California Surf

The California Surf was an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1981. The team was based in Anaheim, California and played their home games at Anaheim Convention Center and the Long Beach Arena during the indoor seasons and Anaheim Stadium for outdoor matches. Originally founded as the St. Louis Stars, the team relocated to Anaheim after the 1977 NASL season. The team disbanded after the 1981 NASL season. History The team that would become the Surf was originally founded as the St. Louis Stars in 1967 as a charter member of the National Professional Soccer League. When the NPSL and United Soccer Association merged to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Stars moved to the new league and competed in an additional 10 seasons. After the conclusion of the 1977 season, team president Ted Martin announced that unless other adequate stadium facilities could be secured, as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University-where the team has played its home games for the previous three seasons-was too small to accommodate the larger crowds attending it games and the team's inability to use Busch Memorial Stadium due to too many scheduling with Major League Baseball's Cardinals, the team would have to relocate to another city. In late September 1977, General Manager Case Frankiewiez announced the team would leave the city with Anaheim, California and Columbus, Ohio name as likely destinations. A week later on October 7, 1977, the NASL officially approved the team's move pending a lease with Anaheim Stadium. Two months later, it was announced that the name Surf has been chosen from 350 public suggestions. The Surf opened the 1978 North American Soccer League season at home with a 1–0 victory against the Portland Timbers on April 1, 1978. The team finished the season in second place in the Western Division of the American Conference with 13 wins and 17 loses and losing to the San Diego Sockers in the first round of the playoffs. After a 4–4 start to the 1979 season, John Sewell, who had managed the team in St. Louis, was fired as head coach and replaced by Peter Wall. The Surf finished the season with a record of 15 wins and 15 losses, tied for first place of the American Conference, Western Division on points with San Diego, but losing the division title on goal differential. For the second year in a row, the team exited the playoffs after losing to San Diego in the first round.