1979 NASL SOCCER BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP
On September 8, 1979, the Whitecaps played the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the N.A.S.L. Championship, defeating them by a score of 2-1. The Whitecaps returned home to a parade of 100,000 fans on Robson Street with the Championship Cup in tow. It was a monumental achievement for the club, the city of Vancouver and BC soccer fans.
The road to the Soccer Bowl saw the Whitecaps match up against the Dallas Tornado, Los Angeles Aztecs and New York Cosmos before reaching the Championship game. Vancouver’s stiffest post-season opposition that year came against the heavily favoured Cosmos. The series was decided in a tie breaking game that went into extra time, and finally a shootout to determine a winner.
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| Above: The Whitecaps clinch the West Division Title with a win over San Jose and move on to the playoffs. |
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Above: The New York Cosmos visit Vancouver for their National Conference Final televised live on ABC in front of a sold out 32,000 fans at Empire Stadium. |
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| Left: Lenarduzzi and Valentine combine for a goal against the Cosmos. Middle: "What Cosmos ? . . ." asked Derek Possee after his goal and a Whitecaps win. Right: Above: John Craven celebrates with Willie Johnson |
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| Above: John Craven and Franz Beckenbauer led out their teams to start the conference final at Giants Stadium. The Whitecaps went on to win in a shoot-out to go on to the Championship Final against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in New York. |
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| Three facets of Whitecaps Character. Like everyone else Phil Parkes (left) ran out for Soccer Bowl introductions. Unlike everyone else Allan Ball walked. And "pregnant" Willie Johnston used a ball to break the tension. |
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| Speedsters Carl Valentine and Francisco Marinho had many close encounters. |
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Kevin Hectors shot smashed off the New York goalpost with Hubert Birkenmeier beaten. |
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| Above: Trevor Whymark's second goal clinches a 2-1 soccer bowl win for the Whitecaps over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. |
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Above: New Yorkers made no secret of their feelings for the Whitecaps. |
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| Above: Vancouver has a firm grip on the North American Soccer Bowl championship. |
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Above: John Craven - Defensive player of the Soccer Bowl. |
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| Above: Allan Ball - Named most valuable player of the playoffs. |
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Above: Trevor Whymark - Soccer Bowl's offensive player of the match. |
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| Above: Buzz Parsons celebrates with DR. Henry Kissinger. |
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Above: Bob Lenarduzzi with the '79 Championship trophy. |
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| Above: Thousands of Vancouver fans traveled to New York to take part in the celebrations. |
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Above: Vancouver returns home to an overflow celebration with 100,000 fans lining the downtown streets. |
"You are the number 1 fans and we are the number 1 team"
Carl Valentine September 9, 1979
