Baltimore Blast
Full name | Baltimore Blast | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Blast | ||
Founded | 1992 (as Baltimore Spirit) | ||
Stadium | Royal Farms Arena | ||
Capacity | 11,286 | ||
Chairman | Edwin F. Hale, Sr.[1] | ||
Coach | Danny Kelly | ||
League | Major Arena Soccer League | ||
2015–16 |
1st, Eastern Division Playoffs: Champions | ||
Website | Club home page | ||
| |||
The Baltimore Blast are an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The team is a part of the Major Arena Soccer League. [2]
The team, founded in 1992, plays its home games at Royal Farms Arena. Team colors are red and gold. Their current head coach is Danny Kelly.
History
NPSL/MISL II/MISL III Years
The Baltimore Blast were founded by North Carolina-based software executive Bill Stealey as the Baltimore Spirit at the end of July 1992 and joined the National Professional Soccer League. The team replaced the earlier Baltimore Blast, who folded along with the original Major Indoor Soccer League.[3] When the team was purchased by Ed Hale, a former owner of the original team, the Spirit were renamed the Blast on July 10, 1998[4] (Hale had the rights to the Blast name, hence the reason why the team decided to change its name) and joined the new MISL II in 2001. After the MISL II folded in 2008, the team announced it would be joining the new National Indoor Soccer League, which would later acquire the rights to, and became, the third version of the MISL.
Shift to MASL
One day after the 2013–2014 MISL Championship final, USL President Tim Holt announced a number of teams would not be returning to the MISL the following year.[5] The franchise announced on April 2, 2014, that it would not return to the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) after its contract with the United Soccer Leagues (USL), owners of the circuit, expired following the 2013–14 season.[6] It was officially announced the Blast would be one of six teams joining the Professional Arena Soccer League (later renamed the Major Arena Soccer League) in the 2014–2015 season.[7][8]
In their first two seasons as a member of MASL, the Blast would win 33 out of 39 games. They placed first in the Eastern Division in both the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons, played in the 2015 and 2016 championship series and won the 2016 series over Soles de Sonora two games to none.
Launch of the IPL
On February 18, 2016, Blast owner Ed Hale announced his intentions to leave the Major Arena Soccer League and form a new league.[9]
On May 3, 2016, the expansion franchise Florida Tropics SC held a press conference stating they would be joining the IPL. At the press conference Ed Hale was announced as the chairman of the league, and Sam Fantauzzo, former owner of the Rochester Lancers, was announced as the first commissioner of the league. It was announced that the St. Louis Ambush, Baltimore Blast, and Harrisburg Heat had "resigned" from the MASL.[10][11]
On August 29, 2016, the Blast, Heat, Ambush re-entered the MASL, with the expansion Tropics joining. [12] The move effectively folded the IPL, as no teams remained in the league.
Players
2016–17 roster
- As of November 6, 2016[13]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Retired numbers
Player | Number |
---|---|
Stan Stamenkovic | #10 |
Hall of Fame
Position | Person | Inducted |
---|---|---|
Coach | Kenny Cooper | 2004 |
FW | Stan Stamenkovic | 2004 |
DF | Mike Stankovic | 2004 |
DF | Bruce Savage | 2005 |
N/A | Earl Foreman | 2005 |
FW | Tim Wittman | 2005 |
FW | Joey Fink | 2006 |
FW | Dave MacWilliams | 2006 |
FW | Heinz Wirtz | 2007 |
FW | Domenic Mobilio | 2008 |
GK | Keith Van Eron | 2008 |
FW | Billy Ronson | 2009 |
DF | Richard Chinapoo | 2009 |
FW | Pat Ercoli | 2010 |
GK | Cris Vaccaro | 2010 |
DF | Doug Neely | 2011 |
FW | Dan Counce | 2012 |
DF | Rusty Troy | 2012 |
FW | Tarik Walker | 2013 |
MF | Denison Cabral | 2014 |
DF | Lance Johnson | 2015 |
Notable former players
- Denison Cabral
- Jason Dieter
- Jason Maricle
- Tony McPeak
- Tino Nuñez
- PJ Wakefield
- Rusty Troy
- Tarik Walker
- Barry Stitz
Year-by-year
Year | League | Reg. Season | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs | Avg. attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992-93 | NPSL II | 27-13 | 309 | 256 | 1st American | Lost Quarterfinal | 5,444 |
1993-94 | NPSL II | 26-14 | 322 | 293 | 1st American | Lost First Round | 6,471 |
1994-95 | NPSL II | 23-17 | 317 | 307 | 3rd American | Lost First Round | 5,733 |
1995-96 | NPSL II | 25-15 | 306 | 258 | 2nd American | Lost Division Semifinal | 5,037 |
1996-97 | NPSL II | 20-20 | 260 | 258 | 2nd East | Lost Conference Semifinal | 4,760 |
1997-98 | NPSL II | 12-28 | 250 | 300 | 3rd East | Failed to qualify | 5,001 |
1998-99 | NPSL II | 19-21 | 271 | 290 | 3rd East | Failed to qualify | 4,795 |
1999-00 | NPSL II | 26-18 | 339 | 275 | 1st East | Lost Conference Final | 5,445 |
2000-01 | NPSL II | 22-18 | 300 | 260 | 3rd American | Lost Conference Final | 5,376 |
2001-02 | MISL II | 18-26 | 265 | 274 | 4th MISL | Lost Semifinal | 4,998 |
2002-03 | MISL II | 18-18 | 189 | 182 | 3rd Eastern | Won Championship | 5,559 |
2003-04 | MISL II | 25-11 | 241 | 192 | 1st Eastern | Won Championship | 6,330 |
2004-05 | MISL II | 15-24 | 205 | 238 | 7th MISL | Failed to qualify | 5,752 |
2005-06 | MISL II | 17-13 | 184 | 168 | 2nd MISL | Won Championship | 7,005 |
2006-07 | MISL II | 15-15 | 154 | 150 | 5th MISL | Failed to qualify | 7,449 |
2007-08 | MISL II | 19-11 | 186 | 135 | 3rd MISL | Won Championship | 7,230 |
2008-09 | NISL | 14-4 | 132 | 66 | 1st NISL | Won Championship | 7,534 |
2009-10 | MISL III | 11-9 | 105 | 97 | 2nd MISL | Lost Semifinal | 6,259 |
2010-11 | MISL III | 15-5 | 131 | 93 | 1st MISL | Lost Final | 6,933 |
2011-12 | MISL III | 18-6 | 165 | 108 | 1st Eastern | Lost Final | 5,961 |
2012-13 | MISL III | 21-5 | 181 | 108 | 1st MISL | Won Championship | 5,544 |
2013-14 | MISL III | 17-3 | 147 | 46 | 1st MISL | Lost Final | 6,123 |
2014-15 | MASL | 18-2 | 167 | 69 | 1st Eastern | Lost Final | 6,201 |
2015-16 | MASL | 15-4 | 129 | 57 | 1st Eastern | Won Championship | 6,102 |
Total | 456-320 Win % = .588% |
49-29 Win % = .628% |
5,820 |
Head coaches
- Kenny Cooper Sr. (1992-1994)
- Dave MacWilliams (1994-1996)
- Mike Stankovic (1996-1998)
- Kevin Healey (1998-2002)
- Sean Bowers (2002)
- Bobby McAvan (2002-2003)
- Tim Wittman (2003-2006)
- Danny Kelly (2006–present)
Arenas
- Royal Farms Arena; Baltimore, Maryland (1992–present) (previously Baltimore Civic Center, Baltimore Arena, 1st Mariner Arena)
References
- ↑ Wells, Carrie (November 8, 2014). "'Hale Storm' reveals prominent former banker's CIA ties, two failed marriages". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ↑ http://pointstreaksites.com/view/masl/news/news_460679
- ↑ Ey, Craig S. (August 11, 1997). "Can soccer succeed in Baltimore?". Baltimore Business Journal. Baltimore, MD: Advance Publications. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.kicksfan.com/opponents/baltimore/new/index.htm
- ↑ http://www.frequency.com/video/misl-statement/156411245
- ↑ Graham, Glenn (April 3, 2014). "Seeking to become 'more relevant,' Blast breaks away from MISL". The Baltimore Sun.
- ↑ Graham, Glenn (November 7, 2014). "A look at the Blast's new league, the MASL". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2014/04/14/ed-hale-moves-baltimore-blast-to-professional.html
- ↑ Graham, Glenn (February 18, 2016). "Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale plans to remove team from MASL, form new league". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/FLTropics/videos/1783778395175144/
- ↑ http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/soccer/bs-sp-blast-brief-0504-20160503-story.html
- ↑ "MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE EXPANDS TO THE SUNSHINE STATE". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ↑ "Baltimore Blast Roster". baltimoreblast.com. Retrieved 6 November 2016.