The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL; later the Major Soccer League) from 1979–1991, when they folded. They played their home games in Kemper Arena.
The team originated as the Detroit Lightning, which joined the MISL as an expansion team in the 1979–1980 season. After a year in Detroit the team relocated to San Francisco, California, becoming the San Francisco Fog. They moved to Kansas City in 1981, where they remained for ten years. In Kansas City the team went to the league playoffs seven times, advancing to the division finals three times.
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Contents
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History
In 1979 the Major Indoor Soccer League placed an expansion franchise in Detroit, Michigan. The team, then known as the Detroit Lightning, failed to make the playoffs, and at the end of the season were purchased by entrepreneur David Schoenstadt, later the founder of Discovery Zone. Schoenstadt relocated the team to San Francisco, California, where they were renamed the San Francisco Fog. They again failed to make the playoffs, and Schoenstadt moved the team once more, this time to Kansas City, Missouri, rebranding them the Kansas City Comets.
The Comets failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 1981–1982 season, but were thereafter consistent playoff contenders, making a total of seven playoff appearances in ten seasons. They advanced to the quarterfinals in 1985, the division semifinals in 1987, and the division finals in 1988, 1990, and 1991. They had enjoyed a strong attendance in their early years, but ticket sales declined later in their run, dropping from an average high of 15,786 in the 1983–1984 season to a low of 7,103 in the 1990–1991 season. Though they finished second in the league in their last two seasons of operations, the Comets could not withstand the drop in revenue, and folded at the end of the 1990–1991 season.
The Comets were followed the next season by the Kansas City Attack of the National Professional Soccer League; this team was known as the "Kansas City Comets" from 2001–2005. In 2010 the Missouri Comets, based in nearby Independence, joined the new Major Indoor Soccer League, carrying on the legacy of the original Comets.
Stars and fan favorites included Enzo DiPede, Billy Gazonas, Gino Schiraldi, Greg Makowski, Victor Petroni, Jan Goossens, Kia, Dale Mitchell, Alan Mayer, Zoran Savic, Jim Schwab, Gordon Hill, Tasso Koutsoukos, Manny Schwartz, David Doyle, Tim Clark, Elson Seale, Yilmaz Orhan, and Ty Keough as well as coaches Pat McBride and Rick Benben.
Ownership
Dr. David Schoenstadt (1980–87)- Kansas City Comets, Inc. (1987–91)
Staff
- Dick Berg General manager
- Peter Simon Public Relations Director
- Brad Jacobs Marketing Director
- Tim Leiweke - General Manager (1981–84) President (1986–88)
Coaching staff
Head coaches
- Terry Fisher (1979–80)
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Johnny Moore (1980–81) - Luis Dabo (1981)
- Pat McBride (1981–84)
- Rick Benben (1984–87)
Dave Clements (1987–91)
Asstistants
- Tony Glavin (1988–90)
Year-by-year
San Francisco Fog
| Year | League | Record | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-81 | MISL | 11-29 | 4th West | Failed to Qualify |
Kansas City Comets
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Avg. Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981/82 | Western | MISL | 6th | Did not qualify | 11,058 |
| 1982/83 | Western | MISL | 3rd | 1st Round | 14,692 |
| 1983/84 | Western | MISL | 4th | 1st Round | 15,786 |
| 1984/85 | Western | MISL | 4th | Quarterfinals | 12,917 |
| 1985/86 | Western | MISL | 5th | Did not qualify | 12,428 |
| 1986/87 | Western | MISL | 2nd | Division Semifinals | 12,447 |
| 1987/88 | Western | MISL | 3rd | Division Finals | 11,211 |
| 1988/89 | N/A | MISL | 7th | Did not qualify | 9,228 |
| 1989/90 | Eastern | MISL | 2nd | Division Finals | 10,475 |
| 1990/91 | Eastern | MSL | 2nd | Division Finals | 7,103 |
Honors
Rookie of the Year
- 1986: David Boncek
- 1988: David Doyle
Coach of the Year
- 1983: Pat McBride
Players
San Francisco Fog Roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Kansas City Comets
Emilio John
Laurie Abrahams (1984–85)- John Bain (1985–86)
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Boris Bandov - Peter Baralic
Porfirio Armando Betancourt (1987–88)- David Brcic (1987–89)
- David Boncek (1986-??)
Charlie Carey- John Cerin (1985–86) 3 Apps 1 Goal
- Tim Clark
- Stan Cummins (1988-89) 48 Apps 6 Goals
- Enzo Di Pede (1981–84) 39 Apps 0 Goals
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Angelo DiBernardo (1985–86) - Paul DiBernardo (1985–86) 22 Apps 18 Goals
- Mike Dowler (1989–90) 28 Apps 0 Goals
David Doyle (1987–91)- Ted Eck (1988–91)
- Charlie Fajkus (1985–87)
- Iain Fraser (1986–91)
- Billy Gazonas (1983–86)
- Ed Gettemeier
Jan Goossens (1986–91) 227 Apps 221 Goals- Jim Gorsek (1989–90) 26 Apps 0 Goal
- Daryl Green (1989–90)
- Charlie Greene
- Damir Haramina (1986–87) 45 Apps 42 Goals
- Gordon Hill (1983–84) 41 Apps 46 Goals
- Kevin Hundelt
- Greg Ion (1987)
- Tom Kain (1987–88)
- Chris Kenny
- Ty Keough (1985–86)
- Stuart Lee (1985–86) 13 Apps 4 Goals
- Mark Liveric (1984–85) 9 Apps 3 Goals
- Tasso Koutsoukos (1983–86, 1987-88)) 46 Apps 41 Goals
- Duncan MacEwan
- Greg Makowski (1982–85)
- Patricio Margetic (1986–87) 46 Apps 25 Goals
- Arnie Mausser (1985–86)
- Alan Mayer (1985–92) 75 Apps 0 Goals
- Dale Mitchell (1985–90) 248 Apps 239 Goals
Yilmaz Orhan- Steve Pecher
- Paul Peschisolido (1990–91)
- Victor Petroni (1982–83) 26 Apps 0 Goals
Kim Roentved- Carlos Salguero
- Dave Sarachan (1982)
- Zoran Savic
- Gino Schiraldi
- Jim Schwab
Manny Schwartz (1984–85) 40 Apps 0 Goals- Elson Seale (1983–85)
- John Stremlau (1983–84)
- Benny Tabak
- Tim Twellman (1984–85)
- Carl Valentine (1991–92)
- Barry Wallace
Kia Zolgharnain
External links
San Francisco Fog
Kansas City Comets
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