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Baltimore Comets

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Baltimore Comets
Full nameBaltimore Comets
Founded1974
Dissolved1975 (moved)
StadiumMemorial Stadium, 1974–75
Burdick Field, 1975
Capacity47,855 (1974–75)
6,000 (1975)
ChairmanLou Foreaker
CoachDoug Millward
LeagueNorth American Soccer League

The Baltimore Comets were a professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1974, the Comets were an expansion team that played two seasons in the North American Soccer League. The team originally played its home matches at Memorial Stadium but moved to Burdick Field located at Towson University during the 1975 season. At the conclusion of the 1975 NASL season the team moved to San Diego, California, rebranding as the Jaws.

History

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Looking to build off what was considered positive momentum in public interest in professional soccer, in January 1974 the North American Soccer League announced Baltimore as one of six cities awarded an expansion team for the upcoming 1974 season.[1][2][a] Former Baltimore Bays head coach Doug Millward returned to the city to manage the team.[3][4] The Comets played their first game at home on May 4, 1974, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.[5] The team finished in second place in the Eastern Division qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card.[6] Peter Silvester, on loan from Southend United F.C. was named 1974 league MVP.[7] On August 15, 1974, Baltimore lost 0–1 in the quarterfinals to the Boston Minutemen at Alumni Stadium.[8] The Comets participated in the 1975 NASL Indoor tournament as part of Region 3 playing at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, and losing the two matches in which they played.[9][10]

During the 1975 North American Soccer League season, the Comets were evicted from Memorial Stadium due to non-payment of rent and played the remaining part of the season at Burdick Field on the campus of Towson State University.[11] The team ended the season in last place in the Eastern Division with a record of 9 wins and 13 losses[b] and an average attendance of 2,641, the lowest in the league.[6] Following the season, the team was sold and moved to San Diego.[14][15]

Year-by-year

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Year League W L T Pts Reg. Season Playoffs
1974 NASL 10 8 2 105 2nd, Eastern Division Lost Quarterfinal (Boston Minutemen)
1975 NASL indoor 0 2 — 0 3rd, Region 3 did not qualify
1975 NASL 9 13 — 87 5th, Eastern Division did not qualify

Honors

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NASL MVP

NASL All-Stars

Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame members

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Denver and Washington would also be awarded franchises before the season bringing the total number of team competing in the 1974 NASL season to 15.
  2. ^ The NASL eliminated tie games prior to the 1975 season. Matches that were level after 90 minutes would go to 15 minutes of sudden death overtime, and then onto a penalty shoot-out if needed.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Nigro, Ken (December 5, 1973). "Baltimore returns to soccer league". Baltimore Sun. p. C1. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Seattle gets soccer team". Ellensburg Daily Record. January 4, 1974. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  3. ^ Gaschnitz, K. Michael (2008). Statistical Encyclopedia of North American Professional Sports: 1966-1993. McFarland & Company. p. 596.
  4. ^ "Coaches Registry". NASL. Archived from the original on July 11, 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Soccer Comets to debut tonight". Baltimore Afro-American. May 4, 1974. p. D-38. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "North American Soccer League". RSSSF. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  7. ^ Plenderleith, Ian (2015). Rock 'n' Roll Soccer: The Short Life and Fast Times of the North American Soccer League (First ed.). United States: St. Martin's Press. p. 155. ISBN 9781466884007.
  8. ^ "Minutemen Reach Semifinal Berth". Gettysburg Times. August 17, 1974. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  9. ^ "Bunch of Rowdies Invade A Gentleman's Sport". Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  10. ^ Martz, Ron. "Looking Back: In 1975 the Rowdies hosted the NASL's first indoor tournament". Tampa Bay Times.
  11. ^ Lowenberger, William (May 29, 1975). "Moved Comets hope to 'teach' soccer better at Towson State". Baltimore Sun. p. C4. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  12. ^ Risolo, Donn (2010). Soccer Stories: Anecdotes, Oddities, Lore, and Amazing Feats. Lincoln, NE. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-3014-9
  13. ^ Risolo, Donn (2010). Soccer Stories: Anecdotes, Oddities, Lore, and Amazing Feats. ISBN 978-0803233959.
  14. ^ "Comets Move to San Diego". Eugene Register-Guard. October 12, 1975. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  15. ^ Lowenberger, William (October 10, 1975). "Comets to move to Calif". Baltimore Sun. p. C7. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  16. ^ "Silvester MVP in NASL". Baltimore Evening Sun. August 20, 1974. p. C1. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  17. ^ Janofsky, Michael (August 15, 1974). "Comet Coach Cool, But Players Aren't". Baltimore Evening Sun. p. D1. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  18. ^ "Hall of Famers". indoorsoccerhall.com. September 1, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
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