1982–83 Major Indoor Soccer League season


The 1982–83 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the fifth in league history and would end with the San Diego Sockers winning their first MISL title. It would be the Sockers' second straight indoor championship, as the club had won the North American Soccer League's indoor league the previous spring.

Recap

The league would enter into an agreement with the NASL in the summer of 1982 to begin plans for an eventual merger. Initial plans to have all 14 NASL teams play in the winter would not come to pass, as most teams preferred to concentrate on the outdoor season. However, the Chicago Sting and Golden Bay Earthquakes would join the Sockers for the MISL season.
The Earthquakes would perform worst of the three NASL teams, but picked up Steve Zungul from the New York Arrows when New York's new management decided to try to 'Americanize' the team in an attempt to boost ticket sales. The Arrows, only two games out of first place when the trade was made on January 19, finished at.500 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the Quakes' struggles, Zungul would win the MISL scoring title again.
The expansion Los Angeles Lazers, owned by the Los Angeles Lakers' Jerry Buss, set a record for the lowest winning percentage in league history. After the season, Chicago, San Diego and Golden Bay withdrew and returned to the NASL as the league made plans for an indoor return the following winter. Despite losing the NASL teams, the league continued to expand as teams were announced for Tacoma in 1983-84 and Dallas for 1984-85.
The MISL continued to make inroads on national television. While the spring would see the end of the league's two-year deal with the USA Network, CBS would broadcast a playoff game live from Cleveland on May 7 that drew an estimated four million viewers.

Teams

Regular Season Schedule

The 1982–83 regular season schedule ran from November 5, 1982, to April 17, 1983. The 48 games per team was an increase of four over the 1981–82 schedule of 44 games.

Final standings

Playoff teams in bold.
Eastern DivisionWLPct.GBGFGAHomeRoad
Baltimore Blast3018.625--24922419-511-13
Cleveland Force2919.604128526716-813-11
Chicago Sting2820.583228523917-711-13
New York Arrows2424.500622521915-99-15
Pittsburgh Spirit2424.500625024715-99-15
Buffalo Stallions2226.458827027413-119-15
Memphis Americans1929.3961123927415-94-20

Western DivisionWLPct.GBGFGAHomeRoad
San Diego Sockers3216.667--28923019-513-11
Wichita Wings2721.563527324917-710-14
Kansas City Comets2622.542621921017-79-15
St. Louis Steamers2622.542623423415-911-13
Phoenix Inferno2424.500824925517-77-17
Golden Bay Earthquakes1731.354152402908-169-15
Los Angeles Lazers840.167241912866-182-22

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Championship Series

Regular Season Player Statistics

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Steve ZungulNew York/Golden Bay437547122
Stan StamenkovicMemphis Americans415565120
Juli VeeeSan Diego Sockers375753110
Stan TerleckiPittsburgh Spirit456540105
Omar GomezWichita Wings44374986
Craig AllenCleveland Force45533184
Keith FurphyCleveland Force48562884
Kai HaaskiviCleveland Force46384684
Steve DavidPhoenix Inferno47612081
Ruben AstigarragaPhoenix Inferno43344680

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses
PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWL
Zoltán TóthNew York Arrows2715551044.011214
Slobo IlijevskiSt. Louis Steamers4425481754.122319
Keith Van EronBaltimore Blast3819691384.20239
Alan MayerSan Diego Sockers4324071724.293010
Victor PetroniKansas City Comets2614981124.491410
Victor NogueiraChicago Sting2814411104.581412
Enzo DiPedeKansas City Comets2413621094.801212
Mike DowlerWichita Wings4225022034.872517
Blagoje TamindzicPhoenix Inferno3922521834.881918
Krys SobieskiPittsburgh Spirit4122731854.881920

Playoff Player Statistics

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Juli VeeeSan Diego Sockers10131932
Dave MacWilliamsBaltimore Blast13121123
Heinz WirtzBaltimore Blast13101121
Joe FinkBaltimore Blast1312820
Kaz DeynaSan Diego Sockers914418

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses
PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWL
Alan MayerSan Diego Sockers10587282.8682
Keith Van EronBaltimore Blast10556495.2946
Mike DowlerWichita Wings6357335.5524
Chris VaccaroCleveland Force7321366.7323

All-MISL Teams

Honorable Mention Position
Slobo Illijevski, St. LouisG
Renato Cila, New YorkD
Helmut Dudek, MemphisD
Pato Margetic, ChicagoF
Kaz Deyna, San DiegoF

League Awards

Most Valuable Player: Alan Mayer, San Diego
Scoring Champion: Steve Zungul, New York/Golden Bay
Pass Master: Stan Stamenkovic, Baltimore
Defender of the Year: Bernie James, Cleveland
Rookie of the Year: Kirk Shermer, Los Angeles
Goalkeeper of the Year: Zoltán Tóth, New York
Coach of the Year: Pat McBride, Kansas City
Championship Series Most Valuable Player: Juli Veee, San Diego