 1st Half

Source:Soccer Mavn- the Seattle Sounders and St. Louis Stars, from 1976.

"In the wake of New York Cosmos' signing of Pele in June 1975, North American Soccer League clubs were on the lookout for international talent to bring into the league.  While some teams spent exorbidantly (e.g., Los Angeles Aztecs' acqusition of George Best; Tampa Bay Rowdies' signing of Rodney Marsh), the Seattle Sounders were able to acquire 1966 England World Cup hat trick hero Geoff Hurst as a free agent after his unceremonious release from West Bromwich Albion.

This footage is the opening 9 minutes or so of Hurst's regular season debut with Seattle, a 2-nil loss to St. Louis Stars on April 17, 1976 before 8,154 at Washington University's Francis Field.  Hurst did score the game winner in Seattle's home opener against Portland Timbers eight days later, and finished the season with 8 goals in 23 matches.

The opposition was a novelty in American soccer at the time, as the St. Louis Stars were the only NASL team that fielded a primarily American-born team.  Both goals for the Stars came from the original "Captain America," Al Trost, who finished the season with 12 goals and was named a second team all-star in midfield in the postseason.  Trost was also a two-time Hermann Trophy winner (1969, 1970), collegiate soccer's equivalent of the Heisman.  Trost was capped 14 times for the United States in an era when the country did not play many matches." 

From Soccer Mavn

The MLS should be in St. Louis which has always been one of the best pro soccer markets in America. I think St. Louis has always been a modern, outdoor, football/soccer stadium away, from having major league soccer outdoors, in St. Louis. They've always been one of the best indoor soccer markets in anywhere in the world, because they've always had an arena for indoor soccer, hockey, and basketball. But they've never had a major league caliber outdoor stadium for soccer or football.