1996 - Metrostars - Inaugural game

1996.04.20 Giants Stadium - Metrostars Inaugural Game...v NE Revolution.

Originally called the Empire Soccer Club, the team would switch to the MetroStars, which signed Tab Ramos, the first player to be signed to an MLS contract. Tony Meola and Italian player Roberto Donadoni from AC Milan would be added.

After losing their first game at Los Angeles 2-1, the Metrostars opening in Giants Stadium before a crowd of 46,826. the Metrostars' Nicola Caricola would score an own goal to give the NE Revolution the 1-0 victory with 13 seconds remaining in the game...

The MetroStars issued a free newspaper/program called Freekick that was distributed to all fans. Freekick featured Tony Meola on the cover, a Welcome to Major League Soccer from commissioner Douglas G. Logan and articles about the MLS, International Stars coming to the MLS, Individual team previews, Kellogg's association with the MLS, Tony Meola: Home At last, and Soccer Town, USA (Kearny, NJ)

In the Article: American Stars Coming Home by Brian Trusdell, Eric Wynalda is quoted "Two or three years from now, I think we should take our champion and play the best in Europe and I guarantee, we'll beat them."

1979 - NASL Stickers

Only stickers 1-27 are numbered. The final 6 stickers of the 33 sticker set are un-numbered and feature 4 small stickers with the names of the teams....

On the backs of the stickers besides puzzle pieces are how to perform skills information for the young player.....

1979 - NASL Stickers

Cards 19-21: Toronto Blizzard, Edmonton Drillers, Seattle Sounders

Cards 22-24: Tampa Bay Rowdies, San Jose Earthquakes, Tulsa Roughnecks

Cards 25-27: Vancouver Whitecaps, Washington Diplomats, Tampa Bay Rowdies slogan "Soccer is a kick in the grass".

1979 - NASL Stickers

Cards 10-11: Houston Hurricane, L.A. Aztecs, Memphis Rogues

Cards 12-14: Minnesota Kicks, New England Tea Men, NY Cosmos

Cards 15-17: Philadelphia Fury, Portland Timber, Rochester Lancers

1979 - NASL Stickers

Cards 1-3: NASL logo, NASL ball, Atlanta Chiefs

Cards 4-6: California Surf, Chicago Sting, Dallas Tornado

Cards 7-9: Detroit Express, San Diego Sockers, Ft. Lauerdale Strikers

1979 - NASL Stickers

1979 Topps North American Soccer League Stickers featured 33 stickers with team logos. The backs of the cards featured puzzle pieces that when put together provided 2 posters. the green border was completed by 9 cards and showed NY Cosmo Werner Roth holding the 1978 Championship trophy. the yellow border poster was completed by 12 cards and featured players from the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Tony Whelan of the Ft Lauderdale Strikers, and NY Cosmos Dennis Tueart.
Additionally several cards also featured How-to play pointers...

World Cup - USA94 - United States Mint

50c United States Mint

Designer: Richard T. LaRoche (obverse), Dean McMullen (reverse)

Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel

Diameter: 30.61 mm

$1 United State Mint

Designer: Dean McMullen

Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)

Diameter: 38.1 mm

$5 United States Mint

Designer: William J. Krawcewicz (obverse), Dean McMullen (reverse)

Composition: 90% gold (0.242 ounces of gold)

Diameter: 21.6 mm

World Cup USA94 - Lapel Pins

Lapel pins came in variations with flags from each of the countries participating, or with the various cities in which the tournament took place

World Cup USA94 - Hard Rock Cafe

I found this button on-line....The Hard Rock Cafe produces pins from each of it's locations all over the world and their pins are highly collected like Olympic and Disney pins. Usually the pins are cloisonne with the occasional celluloid button.

Above is a 1.5inch celluloid button from Orlando, Fla commemorating the World Cup USA94. I have seen a similar button issued from Los Angeles with a blue background, but have not located any others....

1996 - Metrostars v Tampa Bay Mutiny

1996.05.04 - Giants Stadium - MetroStars v Tampa Bay Mutiny

In the fifth game of the inaugural season, the Metrostars dominated play in the first half, before a crowd of 38,621, but were trailing 3-0, thanks to an 8 minute span early in the second half when they were blitzed by 2 Diego Viera goals sandwiched around a successful penalty kick by Carlos Valderrama.

The Metrostars were able to make a comeback in a 3-minute span as they tied the game on an own-gaol and 2 goals by Giovanni Savarese, his second goal on a bicycle kick from 8-yards out...

The Metrostars won the shoot-out 2-1 on goals by Tab Ramos and Dario Hernandez...

Metrostars - Christmas 1996

1996 the Metrostars issued a booklet of Christmas postcards. The 6 card fold-out featured 5 player cards, although the players are unrecognizable, Donadoni is highly visible by his jersey. Others may be Anthony De Avila, Rhett Harty (#15), Giovanni Savarese (17) and Peter Vermes.

A 6th card featured the Metrostars logo during a snowfall. The front inside of the booklet said "Happy Holidays from the Metrostars" with the Metros cab logo. The backs of the cards were typical postcard style backs with a place for postage, address and message.

World Cup USA94 - Upper Deck Cards

Linda Hamilton - Mary Harvey

April Henrichs - Carin Gabarra

Michelle Akers-Staal - Carla Overbeck

Mia Hamm - Kristine Lilly

Joy Fawcett - Julie Foudy

As part of the Upper Deck World Cup USA94 Contenders set (English/Spanish version), 11 cards were issued to honor the US Women's National Team. 330 cards were issued

The cards were - 265 - April Henrichs, 266 - Mary Harvey, 267 - Michelle Akers-Stahl, 268 - Mia Ham, 269 - Carin Gabarra, 270 - Carla Overbeck, 271 - Julie Foudy, 272 - Joy Fawcett, 273 - Kristine Lilly, 274 - Linda Hamilton, 275 - Team photo

Metrostars - 1996

1994.05.29 commemorative cancel for the 1994 World Cup, signed by members of the 1996 Metrostars.......Chris DaSilva (16), Carlos Queiroz, Tim Mulqueen (31), Damian Silvera (6), Ian Hennassy (4), Ralph Perez, Miles Joseph (19), Brian Mikesall (trainer) Dan Gaspar.

World Cup USA94 - Upper Deck Cards

Tony Meola

Ernie Stewart - Cobi Jones

Hugo Perez - Dominic Kinnear

Des Armstrong - Chris Henderson

Paul Caligiuri - Bora Milutinovic

Upper Deck produced several sets in commemoration of the 1994 World Cup.

the 1993 World Cup Preview set features many of the US team members, along with 15 US Cup 93 review cards...There were a total of 165 cards in the US market English/Spanish issue.

Other preview sets, 200 base cards) were issued in English/German, Italian/Spanish, all of which focused on the international players with the US players in the mix.

These sets also featured Future Stars, Bora's Select (10 cards) and World Star Holograms (9 cards), Honorary Captains - Reggie Jackson, Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky.

Future Stars were only placed in special promotion was packs..20 From the Sidelines cards (#145-165) featuring the US team members...

Upper Deck also produced special sets with the same format, 1993 Mastercard Soccer Locker set, US and Mexico boxed sets

1. Tony Meola

2. Mike Lapper

3. John Doyle

4. Bruce Murray

5. Thomas Dooley

6. John Harkes

7. Hugo Perez

8. Dominic Kinnear

9. Tab Ramos

10. Ernie Stewart

11. Eric Wynalda

12. Jeff Agoos

13. Cobi Jones

14. Brian Quinn

15. Des Armstrong

16. Mike Sorber

17. Roy Wegerle

18. Brad Friedel

19. Chris Henderson

20. Paul Caligiuri

21. Fernando Clavijo

22. Alexi Lalas

23. Cle Kooiman

24. Peter Vermes

25. Mark Chung

26. Joe-Max Moore

27. Frank Klopas

28. Marcelo Balboa

29. Janusz Michallik

30. Bora Milutinovic