1991–92 Major Soccer League season

August 2023 Major Soccer League 1991–92 San Diego Sockers(8th title) CAN Hector Marinaro (53 goals) 140 1603 7,844 1990–91 Final season The 1991–92 Major Soccer League season was the 14th and final season in league history and would end with the San Diego Sockers winning their tenth NASL or MISL title in 11 indoor seasons, and fifth MISL title in a row. Recap After a relatively tranquil 1990-91 season, the league's unstable finances reared their head again at season's end. Attempts to find other financiers for the Kansas City Comets failed and the club folded.Kansas City soccer team folds July 17, 1991 Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina) https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OlQaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UiUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1258,3107103&dq=kansas+city+comets&hl=en 16 April 26, 2012 Both San Diego and the Dallas Sidekicks were saved by civic outpouring and new ownership groups.Finnegan Tara Sockers, Sidekicks get new owners June 29, 1991 The Baltimore Sun https://www.baltimoresun.com/1991/06/29/sockers-sidekicks-get-new-owners/ April 26, 2012 A reborn version of the Pittsburgh Spirit was announced on April 29,Fink David Pittsburgh to rejoin pro soccer league for 1991-92 April 30, 1991 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0-FRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bm4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1517,8464579&dq=bernie+mullin&hl=en 19 April 26, 2012 and the owners of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres expressed interest in putting a team in Buffalo. When faced with the instability of the league, however, both sets of potential owners decided to not put up the $350,000 line of credit needed to play in 1991–92.Pittsburgh Press Mullin Says No To Soccer August 21, 1991 Merlisa Lawrence E1 Major Soccer League Set To Open 14th Season October 20, 1991 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-10-20-sp-242-story.html April 26, 2012 Despite the upheaval, the seven teams left soldiered on. The regular season was wide open as playoff positioning went right down to the final game on the schedule. The Cleveland Crunch's George Fernandez scored in overtime to put Cleveland into the playoffs and knock the Wichita Wings out.Fernandez's Goal Gets Crunch in Playoffs April 5, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-05-sp-852-story.html April 26, 2012 Wichita had been in first place at the beginning of February,Geis John Sockers Mix Some Skill, Brawn to Get Past Wichita February 15, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-15-sp-1818-story.html April 26, 2012 but a 6–13 finish doomed their chances at the postseason. Still, the playoffs themselves went according to form as San Diego defeated Baltimore and Dallas for their fifth straight MSL/MISL title. There were early signs that the league would survive for another year. Attendance was up over 1990–91,Geis John Owners Don't Delay in Making '92 Plans April 6, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-06-sp-395-story.html April 26, 2012 and there were reports in April that the league planned on a 1992-93 season with all seven teams returning and an expanded schedule of 44 games.Geis John Lost Quarter Is Costly to Blast April 9, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-09-sp-242-story.html April 26, 2012 However, the Tacoma Stars announced they were folding on June 5.Tacoma Stars Fold; Only Six Teams Left In MSL June 6, 1992 Seattle Times https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920606/1495744/tacoma-stars-fold-only-six-teams-left-in-msl April 26, 2012 The hoped-for expansion into Buffalo never came to pass as the Buffalo Blizzard chose to join the smaller and more financially stable National Professional Soccer League on June 18.McKee Sandra Another summer, another scare in MSL June 19, 1992 The Baltimore Sun https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/06/19/another-summer-another-scare-in-msl/ April 26, 2012 Attempts to find new owners for the St. Louis Storm failed, leaving the MSL with five teams. Commissioner Earl Foreman announced the dissolution of the league on July 10.Geis John S.D. Sockers Due to Follow League Demise July 11, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-11-mn-1315-story.html April 26, 2012 The remaining teams scattered; San Diego and Dallas joined the Continental Indoor Soccer League,Geis John CISL Owners Discuss Expansion October 16, 1992 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-16-sp-253-story.html April 26, 2012 while Cleveland and Wichita joined the NPSL.NPSL approves Cleveland, Wichita August 1, 1992 Milwaukee Sentinel https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19920801&id=Pm0WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3RIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1553,73007 6B April 26, 2012 Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale decided not to join either league, folding the team instead.Preston Mike Now a team without a league, Blast will explore new fields July 11, 1992 The Baltimore Sun https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/07/11/now-a-team-without-a-league-blast-will-explore-new-fields/ April 26, 2012 A new ownership group was awarded an NPSL expansion franchise for Baltimore called the Spirit and signed Blast coach Kenny Cooper to lead the team. Teams TeamCity/AreaArenaBaltimore BlastBaltimore, Maryland Baltimore ArenaCleveland CrunchCleveland, Ohio Richfield ColiseumDallas SidekicksDallas, Texas Reunion ArenaSan Diego SockersSan Diego, California San Diego Sports ArenaSt. Louis StormSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis ArenaTacoma Stars Tacoma, Washington Tacoma DomeWichita WingsWichita, Kansas Kansas Coliseum Map of clubs left 10px Major Soccer League clubs 1090 500 300 425 355 North America 870 North America 39.29 -76.62 Black pog.svg 80 top Blast North America 41.25 -81.59 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Crunch North America 32.77 -96.81 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Sidekicks North America 32.76 -117.21 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Sockers North America 38.63 -90.28 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Storm North America 47.24 -122.43 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Stars North America 37.84 -97.32 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Wings Regular-season schedule The 1991–92 regular season schedule ran from October 19, 1991, to April 4, 1992. At 40 games, it was the shortest schedule for the league since the 1980–81 season and the seven-team lineup was its smallest since the inaugural season of 1978–79.MSL Official Guide 1991-92 1991 162–163 Final standings Playoff teams in bold. W L Pct. GB GF GA Home Road San Diego Sockers 2614.650–24318615–511–9 Dallas Sidekicks 2218.550423122916–46–14 Cleveland Crunch 2020.500624922913–77–13 Baltimore Blast 1921.475721323011–98–12 Wichita Wings 1822.450822823612–86–14 Tacoma Stars 1822.450819824215–53–17 St. Louis Storm 1723.425924125112–85–15 Playoffs Semifinals Championship series 1 San Diego Sockers 4 4 Baltimore Blast 1 2 Dallas Sidekicks 4 3 Cleveland Crunch 2 1 San Diego Sockers 4 2 Dallas Sidekicks 2 Semifinals San Diego vs. Baltimore Date Away Home Attendance April 8 Baltimore 4 San Diego 5 5,599 April 10 Baltimore 7 San Diego 6 5,621 April 14 San Diego 5 Baltimore 4 4,148 Kevin Crow scored at 5:34 of overtime April 16 San Diego 6 Baltimore 3 4,458 April 18 San Diego 4 Baltimore 3 4,594 San Diego wins series 4–1 Dallas vs. Cleveland Date Away Home Attendance April 14 Cleveland 3 Dallas 6 7,474 April 16 Cleveland 6 Dallas 7 6,549 Tatu scored at 3:59 of overtime April 18 Dallas 6 Cleveland 7 8,752 Chris Szanto scored at 1:39 of overtime April 21 Dallas 8 Cleveland 7 7,289 David Doyle scored at 7:59 of overtime April 24 Dallas 7 Cleveland 8 7,913 Zoran Karic scored at :47 of overtime April 26 Cleveland 4 Dallas 8 6,824 Dallas wins series 4–2 Championship Series San Diego vs. Dallas Date Away Home Attendance April 30 Dallas 3 San Diego 7 5,269 May 2 Dallas 7 San Diego 9 7,921 May 5 San Diego 5 Dallas 4 6,703 Paul Wright scored at 1:57 of overtime May 8 San Diego 6 Dallas 10 8,655 May 9 San Diego 2 Dallas 4 8,171 May 12 Dallas 2 San Diego 8 10,117 San Diego wins series 4–2 Team Attendance Totals ClubGamesTotalAverageSt. Louis Storm20205,32310,266San Diego Sockers20186,9629,348Baltimore Blast20164,1298,206Wichita Wings20164,1278,206Cleveland Crunch20141,1207,056Dallas Sidekicks20140,0537,003Tacoma Stars2096,4264,821Overall1401,098,1407,844 Scoring leaders GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points Player Team GP G A PtsYUG Zoran Karic Cleveland Crunch 37 39 63 102USA Preki St Louis Storm 39 45 52 97CAN Hector Marinaro Cleveland Crunch 40 53 41 94BRA Tatu Dallas Sidekicks 39 47 41 88 USA Chico Borja Wichita Wings 33 32 52 84 CAN Dale Mitchell Tacoma Stars 40 45 34 79 USA Paul Wright San Diego Sockers 39 50 27 77 USA Dale Ervine Wichita Wings 33 42 33 75 IRL David Doyle Dallas Sidekicks 40 51 23 74 CAN Branko Segota St Louis Storm 34 47 25 72 All-MISL Teams First Team   Position   Second Team Third TeamUSA Victor Nogueira, San Diego GUSA Joe Papaleo, DallasPUR Cris Vaccaro, BaltimoreUSA Kevin Crow, San Diego DLBR Ben Collins, San DiegoUSA Danny Pena, WichitaCAN Iain Fraser, Baltimore DUSA George Fernandez, ClevelandCAN Wes McLeod, DallasYUG Zoran Karic, Cleveland MUSA Chico Borja, WichitaCAN Branko Segota, St LouisBRA Tatu, Dallas FIRL David Doyle, DallasCAN Hector Marinaro, ClevelandUSA Preki, St Louis FUSA Dale Ervine, WichitaUSA Paul Wright, San Diego League awards Most Valuable Player: USA Victor Nogueira, San Diego Scoring Champion: YUG Zoran Karic, Cleveland Pass Master: YUG Zoran Karic, Cleveland Defender of the Year: USA Kevin Crow, San Diego Rookie of the Year: USA Tommy Tanner, Cleveland Goalkeeper of the Year: USA Victor Nogueira, San Diego Coach of the YearWichita Eagle Dallas' Jago Named MSL Coach Of Year April 29, 1992 B5 ENG Gordon Jago, Dallas Championship Series Most Valuable Player: NGA Thompson Usiyan, San Diego Championship Series Unsung Hero: USA Kevin Crow, San Diego References MSL Official Guide 1991-92 Griffin, John Major Soccer League Communications Department 1991 Baltimore 1993 San Diego Sockers Media Guide Moorhouse, Jim San Diego Sockers 1993 San Diego External links The Year in American Soccer - 1992 1992 page - Dallas Sidekicks Memorial Archive 1991-92 summary at The MISL: A Look Back Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) seasons Major Major