Chicago Horizon
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Horizons was a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) for only the 1980–81 season. It was the first of two franchise
s that represented Chicago
in the circuit's history. It was the first professional sports team that played its home matches at the Rosemont Horizon
, which also inspired the club's nickname
. The team colors were orange
, yellow
, black
and red
. The head coach was Luis Dabo.
The Horizons, with a 20–20 record, finished tied for third place with the Buffalo Stallions
in the Central Division and qualified for the playoffs. After a 4–3 victory in Game One of a First Round best-of-three series with the Wichita Wings
, the Horizons lost the last two contests 6–4 and 8–6 and were eliminated from the postseason. Enzo Di Pede won the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award.
Even though the Horizons suspended operations following the campaign, the league still wanted to revive the franchise. That all ended when Lee Stern
, owner of the North American Soccer League
's Chicago Sting
which played both indoors
and outdoors at the time, paid the MISL to discontinue those plans and effectively eliminated the competition in the Chicago market.
25 Games 0 goals Leslaw Cmikiewicz
Enzo Di Pede 16 Games 0 goals Don Droege
Horst Fleps George Gorleku
Clive Griffiths
Herve Guilliod
Kevin Handlan
Paul Kitson
Peter Knezic
Juan Carlos Michia Damien Ogunsiyi Ben Popoola Craig Reynolds
Gino Schiraldi Antonio Simoes
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
s that represented Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the circuit's history. It was the first professional sports team that played its home matches at the Rosemont Horizon
Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and...
, which also inspired the club's nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
. The team colors were orange
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
, yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
and red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
. The head coach was Luis Dabo.
The Horizons, with a 20–20 record, finished tied for third place with the Buffalo Stallions
Buffalo Stallions
The Buffalo Stallions were a soccer team based out of Buffalo, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 to 1984. Their home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.-History:...
in the Central Division and qualified for the playoffs. After a 4–3 victory in Game One of a First Round best-of-three series with the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
, the Horizons lost the last two contests 6–4 and 8–6 and were eliminated from the postseason. Enzo Di Pede won the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award.
Even though the Horizons suspended operations following the campaign, the league still wanted to revive the franchise. That all ended when Lee Stern
Lee Stern
Lee B. Stern is the longest tenured trader at the Chicago Board of Trade. He has been one of the most successful traders in the commodities market throughout his time there, and is well known for his involvement in the Chicago sports scene as well...
, owner of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
's Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
which played both indoors
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
and outdoors at the time, paid the MISL to discontinue those plans and effectively eliminated the competition in the Chicago market.
1980–1981 Roster
Gary AllisonGary Allison
Gary Allison is a retired German-born American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.-College:...
25 Games 0 goals Leslaw Cmikiewicz
Leslaw Cmikiewicz
Lesław Ćmikiewicz is a retired Polish football player and a football manager. He played for such Polish clubs as Śląsk Wrocław and Legia Warsaw. He also played for the New York Arrows and Chicago Horizon in the Major Indoor Soccer League.Ćmikiewicz played for the Polish national team, for which he...
Enzo Di Pede 16 Games 0 goals Don Droege
Don Droege
Don Droege is a former U.S. soccer defender who played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and three seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team between 1977 and 1979.-Youth and college:...
Horst Fleps George Gorleku
George Gorleku
George Gorleku is a retired soccer defender from Ghana. He played professionally in the American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.Gorleku attended Eastern Illinois University where he played on the men's soccer team from 1975 to 1978...
Clive Griffiths
Clive Griffiths (footballer)
Clive Griffiths is a retired Welsh footballer.Griffiths was born in Pontypridd. He played for Manchester United, Plymouth Argyle and Tranmere Rovers...
Herve Guilliod
Herve Guilliod
Herve Guilliod is a retired Haitian soccer forward who played in both the American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League....
Kevin Handlan
Kevin Handlan
Mike Haas is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He currently works for the McInnis Group....
Paul Kitson
Paul Kitson (American soccer)
Paul Kitson who played and coached professionally with both indoor and outdoor soccer teams in Canada and the United States.-Player:...
Peter Knezic
Peter Knezic
Peter Knezic is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League, United Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer League...
Juan Carlos Michia Damien Ogunsiyi Ben Popoola Craig Reynolds
Craig Reynolds (footballer)
Craig Reynolds is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He is an assistant coach with the DePaul University men's soccer coach. He also served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Fire from 2004 to...
Gino Schiraldi Antonio Simoes
António Simões
António José Simões da Costa ; born Corroios, 14 December 1943) is a Portuguese footballer and a current coach. He played as a left winger for Benfica, from 1961/62 to 1974/75. With only 1.58 m of height, he is seen as the first "Giant Gnome" of Portuguese football, before Rui Barros...
