Don Batie, head soccer coach at Chico State and with the San Antonio Thunder, had a long and storied coaching career which led to his induction in the Northern California and Chico State Athletic Hall’s of Fame. Continue reading San Antonio Thunder Head Coach Don Batie
When Ward Lay and the San Antonio Thunder were awarded a North American Soccer League franchise in 1974, they found a local youth soccer community that barely existed. A handful of neighborhoods had organized youth soccer programs, most notably the … Continue reading San Antonio Youth Soccer Early Days
San Antonio Thunder began their second and final NASL season in 1976 with a refreshed business strategy and roster. Though results improved over a challenging 1975 season, the club fell short of a playoff spot, and owner Ward Lay moved … Continue reading San Antonio Thunder Final Season
For a short period of time in the 1970’s the North American Soccer League (NASL) gathered an extraordinary collection of some of the world’s most famous soccer players. Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Eusebio, Best, etc. are examples of world class talent … Continue reading Bobby Moore-Best Ever Texas Pro Soccer Player?
San Antonio soccer fans had the opportunity to watch Pele, arguably still the most famous soccer player globally in 1976 when he and the New York Cosmos arrived to play the San Antonio Thunder in an NASL exhibition match on March 31st to kick off their second season. Pele’s Impact on Soccer in the United States It is difficult to overestimate the impact Pele had on soccer in the United States when he joined the Cosmos in the middle of the 1975 season. The NASL launched in 1968 when two separate leagues, who began play the previous year, overcame their … Continue reading When Pele Came to San Antonio
This year is the 45th anniversary of the first season of the North American Soccer League’s San Antonio Thunder, which began play in April of 1975. Texas Soccer Journal is publishing a series of articles to bring this team back … Continue reading San Antonio Thunder 1975 Season Wrap Up
“This is professional hockey, right?” This tentative question came from a fan seated behind a columnist from the San Antonio Express during the San Antonio Thunder’s 2-1 victory over Dallas Tornado in their inaugural North American Soccer League match 45 … Continue reading San Antonio Thunder 45th Anniversary-Inaugural Match vs. Dallas Tornado
In 1974 the San Antonio Thunder became the 17th team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Between the awarding of the franchise in June and late summer, the club established offices, named the team, began to staff the front … Continue reading San Antonio Thunder 45 Year Anniversary-Roster Build and Preseason
In April 1975, San Antonio and Central Texas joined nineteen other cities and regions in the United States with a professional first-division soccer team when the San Antonio Thunder played their first match in the North American Soccer League (NASL). On Friday April 18th, 1975, the Thunder opened their inaugural season at North East Stadium (now Comalander Stadium) in San Antonio against the other team from Texas in the league, the Dallas Tornado. How a city with no previous experience with top-level professional soccer became part of this league is an interesting story, which unfortunately ended much too soon when … Continue reading This Week Marks the 45 Year Anniversary of San Antonio’s First Pro Soccer Team
Central Texas will soon enjoy first division professional soccer when Austin FC joins Major League Soccer at the beginning of the 2021 MLS season. Amid all the excitement the new club is generating in Austin, most soccer fans in the … Continue reading 45 Year Anniversary of the First Central Texas Professional Soccer Club
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