PHILADELPHIA ATOMS
CHANGING PHILLY'S SPORTS DESTINY
Now that Philly is hosting World Cup soccer matches for the very first time, it is only fair that we run a soccer story.
But first...
Think of how spoiled we Philly fans have become.
When the Eagles fail to win the Super Bowl, or when the Phillies lose in the opening round of the playoffs (to the eventual World Series champion), there is seldom any gratitude. All we do is look for someone to blame, trade, and/or fire.
The Sixers rallied from 3-1 down to defeat the hated Celtics - one of the all-time great playoff upsets in Philly sports history. The Flyers finally made it to the postseason and destroyed the hated Penguins in the opening round. But when both were swept in the next round (by the eventual NHL and NBA champions), all we did was complain.
For decades, Philadelphia has been a city that demands winners and has no tolerance for losers.
But it was not always so.
Let's rewind the clock to 1973, when Philly was the quintessential City of Losers.
The Sixers finished 9-73 - the worst regular season record in NBA history to date. The Eagles were coming off a 2-11-1 record, en route to 11 straight losing seasons. The Phillies, rebounding from an NL-worst 59-97 record in 1972, "improved" to 71-91 and another last-place finish. Only the Flyers were starting to show signs of life, having completed their first and only winning season ever.
And then came the Philadelphia Atoms.
The Atoms were an expansion team in the North American Soccer League (NASL) - the league that finally succeeded in putting pro soccer on the map in the US.
Founded by Thomas McCloskey - whose construction company had helped build the Spectrum and the Vet (and would later build the Mann Music Center) - the Atoms featured a lineup of mostly US soccer talent, including Philadelphia-area goalie Bob Rigby.
Let's face it - even today, many American sports fans cannot abide soccer. They see the sport as a bunch of clowns running up and down a field for 90 minutes, never scoring, and faking agonizing injuries every time someone bumps into them - while drunken idiot fans wave flags, sing the filthy songs of their ancestors, and blow annoying horns non-stop.
Nevertheless, in 1973, Philly fell in love with the Atoms, their blue and white uniforms, and their team spirit. They led the NASL in attendance that year. Bob Rigby became the first soccer player ever to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. The Atoms played 19 matches, losing only twice. They went on to defeat the Dallas Tornado 2-0 in the championship, becoming the first major league American sports team ever to win the title in its inaugural season.
It was a heartwarming Philadelphia story. But unfortunately, it was a short story.
The Atoms never had another winning record. Attendance dwindled to fewer than 6,000 fans per match by 1976, their final season. The team, which had played in then-new Veterans Stadium, was demoted to Franklin Field for its final campaign.
The Atoms had split, but their 1973 triumph caused a thermonuclear reaction (or at least marked a major turning point) in Philly's pro sports scene over the following 10 years:
- The Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975.
- The Phillies claimed 5 NL East Division championships in 10 seasons, winning the NL pennant twice and their first-ever World Series title in 1980.
- The Sixers acquired Dr. J, Moses, and many other stars, made 4 trips to the NBA Finals, and won the NBA title in 1983 with a 4-game sweep of the Lakers.
- The Eagles transformed into a perennial contender and made it to the Super Bowl in 1981. Through 1973, the Birds' all-time record was 200-278-22 (.418). It has been 449-367-5 (.550) since then, with 10 NFC Championship appearances, 5 trips to the Super Bowl, and 2 rings.
That 10-year time span also saw the birth of other successful teams - the Wings (lacrosse), Freedoms (World Team Tennis), and Stars (USFL football).
Philadelphia has become America's premier pro sports town, with fans of unmatched passion and winning teams - including the Union, which now carry on the proud tradition forged by the 1973 Atoms.
