1984–85 Major Indoor Soccer League season
The 1984–85
Recap
With the
With an influx of new teams, the league expanded the playoffs even further. 10 teams would qualify, the top three in each division and the next best four wild-card teams. The wild-card teams would play a best-of-three series. The second and third round were best-of-five series, and the championship round would be a best-of-seven series. Each successive round would see the winners reseeded, similar to the NHL playoff format used for almost 20 years.[3]
While the Sting and Strikers made the playoffs, the Cosmos struggled. On February 22, with their record at 11-22, the team announced they were pulling out of the MISL effective immediately.[4] The league would scramble to fill out the schedule,[5] but only the Wichita Wings would play an uneven number of games.
The Strikers would make a run from the wildcard series to the league semifinals, only falling to San Diego in a decisive fifth game. Trailing in the series two games to one, Minnesota actually lost the fourth game in a shootout,[6] but lodged a protest with commissioner Francis Dale over San Diego's shooting order. Dale upheld the protest and declared the Strikers winners.[7] Despite the Sockers only being made aware of the fifth game once they landed at the San Diego airport, they shut out Minnesota to win the series[8]
This would be the final year the MISL would have games aired on network television, CBS broadcast Game 4 of the championship series live on May 25.[9]
Despite having the league's third-best record, the Las Vegas Americans would be terminated by the league after the season due to financial difficulties.[10]
Teams
Team | City/Area | Arena |
---|---|---|
Baltimore Blast | Baltimore | Baltimore Arena
|
Chicago Sting | Chicago | Chicago Stadium |
Cleveland Force | Cleveland | Richfield Coliseum |
Dallas Sidekicks | Dallas | Reunion Arena |
Kansas City Comets
|
Kansas City, Missouri | Kemper Arena
|
Las Vegas Americans | Paradise, Nevada | Thomas & Mack Center |
Los Angeles Lazers | Inglewood, California | The Forum
|
Minnesota Strikers | Bloomington, Minnesota | Met Center |
New York Cosmos
|
East Rutherford, New Jersey | Brendan Byrne Arena
|
Pittsburgh Spirit | Pittsburgh | Civic Arena (Pittsburgh) |
San Diego Sockers
|
San Diego | San Diego Sports Arena
|
St. Louis Steamers
|
St. Louis | St. Louis Arena |
Tacoma Stars
|
Tacoma, Washington | Tacoma Dome |
Wichita Wings | Wichita, Kansas | Kansas Coliseum |
Regular season schedule
The 1984–85 regular season schedule ran from November 2, 1984, to April 14, 1985. Despite the Cosmos leaving the league in mid-season, each team played their scheduled 48 games with the exception of Wichita.[11]
Final standings
Playoff teams in bold.
Eastern Division | W | L | Pct. | GB | GF | GA | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore Blast | 32 | 16 | .667 | -- | 252 | 190 | 19-5 | 13-11 |
Chicago Sting | 28 | 20 | .583 | 4 | 261 | 223 | 20-4 | 8-16 |
Cleveland Force | 27 | 21 | .563 | 5 | 239 | 228 | 15-9 | 12-12 |
Minnesota Strikers | 24 | 24 | .500 | 8 | 224 | 226 | 16-8 | 8-16 |
St. Louis Steamers |
24 | 24 | .500 | 8 | 211 | 207 | 16-8 | 8-16 |
Pittsburgh Spirit | 19 | 29 | .396 | 13 | 217 | 256 | 16-8 | 3-21 |
New York Cosmos |
11 | 22 | .333 | 13½ | 137 | 185 | 7-9 | 4-13 |
Western Division | W | L | Pct. | GB | GF | GA | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Diego Sockers |
37 | 11 | .771 | -- | 302 | 201 | 18-6 | 19-5 |
Las Vegas Americans | 30 | 18 | .625 | 7 | 269 | 214 | 18-6 | 12-12 |
Los Angeles Lazers | 24 | 24 | .500 | 13 | 232 | 230 | 14-10 | 10-14 |
Kansas City Comets |
22 | 26 | .458 | 15 | 216 | 221 | 13-11 | 9-15 |
Wichita Wings | 21 | 26 | .437 | 15½ | 202 | 233 | 14-10 | 7-16 |
Tacoma Stars |
17 | 31 | .354 | 20 | 207 | 263 | 11-13 | 6-18 |
Dallas Sidekicks | 12 | 36 | .333 | 25 | 194 | 286 | 8-16 | 4-20 |
Playoffs
Wildcard Series | Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Championship Series | ||||||||||||||||
WC2 | St. Louis Steamers
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||
WC3 | Kansas City Comets
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | San Diego Sockers
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Kansas City Comets
| 0 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | San Diego Sockers
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Minnesota Strikers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
WC1 | Minnesota Strikers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
WC4 | Wichita Wings | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Las Vegas Americans | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Minnesota Strikers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | San Diego Sockers
| 4 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Baltimore Blast | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Los Angeles Lazers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Cleveland Force | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Chicago Sting | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Cleveland Force | 3 |
Wildcard Series
|
|
Quarterfinals
|
|
|
|
Semifinals
|
|
**San Diego won the shootout 4-3, but Minnesota appealed the result, as the Sockers used an ineligible player. The Strikers were declared winners on May 13.
Championship Series
|
Regular season player statistics
Scoring leaders
GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A =
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Zungul | San Diego Sockers | 48 | 68 | 68 | 136 |
Karl-Heinz Granitza | Chicago Sting | 47 | 64 | 53 | 117 |
Branko Segota | San Diego Sockers | 46 | 66 | 40 | 106 |
Stan Stamenkovic | Baltimore Blast | 43 | 39 | 52 | 91 |
Tatu | Dallas Sidekicks | 43 | 59 | 29 | 88 |
Dale Mitchell | Tacoma Stars | 48 | 55 | 32 | 87 |
Jean Willrich | San Diego Sockers | 48 | 43 | 43 | 86 |
Fred Grgurev | Las Vegas Americans | 48 | 48 | 29 | 77 |
Craig Allen | Cleveland Force | 42 | 45 | 30 | 75 |
Jan Goossens | Minnesota Strikers | 48 | 49 | 24 | 73 |
Leading goalkeepers
Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses
Player | Team | GP | Min | GA | GAA | W | L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scott Manning | Baltimore Blast | 36 | 2080 | 135 | 3.89 | 23 | 11 |
Slobo Illjevski | St. Louis Steamers | 30 | 1681 | 112 | 4.00 | 11 | 12 |
Jim Gorsek | San Diego Sockers | 30 | 1665 | 112 | 4.04 | 19 | 8 |
Manny Schwartz | Kansas City Comets | 40 | 2192 | 152 | 4.16 | 19 | 15 |
Alan Mayer | Las Vegas Americans | 30 | 1759 | 124 | 4.23 | 17 | 12 |
Victor Nogueira | Chicago Sting | 43 | 2440 | 162 | 4.34 | 23 | 15 |
Tino Lettieri | Minnesota Strikers | 45 | 2672 | 198 | 4.45 | 24 | 21 |
Cris Vaccaro | Cleveland Force | 27 | 1453 | 108 | 4.46 | 16 | 8 |
Mike Dowler | Wichita Wings | 41 | 2394 | 179 | 4.49 | 20 | 20 |
John Baretta | Tacoma Stars | 31 | 1637 | 127 | 4.65 | 11 | 13 |
Playoff player statistics
Scoring leaders
GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A =
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Zungul | San Diego Sockers | 13 | 13 | 24 | 37 |
Branko Segota | San Diego Sockers | 13 | 22 | 8 | 30 |
Jean Willrich | San Diego Sockers | 13 | 11 | 12 | 23 |
Brian Quinn | San Diego Sockers | 13 | 11 | 11 | 22 |
Andy Chapman | Cleveland Force | 9 | 14 | 5 | 19 |
Stan Stamenkovic | Baltimore Blast | 11 | 8 | 11 | 19 |
Leading goalkeepers
Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses
Player | Team | GP | Min | GA | GAA | W | L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jim Gorsek | San Diego Sockers | 9 | 516 | 21 | 2.44 | 7 | 1 |
Mike Dowler | Wichita Wings | 3 | 180 | 8 | 2.67 | 1 | 2 |
Cris Vaccaro | Cleveland Force | 9 | 546 | 38 | 4.18 | 5 | 3 |
Slobo Ilijevski | St. Louis Steamers | 2 | 129 | 9 | 4.19 | 0 | 2 |
Tino Lettieri | Minnesota Strikers | 11 | 667 | 51 | 4.59 | 6 | 5 |
Manny Schwartz | Kansas City Comets | 4 | 222 | 17 | 4.59 | 2 | 2 |
All-MISL teams
First Team | Position | Second Team |
---|---|---|
Scott Manning, Baltimore | G | Slobo Ilijevski, St. Louis |
Mike Stankovic, Baltimore | D | Jorge Espinoza, Las Vegas |
Branko Segota, San Diego | D | Jean Willrich, San Diego |
Kevin Crow, San Diego | M | Kim Roentved, Wichita |
Steve Zungul, San Diego | F | Stan Stamenkovic, Baltimore |
Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago | F | Tatu, Dallas |
Honorable Mention | Position |
---|---|
Jim Gorsek, San Diego | G |
Bruce Savage, Baltimore | D |
Gerry Gray, Chicago | D |
Benny Dargle, Cleveland | M |
Dale Mitchell, Tacoma | F |
Fred Grgurev, Las Vegas | F |
League awards
- Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, San Diego
- Scoring Champion: Steve Zungul, San Diego
- Pass Master: Steve Zungul, San Diego
- Defender of the Year: Kevin Crow, San Diego
- Rookie of the Year: Ali Kazemaini, Cleveland
- Goalkeeper of the Year: Scott Manning, Baltimore
- Coach of the Year: Peter Wall, Los Angeles
- Championship Series Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, San Diego
Team attendance totals
Club | Games | Total | Average |
---|---|---|---|
Cleveland Force | 24 | 310,284 | 12,929 |
Kansas City Comets
|
24 | 310,017 | 12,917 |
St. Louis Steamers
|
24 | 305,054 | 12,711 |
Baltimore Blast | 24 | 265,224 | 11,051 |
Chicago Sting | 24 | 255,073 | 10,628 |
San Diego Sockers
|
24 | 230,272 | 9,595 |
Wichita Wings | 24 | 209,035 | 8,710 |
Pittsburgh Spirit | 24 | 187,021 | 7,793 |
Tacoma Stars
|
24 | 173,317 | 7,222 |
Las Vegas Americans | 24 | 152,083 | 6,337 |
Los Angeles Lazers | 24 | 121,488 | 5,062 |
Dallas Sidekicks | 24 | 119,248 | 4,969 |
Minnesota Strikers | 24 | 115,408 | 4,809 |
New York Cosmos
|
16 | 66,900 | 4,181 |
OVERALL | 328 | 2,820,424 | 8,599 |
References
- Lakeland Ledger. p. D1. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ "MISL takes four NASL teams". Boca Raton News. August 31, 1984. p. 2C. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ 1984-85 Dallas Sidekicks Media Guide. 1984. p. 34.
- Ellensburg Daily Record. February 23, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- Gainesville Sun. February 24, 1985. p. 10F. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ Dolan, Steve (May 13, 1985). "It Takes Sockers 14 Shooters in the Shootout to Win". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ "Sockers' Semifinal Playoff Victory Overturned by MISL Commissioner". Los Angeles Times. May 14, 1985. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ "Sockers Win, 7-0, to Gain MISL Final". Los Angeles Times. May 15, 1985. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the originalon July 16, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ "MISL board terminates Las Vegas franchise". Lawrence Journal-World. July 18, 1985. p. 18. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ 1984-85 Dallas Sidekicks Media Guide. 1984. pp. 50–54.
- ^ MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. 1987. p. 51.
- ^ MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. 1987. p. 80.
1984-85 Dallas Sidekicks Media Guide. Dallas: Dallas Sidekicks. 1984.
1985-86 MISL Media Guide. Chicago: Major Indoor Soccer League. 1985.
Leary, Dan; Griffin, John (1987). MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. New York: Major Indoor Soccer League Communications Department.