50 Years of Kicking in the Grass: Celebrating the Rowdies’ 1975 Championship

On August 24, 1975, under the warm California sun and in front of over 17,000 fans, the Tampa Bay Rowdies did something no other team from the Suncoast had done before, they brought home a professional sports championship. With a 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, the Rowdies won the North American Soccer League (NASL) title, a game dubbed the “Soccer Super Bowl.” It was a defining moment for Tampa Bay, long before the area became known for championships in hockey, and football.

The Rowdies were a first-year expansion team with something to prove. Built with a mix of young Americans and seasoned international players, the team was led by head coach Eddie Firmani, a former South African striker who brought a sense of style and discipline to the squad. They had finished the regular season with a strong 16-6 record, then powered to the finals with playoff wins against Toronto and Miami.

In the championship game, two players stepped into the spotlight. Haitian defender Arsène Auguste, who had barely played all season, came off the bench and scored from long range in the 66th minute, his only goal of the year. “I knew it was going in when I hit it,” he later recalled. Former West Ham United forward Clyde Best, one of the few Black players to break racial barriers in English soccer, added the second goal just minutes before the final whistle, securing the win.

The victory was built not just on scoring, but on defense. Englishman Stewart Jump, who was named the game’s most valuable player, successfully shut down Portland’s top striker, Peter Withe. Behind him stood goalkeeper Paul Hammond, on loan from Crystal Palace in England, who recorded his third straight playoff shutout, a record for the league. The defense, anchored by players like Alex Pringle, Mike Connell, Malcolm Linton, and Auguste, turned away all 18 of Portland’s shots.

The celebration was simple but joyful. Players took a lap around the field and toasted one another with glasses of Gatorade, splitting a $20,000 prize. Though Portland left disappointed with an $8,000 runner-up share, the Rowdies had made history. Local newspapers and national outlets alike praised the team’s grit and character.

The 1975 NASL title wasn’t just about winning a game; it was about putting Tampa Bay on the sports map. Long before the Lightning or Buccaneers hoisted trophies, it was the Rowdies who showed that the region could compete, and win, at the highest level. Their chant, “Kick in the Grass,” became more than a slogan. It was a rallying cry for fans and a sign that professional sports had truly arrived on Florida’s Gulf Coast.