Atlanta Chiefs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Atlanta Chiefs

Atlanta Chiefs logo, 1980–1981
Full name	Atlanta Chiefs (1967–1972, 1979–1981) Atlanta Apollos (1973)
Founded	1967 (original team) 1979 (reformed team)
Dissolved	1973 (original team) 1981 (reformed team)
Stadium	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (outdoor) (1967–1969, 1971–1972, 1979–1981) Tara Stadium (outdoor) (1970) Grant Field (outdoor) (1973) Omni Coliseum (indoor) (1979–1981)
Stadium capacity	51,383 (Atlanta Stadium) 10,000 (Tara Stadium) 58,121 (Grant Field) 15,155 (Omni Coliseum)
Owners	Atlanta Braves, Inc (1967–73), Atlanta Hawks, Inc (1973), Ted Turner & Dick Cecil (1979–81)
League	NPSL (1967) NASL (1968–1973, 1979–1981)
Home colors Away colors

The Atlanta Chiefs were a professional soccer team from Atlanta, Georgia. They played in two major leagues: the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1968 to 1973. The team was later brought back from 1979 to 1981. For one season in 1973, they were known as the Atlanta Apollos.

The team started in 1967 thanks to Dick Cecil, who was a Vice President for the Atlanta Braves baseball team. He was very interested in the 1966 FIFA World Cup and thought a soccer team would be a great addition to Atlanta Stadium. This stadium was the Chiefs' main home field for most of their early years.

In 1973, the team was sold and changed its name to the Atlanta Apollos. They played at Grant Field before the team stopped playing at the end of that season. The Chiefs' name and logo were brought back in 1979 by Dick Cecil and Ted Turner. This happened when another NASL team, the Colorado Caribous, moved to Atlanta. The Chiefs played at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium again, and also at the Omni Coliseum for indoor soccer games. The team stopped playing for good in 1981.

A famous soccer team in South Africa, Kaizer Chiefs F.C., was actually inspired by the Atlanta Chiefs! Their founder, Kaizer Motaung, played for the Atlanta Chiefs and loved the team's name and logo.

The Story of the Atlanta Chiefs

How the Team Started (1966–1967)

The idea for a professional soccer team in Atlanta came from Dick Cecil in 1966. He worked for the Atlanta Braves, a baseball team. Even though he had never seen a soccer game, he was fascinated by stories from the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He believed soccer games could bring in a lot of fans to the new Atlanta Stadium. The Chiefs were one of several new sports teams to start in Atlanta around that time.

In 1966, the Atlanta Braves helped create a team in the new NPSL. The team was named the Chiefs because it fit with the Braves' use of Native American themes. On September 8, Phil Woosnam was hired as the head coach and a player. Team tryouts and training happened at Emory University. The first team had international players like Vic Crowe and Peter McParland.

The Chiefs played their first game on April 16, 1967, against the Baltimore Bays. They lost 1–0, but this game was special because it was the first professional soccer match shown on TV in the United States. Before the game, players held flags from their home countries. The Chiefs finished their first season with 10 wins, 9 losses, and 12 ties. After 1967, the NPSL joined with another league to form the North American Soccer League (NASL).

Big Wins and a Championship (1968)

In 1968, the Chiefs played two friendly matches against Manchester City F.C., a top team from England. In the first game on May 28, the Chiefs surprised everyone by winning 3–2. After this loss, Manchester City's assistant manager said the Atlanta team "couldn't play in the fourth division in England." Manchester City asked for a rematch, and on June 15, the Chiefs won again, this time 2–1.

Atlanta Stadium, the Chiefs' first home venue

Atlanta Chiefs captain Ray Bloomfield explained the big wins. He said it was like English soccer players coming to America and beating a Super Bowl-winning American football team. Later that season, on August 28, the Chiefs played against Santos FC from Brazil. They lost 6–2, but over 25,000 people came to watch, which was a huge crowd for soccer in Atlanta at the time. Famous player Pelé played in this game, years before he joined the New York Cosmos.

The Chiefs ended their 1968 season by winning the NASL Final 1968 against the San Diego Toros at Atlanta Stadium. About 15,000 fans watched them become the first NASL champions. They were also the first professional sports team in Atlanta to win a championship! Atlanta didn't see another championship until the Braves won the 1995 World Series. Soccer fans had to wait until Atlanta United FC won the MLS Cup 2018. After their win, the players even received championship rings, which is common in American sports but unusual in soccer.

After the 1968 season, coach Phil Woosnam left to become the commissioner of the NASL. Vic Rouse took over as the team's manager.

Later Years and the Team's Return (1969–1981)

After 1968, the NASL faced some tough times. Many teams folded, and the league's TV contract ended. By 1969, only five teams were left. The 1969 season was split into two parts. In the first part, called the International Cup, the NASL clubs were represented by teams from the United Kingdom. The Chiefs were represented by Aston Villa F.C.. They tied for third place. In the second half of the season, the teams played with their normal rosters. The Chiefs finished second to the Kansas City Spurs.

After 1969, the Chiefs looked for a new home stadium because Atlanta Stadium was too expensive. They moved to Tara Stadium for the 1970 season, but returned to Atlanta Stadium the next year. In 1970, Sonny Carter became the first American-born player to sign with the team. In 1971, the Chiefs won their division and made it to the NASL Final 1971, but they lost to the Dallas Tornado.

Atlanta Apollos logo

After the 1972 season, the team was sold to the owners of the Atlanta Hawks. The team was renamed the Atlanta Apollos and played at Grant Field in 1973. The Apollos had their worst season, winning only 3 games. After that, the team stopped playing.

The Chiefs' name and logo came back in 1979! This happened when the Colorado Caribous team moved to Atlanta. Dick Cecil and Ted Turner became the new owners. Turner bought the team after talking with Cecil about soccer. This new Chiefs team had famous players like Victor Nogueira and Jomo Sono. After the 1979 season, David Chadwick became the team manager.

Even though the team improved in 1981 and had more fans, it wasn't making enough money. So, Ted Turner decided to close the team after that season. For these three years, the team played at Atlanta Stadium (which was now called Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium) and also at the Omni Coliseum for indoor soccer games.

What They Left Behind

One of the biggest impacts of the Chiefs was introducing soccer to Atlanta. In 1968, the Chiefs reported that fewer than 150 people in Atlanta played organized soccer before the team arrived. By mid-1968, that number had grown to about 16,000! The Chiefs also held over 390 soccer clinics across Georgia. These efforts, led by Phil Woosnam, helped create the Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League and the soccer program at Georgia State University.

The Kaizer Chiefs F.C. from South Africa was founded in 1970 by Kaizer Motaung. He played for the Atlanta Chiefs in 1968 and 1969. Motaung said he based his team's name and logo on the Atlanta Chiefs because he wanted his team to be like his experience in Atlanta.

Team Performance Year by Year

Outdoor Seasons

Indoor Seasons

Team Achievements

Head Coaches

• Phil Woosnam (1967–1968)
• Vic Rouse (1969–1972)
• Ken Bracewell (1973)
• Dan Wood (1979–1980)
• David Chadwick (1980–1981)

See also

In Spanish: Atlanta Chiefs para niños