Washington Whips
The Washington Whips were a soccer team based in Washington, D.C. that played in the United Soccer Association (USA). The league was made up of teams imported from foreign leagues. The Washington Whips were the Aberdeen F.C. from Scotland. The name was chosen as the outcome of a newspaper contest.[1]
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| Full name | Washington Whips | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Whips | ||
| Founded | 1967 | ||
| Dissolved | 1968 | ||
| Stadium | District of Columbia Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 50,000 | ||
| Owner | Earl Foreman | ||
| Head coach | Eddie Turnbull | ||
| League | United Soccer Association North American Soccer League | ||
| 1968 | 2nd, Atlantic Division | ||
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The team's owner was Earl Foreman, later owner of the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and president of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. Edward T. Reynolds was the booth announcer for the club prior to the merger.
In 1967, the Whips played for the league championship and lost in overtime. After losing a coin toss, the Whips played the Los Angeles Wolves at the L.A. Coliseum in front of a crowd of 17,824. The two teams played to a 4–4 tie in regulation and then a 5–5 tie after the first overtime. At 1:26 in sudden death overtime, Ally Shewan of the Whips scored an own goal to give the game to the Wolves. Washington played with only 10 players for 94 minutes as Jim Smith was ejected in the 30th minute. After being tied 1–1 at half time, the teams scored 4 goals in 90 seconds early in the second half and then a pair of goals at the 82nd and 88th minutes tied it up again. After falling behind in overtime, the Whips tied the game with only 10 seconds remaining on a shot by Francis Munro.[2]
Following the 1967 season, the USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League with the teams from the former USA having to create their rosters from scratch. Their home field was D.C. Stadium despite complaints after the 1967 season that the $109,000 a year rent was too high.[3]
In 1968 they fielded the only one-armed player in NASL history, Victorio Casa of Argentina and they missed the playoffs on the final game of the season.[4]
Following the 1968 season, the team disbanded and in November 1968, all players became free agents.[5]
Year-by-year
| Year | League | W | L | T | Pts | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | USA | 5 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 1st, Eastern Division | Runners Up |
| 1968 | NASL | 15 | 10 | 7 | 167 | 2nd, Atlantic Division | did not qualify |
References
- Spong, Richard (April 10, 1967). "Soccer and what's that other game?". The Raleigh Register. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- "Washington Whips Give Gift Win to LA Before 17,824 fans". The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland). July 15, 1967. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
- "Washington Whips Complain about Rent". Southern Illinoisian. January 19, 1968. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
- "Chiefs Cop Soccer Title". September 7, 1968. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
- "Washington Whips are Free Agents". The Cumberland News. November 5, 1968. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
External links
- Dave Litterer: American Soccer History Archives (per February 6, 2012)
- Dave Morrison: Washington Whips, North American Soccer League Rosters (per February 6, 2012)