1972
Click on the Arrow on right - to get a brief overview of a few of this years' highlights
Lowell's John Bertos appears to be on the road to happiness with his Boston Astros soccer team.
John's team played West Germany's Tus Sennelager team in an exhibition opener at Alumni Stadium and held the German champions to a 2-2 tie.
"Boston wants a winner and I'm going to give it to them" said a grinning manager after Sunday's fray.
Bertos brokered a match against Pele's Santos on June 30, 1972. The match was played at Boston University's Nickerson field. Poor weather, and $10.00 ticket prices hampered attendance.
The Astros played their home games at B.U, and managed some half decent crowds at home, averaging 3,000 per match.
Finishing with a record of 6-2-2, the Astros ventured to Philadelphia to face the Spartans for a semi-final showdown.
The Astros season came to an end with a 1-0 loss at Temple Stadium.
American born rookie Myles "Dusty" Richard
Astros tie German champs 2-2 in front of 7,385 at B.C. opener
THE LOWELL SUN TUESDAY MAY 23, 1972
Bertos on glory road
By OWEN FLYNN
10 years later, and $50,000 poorer, Lowell's John Bertos appears to be on the road to riches, but more important happiness with his Boston Astros soccer team.
John's team, backed financially at last and appearing as a powerhouse, not only played West Germany's Tus Sennelager team in an exhibition opener Sunday at Alumni Stadium but held the German champions to a 2-2 tie thus indicating that the team is solid and could well win the American Soccer League title this year.
Bertos who started his team here as the Lowell Astros a decade ago has been the most persistent person we have ever known. Year after year he suffered losses and refused to quit. "Soccer is in my blood" John would tell us " I just can't walk away from it" repeated the Lowell man time and time again.
Bertos used to play goal for his Lowell team and was ever bringing players over from the old country as well as from South America at his own expense. In between tending goal he worked at the gate and did just about everything to make soccer click.
So Sunday some people turned out to watch his Boston based team play the German champions to a stalemate. Top soccer was offered indeed. In fact the Astros were just as deft and clever as the Germans . Bertos was all smiles. A pay day was in the offing. More important, John has finally received solid backing from a good financial source and no longer does he have to scratch to keep a team together.
Bertos admits that he isn't out of the woods yet. However, he does point out that he has a team that can go all the way to the U.S title in League play. "Boston wants a winner and I'm going to give it to them" said a grinning manager after Sunday's fray.
The Astros get their 10 game American Soccer League season underway on Saturday night June 3 at BU's Nickerson Field and judging from Sunday's exhibition tilt, everything is coming up roses for a man who has poured all of his resources into a game he cannot leave.
If Bertos can give the Hub a winner he's certain to have made it. We wish him well. He has certainly earned every break he can get.
On this day by Kevin Stirling
Saturday 10th June 1972
Aberdeen completed their tour of Canada with a comfortable 5-0 win over Boston Astros in Boston.
Jim Forrest, Dave Robb, Drew Jarvie and Joe Harper were all on the mark for the tourists. While the Dons had moved on from the heat of New York it was a different story in Boston where the game was played in the evening in freezing temperatures.
A crowd of 3,699 watched Aberdeen complete their tour in style although many of the games were played on astro-turf and most of the players did not find the plastic surface to their liking.
Wagner Leao and Pele
BOSTON (UPI)
Superstar of all soccer Pele scored three goals Friday as the Brazilian Santos team defeated a determined but outclassed Boston Astros team.
Neither team showed a strong advantage until the 15 minute mark when Pele scored on a headshot.
The Astros lone goal was scored by Helio "Boom Boom" Barbosa."
Pele is one of the highest paid athletes in any sport.
Before the game, he cautioned against over dramatizing his skill, "People here where soccer is not popular think that I am a God and can have a great game every time. That is nonsense" said Pele
Santos defeated the Astros by a score of 6-1.
June 24, 1972 – Boston Astros prepare for Pele’
June 24, 2017
Post by frankdellapa@gmail.com
When Lowell’s John Bertos started the Astros in the mid-1960s, he acted as owner, coach and goalkeeper. Bertos had to be resourceful, as the team moved from Fall River, to Boston to Worcester, competing in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1975, when the team finished as co-champion of the league. Bertos brought in talented Brazilian players, such as Decio Brito, a former Pelé teammate at Santos FC and brother of Seleçāo star Brito. Bertos, whose son, Mike, was a standout at Boston University, went on to coach Lowell High School’s soccer team in the ‘80s.
In late June 1972, the Astros played an ASL game before 800 spectators, then drew a similar crowd for an exhibition against Santos FC and Pelé.
June 24, 1972 – Boston Astros 5:1 Delaware Wings at Everett Memorial Stadium (Att.: 800)
Gambian Charlie Thomas, a former Harvard star, scored the first goal off a Clair De Boer rebound. Itamar Alves broke a 1-1 halftime deadlock in 49th minute. Myles “Dusty” Richard (now coach at The Brooks School, where he guided players such as Charlie Davies and Mike Fucito) was the Astros’ only U.S.-born player, according to Bob Monahan’s story in The Boston Globe.
June 30, 1972 – Boston Astros 1:6 Santos FC at Nickerson Field (Att.: 1,000)
Pelé scored three goals “before departing in a police car at the 24-minute mark” of the second half. Fog, high ticket prices ($10) and a “false radio report that the game had been canceled” likely contributed to limiting the crowd. Heitor “Boom Boom” Barbosa’s 44th-minute goal equalized. Alfonso Celso Garcia Reis “Afonsinho” put on a halftime juggling exhibition. Afonsinho “owns his own contract” and sued for the right to wear a beard and long hair on the field,” according to M.R. Montgomery’s story in the Globe. Indeed, Afonsinho had become the first Brazilian player to own his own pass, essentially the country’s first free agent.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Myles "Dusty" Richard
