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MISL 1980s: Tales From a Lost Soccer League
In the 1980s, professional soccer in America meant "indoor soccer." The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) rose from the imagination of Ed Tepper and Earl Foreman to become the new sports sensation of the go-go '80s. To some a bastardization of the beautiful game, and to others a revitalization of a moribund sport, the MISL recruited players from Europe and South America drawn to a good paycheck and the promise of life in America. NFL and NBA owners formed teams from Los Angeles to Minnesota to Pittsburgh to Dallas, hoping to cash in on a flashy new sports experience. The MISL burned bright in places like Cleveland, Kansas City, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Diego and St. Louis, while offering USA Network and ESPN viewers a look into this peculiar new creation. But by 1992, struggles in major markets like Los Angeles and New York sunk the league, consigning it to the ashheap of sports history.
MISL 1980s looks into the 1974 NASL indoor exhibition game that unintentionally led to the formation of the MISL and then dives into the tumultuous year leading to Pete Rose's Cincinnati Kids taking on the New York Arrows in the league's very first game in 1978. The book Jerry Buss' foray into the MISL with the Los Angeles Lazers; the improbable championship run by the Dallas Sidekicks in 1987; the absolutely nutty ending to the 1985 playoff semifinal series between the San Diego Sockers and the Minnesota Strikers; how players approached their post-MISL careers; the fans that have kept the history of the league alive; and much more. MISL 1980s also delves into the careers and lives of players and coaches like Erik Rasmussen, Kevin Kewley, and Alan Merrick before exploring why the MISL eventually failed to become the next major league sport in America.
The MISL was a very 1980s story. From the short shorts to the mullets to the synth pop music, MISL 1980s takes you through the pop-culture sensation that was indoor soccer in the Me Decade.
MISL 1980s looks into the 1974 NASL indoor exhibition game that unintentionally led to the formation of the MISL and then dives into the tumultuous year leading to Pete Rose's Cincinnati Kids taking on the New York Arrows in the league's very first game in 1978. The book Jerry Buss' foray into the MISL with the Los Angeles Lazers; the improbable championship run by the Dallas Sidekicks in 1987; the absolutely nutty ending to the 1985 playoff semifinal series between the San Diego Sockers and the Minnesota Strikers; how players approached their post-MISL careers; the fans that have kept the history of the league alive; and much more. MISL 1980s also delves into the careers and lives of players and coaches like Erik Rasmussen, Kevin Kewley, and Alan Merrick before exploring why the MISL eventually failed to become the next major league sport in America.
The MISL was a very 1980s story. From the short shorts to the mullets to the synth pop music, MISL 1980s takes you through the pop-culture sensation that was indoor soccer in the Me Decade.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 8, 2025
good, but no reference at all to the St Louis Steamers
The book leads with the warning that it is not chronological and is really just a bunch of stories about the old league. It did tell some truly fascinating ones. But one of the most important and storied franchises barely ever merits a mention. No chapter on the colorful goalkeeper Slobodan Ilijevski. Growing up we loved Slobo (they would always call him Slobo Dan). And as the book points out, the St Louis franchise always put butts in the seats. I get that the author was particularly fond of Wichita (the Orange Army was epic) but come on man. No Steamers?
I was going to recommend the book to friends from high school who also loved the team, including my sister. But leaving off the Steamers has made me change my mind. Just like the MISL, this was a wasted opportunity.
The book leads with the warning that it is not chronological and is really just a bunch of stories about the old league. It did tell some truly fascinating ones. But one of the most important and storied franchises barely ever merits a mention. No chapter on the colorful goalkeeper Slobodan Ilijevski. Growing up we loved Slobo (they would always call him Slobo Dan). And as the book points out, the St Louis franchise always put butts in the seats. I get that the author was particularly fond of Wichita (the Orange Army was epic) but come on man. No Steamers?
I was going to recommend the book to friends from high school who also loved the team, including my sister. But leaving off the Steamers has made me change my mind. Just like the MISL, this was a wasted opportunity.
September 18, 2025
Really well done. Good historical record of a once great sport and entertaining league.
Highly recommend to all soccer fans and any sports fans who enjoy behind the curtain stories of games and team dynamics.
Highly recommend to all soccer fans and any sports fans who enjoy behind the curtain stories of games and team dynamics.
June 13, 2026
It was good, but I would've liked more stories from different cities, such as Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews