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Will Birmingham join the American Soccer League?

January 7, 1981
Richard Melvin, director of franchise development for the American Soccer League, spends the day in Birmingham meeting with Chamber of Commerce officials and touring the city. Melvin is also the owner of the ASL's Carolina Lightnin', one of 10 teams currently playing in the outdoor league.

"We're very much interested in locating a franchise here. There seems to be a tremendous amount of interest in Birmingham to bring professional soccer in," Melvin said.

When asked about the failed Super Soccer League, which the Birmingham Bandits were a member of in 1978, Melvin said, "I remember the league, and I remember its problems. We're not that kind of operation. We've been around a few years. The league was incorporated in 1923." The American Soccer League has the distinction of being the longest-running professional sports league in U.S. history.

May 1981

1981                           
American Soccer League                           
xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx
  Carolina Lightnin' logo   Cleveland Cobras logo   Detroit Express logo   New England Sharks logo   New York Eagles logo  
  Carolina Lightnin'
Champion
  Cleveland Cobras   Detroit Express   New England Sharks   New York Eagles  
                     
  New York United logo   Pennsylvania Stoners logo   Rochester Flash logo          
  New York United   Pennsylvania Stoners   Rochester Flash          
                     

Epilogue
Since its beginning, the American Soccer League concentrated on the New England/New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia area, but in the early 1970's it expanded into the Midwest.

In the late 1970's, during the boom years of the North American Soccer League, it opened a division along the West coast. This ambitious plan proved too expensive for the league, and franchises dwindled until their final season in 1983.

Before their last season, the ASL was planning to move indoors, but the league disbanded before it could make the move.

While the league may have folded, the Carolina, Jacksonville, Dallas, and Oklahoma City franchises joined the newly formed United Soccer League, which played until 1985.

Soccer finally made it to the Magic City, however. In May 2017 the United Soccer League announced they would place a team in Birmingham in 2019, and the Birmingham Legion has remained active in the USL's Championship league.


Teams of the                           
American Soccer League                           
xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Allentown
1939-40
  Baltimore Americans
1939-40 to 1948-49
  Baltimore Bays
1972 to 1973
  Baltimore Flyers
1967-68
  Baltimore German
1938-39
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Baltimore Pompei
1957-58 to 1960-61
  Baltimore Rockets
1953-54 to 1956-57
  Baltimore S.C.
1936-37 to 1941/42;
1943-44 to 1947-48
  Baltimore St. Gerards
1966-67
  Baltimore Stars
1972
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Boston Astros logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Bethlehem Hungarian
1938-39
  Boca Juniors
1963-64
  Boston Astros
1968 to 1975
  Boston Metros
1963-64
  Boston Tigers
1965-66 to 1967-68
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Brookhattan-Galicia
1957-58 to 1958-59
  Brookhattan
1938-39 to 1956-57
  Brooklyn Celtic
1933-34 to 1934-35
  Brooklyn F.C.
1933-34
  Brooklyn Giants
1941-42
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Brooklyn Hakoah
1948-49 to 1955-56
  Brooklyn Hispano
1933-34 to 1940-41;
1943-44 to 1955-56
  Brooklyn Italians
1956-57 to 1960-61
  Brooklyn Red Devils
 1942-43
  Brooklyn Wanderers
1942-43 to 1948-49
 
                     
  California Sunshine logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Carolina Lightnin' logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Chicago Cats logo  
  California Sunshine
1977 to 1980
  Canton S.C.
1934-35 to 1935-36
  Carolina Lightnin'
1981 to 1983
  Chicago Americans
1972
  Chicago Cats
1975 to 1976
 
                     
Cincinnati Comets logo Cleveland Cobras logo Cleveland Stars logo  
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LOGO
 
Columbus Magic logo
  Cincinnati Comets
1972 to 1975
  Cleveland Cobras
1974 to 1981
  Cleveland Stars
1972 to 1973
  Colombo
1959-60
  Columbus Magic
1979-80
 
                     
  Connecticut Wildcats logo   Connecticut Yankees logo   Dallas Americans logo   Delaware Wings logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Connecticut Wildcats
1973 to 1974
  Connecticut Yankees
1975 to 1978
  Dallas Americans
1983
  Delaware Wings
1972 to 1974
  Detroit Corinthians
1946
 
                     
  Detroit Express logo   Detroit Mustangs logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Detroit Express
1981 to 1983
  Detroit Mustangs
1973
   Detroit S.C.
1972
  Elizabeth Falcons
1954-55 to 1958-59
  Falcons-Warsaw
1962-63 to 1963-64
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
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LOGO
 
 
  Falcons S.C.
1959-60 to 1961-62
  Fall River Astros
1967-68 to 1968
  Fall River S.C.
1957-58 to 1962-63
  Galicia-Honduras
1961-62
  Galicia S.C.
1958-59 to 1960-61
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Georgia Generals logo   Golden Bay Buccaneers logo   Golden Gate Gales logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Gary Tigers
1973
  Georgia Generals
1982
  Golden Bay Buccaneers
1976
  Golden Gate Gales
1980
  Hartford Kings
1966-67;
1968
 
                     
   
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LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Indiana Tigers logo   Indianapolis Daredevils logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Hartford S.C.
1964-65 to 1968
  Hispano F.C.
1933
  Indiana Tigers
1973 to 1974
  Indianapolis Daredevils
1978 to 1979
  Inter-Brooklyn Italians
1961-62
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Jacksonville Tea Men logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Inter S.C.
1962-63;
1965-66
  Irish-Americans
1933-34 to 1941-42;
1949-50 to 1951-52
  Jacksonville Tea Men
1983
  Kearny Americans
1941-42 to 1949-50
  Kearny Celtic
1942-43 to 1948-49
 
                     
  Las Vegas Seagulls logo   Los Angeles Skyhawks logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Miami Americans logo  
  Las Vegas Seagulls
1979
  Los Angeles Skyhawks
1976 to 1979
  Ludlow Lusitano
1955-56 to 1957-58
  Ludlow S.C.
1956-57
  Miami Americans
1980
 
                     
  Nashville Diamonds logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  New England Oceaneers logo   New England Sharks logo  
  Nashville Diamonds
1982
  New Brunswick Hungarian
1963-64 to 1967-68
  New Brunswick Hungarian Americans
1963-64 to 1966-67
  New England Oceaneers
1977
  New England Sharks
1981
 
                     
  New Jersey Americans logo   New Jersey Brewers logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  New York Apollo logo  
  New Jersey Americans
1976 to 1979
  New Jersey Brewers
1973 to 1975
  New Jersey Schaefer Brewers
1972
  New York Americans
1933-34 to 1955-56
  New York Apollo
1973 to 1979
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  New York Eagles logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  New York Brookhattan
1933-34 to 1937-38
  New York Eagles
1978 to 1979;
1981
  New York Greeks
1971 to 1972
  New York Hakoah-Americans
1956-57 to 1963-64
  New York Hakoah
1956-57 to 1961-62
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  New York United logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  New York Inter
1965-66 to 1969
  New York United
1971 to 1981
  Newark Falcons
1964-65 to 1966-67
  Newark Germans
1933-34 to 1936-37
  Newark Portuguese
1951-52 to 1962-63;
1964-65 to 1967-68
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Oakland Buccaneers logo   Oklahoma City Slickers logo  
  Newark Sitch
1969 to 1970
  Newark Ukrainian Sitch
1962-63 to 1968
  Nor'East United
1972
  Oakland Buccaneers
1976
  Oklahoma City Slickers
1982 to 1983
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Pennsylvania Stoners logo  
  Olimpia
1965-66 to 1966-67
  Passon Phillies
1936-37 to 1940-41
  Paterson Caledonian
1936-37 to 1937-38
  Paterson F.C.
1939-40 to 1940-41
  Pennsylvania Stoners
1979 to 1983
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Philadelphia Spartans logo   Philadelphia Ukrainians logo  
  Philadelphia Americans
1941-42 to 1953-54
  Philadelphia German-Americans
1933-34 to 1940-41
  Philadelphia Nationals
1941-42 to 1953-54
  Philadelphia Spartans
1969 to 1973
  Philadelphia Ukrainians
1968-69 to 1970
 
                     
  Phoenix Fire logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Pittsburgh Miners logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Rhode Island Oceaneers logo  
  Phoenix Fire
1980
  Pittsburgh Canons
1972
  Pittsburgh Miners
1975
  Ponta Delgada S.C.
1951 to 1953
  Rhode Island Oceaneers
1974 to 1976
 
                     
  Rochester Flash logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Sacramento Gold logo   Sacramento Spirits logo  
  Rochester Flash
1981 to 1982
  Rochester Lancers
1967-68 to 1969
  Roma S.C.
1964-65 to 1967-68
  Sacramento Gold
1978 to 1980
  Sacramento Spirits
1976 to 1977
 
                     
  Santa Barbara Condors logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Southern California Lazers logo   St. Louis Frogs logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Santa Barbara Condors
1977
  Scots-Americans
1933-34 to 1940-41;
1950-51 to 1952-53
  Southern California Lazers
1978
  St. Louis Frogs
1972
  St. Mary's Celtic
1933-34 to 1941-42
 
                     
  Syracuse Scorpions logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Tacoma Tides logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Syracuse Scorpions
1969 to 1970
  Syracuse Suns
1971;
1973 to 1974
  Tacoma Tides
1976
  Trenton Americans
1948-49 to 1950-51;
1953-54 to 1954-55
  Trenton Highanders
1938-39
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Utah Golden Spikers logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Uhrik Truckers
1954-55 to 1964-65
  Ukrainian Nationals
1957-58 to 1963-64;
1965-66 to 1967-68
  Utah Golden Spikers
1976
  Utah Pioneers
1976
  Virginia Capitol Cavaliers
1971
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Washington Darts logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
     
  Washington Britannia
1967-68
  Washington Cavaliers
1972
  Washington Darts
1968-69
  Worcester Astros
1975
     
                     
 
 
Photograph
American Soccer League ball
 
 
 
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Last update: January 22, 2024