Many big names have played on the pitch in Houston. Victor Araiza
It may not win the moniker “Soccer City, USA,” but Houston has grown into one of the hotbeds for big-time soccer events in the United States and is almost sure to host a World Cup match if the competition comes stateside anytime soon.
Houston is rich with soccer history. The earliest pro soccer franchise in the Bayou City dates back to 1967, and attendance records for matches continue to be shattered as the sport grows in the 21st century.
That being said, the casual fan probably doesn’t know about Houston soccer past, so we’ve compiled a list of the professional sports franchises that have called Space City home.
Houston Stars (1967-1968)
The Stars were the first pro soccer team in Houston. They played in the Astrodome and were owned by renowned Houstonian Roy Hofheinz, who, among his many titles, served as Texas state representative, Harris County judge and mayor of Houston.
The Stars averaged 19,802 fans during their inaugural season, the highest of any U.S. soccer team that year. They played in the United Soccer Association, one of two top-tiered leagues in the U.S. The leagues merged the following year to form the North American Soccer League in which the Stars played in 1968 before folding at the end of the season.
Houston Hurricane (1978-1980)
Driven by the arrival of Pele to North America, the Bayou City was again be represented in the North American Soccer League as the Houston Hurricane, one of four expansion teams during the 1978 season. The team called the Astrodome home and donned kits made up of red, white and orange.
After a tough first year, the Hurricane won the NASL’s Central Division and finished with the league’s best record in its second season. Unfortunately, they would be one-and-done in the playoffs for two straight years before ending operations at the conclusion of their third season.
Houston Summit (1978-1979)
The Summit was an indoor soccer team that played their games at, well, you guessed it, the Summit. The team played in the Major Indoor Soccer League which operated during the NASL offseason.
Many of the players on the Hurricane squad played on the Summit. After the Hurricane folded, the Summit ceased operations, as the franchise moved to Baltimore.
Houston Dynamos (1984-1991)
Houston tried the soccer experiment again in the mid-'80s with the creation of the Houston Dynamos (plural). The team was a member of the United Soccer League and played at Butler Stadium and Delmar Stadium.
Unfortunately, the team’s first season was their only in the pros. The club chose not to return to the USL, which folded eight games into the 1985 season, and played friendlies for two years. In 1987 they joined the Lone Star Soccer Alliance, a regional league made up of Texas teams, where they played until their final season in 1991.
Houston Hotshots (1994-2000)
The return of indoor soccer to the Summit meant a pro soccer team for Houston during the '90s. With the 1994 FIFA World Cup on the horizon and the upcoming founding of a new top division Major League Soccer, it was a big opportunity for Houston to showcase itself as a soccer city.
The Hotshots played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) from 1994 to 1997, but, after the league folded, they moved to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999. Unable to attract investors, the Hotshots closed their doors entering the new millennium.
Houston Dynamo (2006-present)
After shattering local attendance records with club and international friendlies during the early 2000s, Houston had been clamoring to join MLS. Expansion in the league occurred gradually but an opportunity finally arose when the San Jose Earthquakes were unable to secure a stadium of their own.
With city officials offering a soccer-specific stadium, the Earthquakes roster migrated to Houston. The already built roster that had achieved the league’s best record the previous season was embraced in Houston and delivered back-to-back MLS Cup titles in its first two seasons.
In 2012, the team moved into a stadium of their own built east of downtown Houston known as BBVA Compass Stadium. Over the years, World Cup players have played for the club, and some of the world's best have come to visit.
Houston Dash (2014-present)
An extension by the Houston Dynamo into the women’s game, the Houston Dash are the only professional women’s team in any sport in the city of Houston. The club entered the National Women’s Soccer team in 2014 and plays matches at BBVA Compass Stadium.
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The phrase most associated with the late former Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis was “Just win baby.” One has to think Al would strongly approve of the Houston Astros. Going to the fifth inning Sunday against the Mariners the Astros were facing a 3-0 deficit and staring at the prospect of being swept out of Seattle and having their American League West division lead slashed to just two games. Now after roaring from behind with 11 unanswered runs to take the series finale in the Emerald City, and then sweeping three games from the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, the Astros stand six games up with 60 games to go. So, if the Astros play just .500 ball the rest of the way (which would have them finish with 90 victories), the Mariners have to play .600 ball to catch them. If somehow the Astros are to maintain their season long win pace to the finish line they’d close with 95 wins, and the race is already over unless someone thinks the M’s are poised to uncork a finishing kick of 41-19 or better. It’s quite a pleasing perch from which the Astros survey the standings. Coupled with the freefalling Detroit Tigers having dropped nine of their last ten games, the Astros amazingly start this homestand sporting the best record in the entire American League. On the homestand they follow four games against the team with the second-worst record in the American League (Athletics) with three versus the team with the second-worst record in the National League (Nationals). I know, I know. There is fear of the Astros playing down to the competition, but that is not the way to look at it. A bad Major League team can beat a good team in a series at any time. If it happens it happens, but it wouldn’t mean it happened only because the Astros didn’t take their opponent seriously. This isn’t the NBA.
Trade deadline looming
Of course, It hasn’t been all good news with Isaac Paredes badly injuring a hamstring Sunday. Paredes could be back in three weeks (doubtful), he could miss the rest of the season. GET WELL SOON JEREMY PENA! Lance McCullers’s latest Injured List stint could be considered addition by subtraction for the Astros’ starting rotation. Whether impacted by his blister issue, Lance was lousy in four of his last five starts. So, one week from the trade deadline, if general manager Dana Brown has the ammo to get one deal done, where does he make the upgrade? The left-handed hitter everyone knows the Astros can use regardless of Yordan Alvarez’s status is a natural priority. With the Astros’ weak farm system it would seem difficult for Brown to put forth the winning offer for the top bats that could be in play. That probably rings even truer now, since if he wasn’t already untouchable, Brice Matthews may have cemented untouchable status by darn near winning the first two games of the Diamondbacks series by himself. Matthews is going to struggle mightily to hit for a good average if he can’t make notable improvement in the contact department, but the power is obvious, as is the athleticism in the field. The 23-year-old Matthews and 22-year-old Cam Smith (though presently mired in a three for 36 slump) are the clear (and right now only) two young shining beacons for the lineup’s future.
You can't have enough pitching
While Brandon Walter has been a revelation, a starting pitcher would make sense unless the decision is to hope Spencer Arrighetti and/or Cristian Javier can contribute meaningfully upon return to the big leagues, likely sometime next month. Going after a reliever or two may make more sense in terms of availability and transaction cost. Overall the Astros’ bullpen has been excellent, but Bryan Abreu is the only trustworthy right-handed option for Joe Espada. Back to Walter. Barely two months ago no way Walter himself would have believed he’d be where he is now. Nine starts since being summoned basically out of desperation, Walter has a 3.35 earned run average, and a stunning 13 to one strikeout-to-walk ratio with his 52 strikeouts against a measly four walks allowed in 53 2/3 innings. Walter has pitched fabulously in seven of his nine starts. He only has two wins, but that’s because in five of the six Walter starts the Astros didn’t win the game they failed to score more than two runs. Walter turns 29 years old in September. His only prior big league experience was 23 innings in relief with a 6.26 ERA for the Red Sox two years ago. The Bosox released him last August, the Astros signed him basically as minor league depth. Look at him (and the Astros) now.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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