- Chicago Horizons
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The Chicago Horizons was a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) for only the 1980–81 season. It was the first of two franchises that represented Chicago in the circuit's history. It was the first professional sports team that played its home matches at the Rosemont Horizon, which also inspired the club's nickname. The team colors were orange, yellow, black and red.[1] The head coach was Luis Dabo.[2]
The Horizons, with a 20–20 record, finished tied for third place with the Buffalo Stallions in the Central Division and qualified for the playoffs. After a 4–3 victory in Game One of a First Round best-of-three series with the Wichita Wings, the Horizons lost the last two contests 6–4 and 8–6 and were eliminated from the postseason. Enzo Di Pede won the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award.[3]
Even though the Horizons suspended operations following the campaign, the league still wanted to revive the franchise. That all ended when Lee Stern, owner of the North American Soccer League's Chicago Sting which played both indoors and outdoors at the time, paid the MISL to discontinue those plans and effectively eliminated the competition in the Chicago market.[4]
1980–1981 Roster
- Gary Allison 25 Games 0 goals[4]
- Leslaw Cmikiewicz
- Enzo Di Pede 16 Games 0 goals[4]
- Don Droege
- Horst Fleps
- George Gorleku
- Clive Griffiths
- Herve Guilliod[5]
- Kevin Handlan
- Paul Kitson
- Peter Knezic[6]
- Juan Carlos Michia[7]
- Damien Ogunsiyi
- Ben Popoola
- Craig Reynolds[8]
- Gino Schiraldi
- Antonio Simoes
References
- ^ Chicago Horizons (jerseys) – nasljerseys.com.
- ^ Leptich, John. "New Chicago Team Has Some Old Faces," Chicago Tribune, Sunday, November 10, 1985.
- ^ MISL Yearly Award Winners – OurSportsCentral.com.
- ^ a b c Litterer, Dave. 1980–81 Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) season, OurSportsCentral.com.
- ^ Herve Guilliod (biography) – Dallas Sidekicks Players.
- ^ Peter Knezic (biography) – FC Milwaukee Nationals.
- ^ Juan Carlos Michia (statistics) – nasljerseys.com.
- ^ Craig Reynolds (biography) – Chicago Fire Juniors.
External links
- Chicago Horizons (official team logo) – OurSportsCentral.com.
- 1980–81 Chicago Horizons team photograph – nasljerseys.com.
- Major Indoor Soccer League
- [1]
- [2]
Categories:- Chicago Horizons
- Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States
- Soccer clubs in Chicago, Illinois
- Illinois soccer clubs
- Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) teams
- United States soccer club stubs
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