Pensacola Flyers

The Pensacola Flyers were an American professional indoor soccer team based in Pensacola, Florida. They played their home games in the Pensacola Civic Center. They were members of the Eastern Indoor Soccer League and played only during the 1998 season.[2] During the 1997 season, the team played at the Tupelo Coliseum in Tupelo, Mississippi, as the Tupelo Hound Dogs then relocated to Pensacola during the offseason.[3][1][4][5][6][7]

For the minor league baseball team that operated in the Southeastern League from 1928-1950, see Pensacola Fliers.
Pensacola Flyers
Pensacola Flyers logo
Full namePensacola Flyers
Founded1997 (as Tupelo Hound Dogs)
Dissolved1998
GroundPensacola Civic Center
Pensacola, Florida
Capacity8,150
OwnerDan and Lynn Broadway[1]
Head CoachJimmy Graham
LeagueEastern Indoor Soccer League

During their existence, the Flyers/Hound Dogs played a total of 52 games, winning 22, including one via shootout, and losing 30, including one via shootout. They scored a total of 675 goals and allowed a total of 732 goals and notched 66 total standings points out of a possible 156 points.[6] (The EISL awarded 3 points for a win, 2 for a shootout win, 1 for a shootout loss, and 0 for a loss in regulation.)

The team suspended operations after the 1998 season, as did the Huntsville Fire, ultimately leading to the official collapse of the league in December 1998.[8][9]

History

1997 season
1997 Tupelo Hound Dogs logo[10]

The Tupelo Hound Dogs finished fifth overall in the seven-team league. Under the direction of head coach Jimmy Graham,[10] they finished with a record of 12 wins (including 1 shootout win) and 12 losses for 35 points.[6][11] The team was last in the league in attendance with an average of about 1,000 fans per game.[12][13]

1998 season

The Pensacola Flyers finished sixth overall in the seven-team league, ahead of only the Savannah Rug Ratz. They finished the season with a record of 10 wins and 18 losses (including 1 shootout loss) for 31 points.[6] The Flyers averaged 2,164 fans per game, fifth-best in the EISL where the average league game saw 2,733 fans in attendance.[9][14]

Oleg Baleev was named EISL Rookie of the Year for the 1998 season.[15] Pensacola Flyers forward Brad Snyder was named to the 1998 EISL All-League Third Team. Players receiving All-League Honorable Mentions included midfielders Oleg Baleev and Diego Maradona.[16]

Former players

References
  1. "EISL Announces Changes for 1998 Season". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. February 4, 1998. Archived from the original on February 20, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  2. Vinyard, Todd (June 27, 1998). "Former Tupelo team finding life's a beach as Pensacola Flyers". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  3. Phelps, Gene (November 22, 1996). "Tupelo to get indoor soccer?". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  4. Hall, Jamie (April 22, 2001). "Tupelo waits to see whether two teams can survive". Southeast Missourian. Cape Girardeau, MO: Rust Communications. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  5. Phelps, Gene (February 1, 2007). "Pro sports don't usually pack house in Tupelo". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  6. Litterer, David. "Eastern Indoor Soccer League". USA Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  7. Clayton, John (February 6, 1998). "Soccer team missing a name, but not owners". Savannah Morning News. Savannah, GA: Morris Communications. Archived from the original on October 2, 1999. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  8. Hammack, Don (October 3, 1998). "EISL Teams Call It Quits; Other Teams to Keep On Playing". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. C1.
  9. Clayton, John (December 24, 1998). "Savannah soccer team Rug Ratz and its league are abolished". Savannah Morning News. Savannah, GA: Morris Communications. Archived from the original on May 10, 2003. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  10. Vinyard, Todd (April 9, 1997). "Tupelo Hound Dogs now have face to go with name". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  11. Crossley, Andy (September 26, 2013). "1997 Tupelo Hound Dogs". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  12. Vinyard, Todd (December 2, 1997). "The Tupelo Hound Dogs are looking for a minority interest owner". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  13. Phelps, Gene (January 29, 1998). "The jury is still out on professional sports in Tupelo". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, MS: Journal, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  14. "Daily Report Through Games of 08/16/98". Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 24, 1998. Archived from the original on October 6, 1999. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  15. "Flyers' Baleev Named Rookie of the Year". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 12, 1998. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  16. "EISL Names All-League Team". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 19, 1998. Archived from the original on February 20, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  17. "Dynamite Add Depth and Versatility with Duarte, Main and Molet". Professional Arena Soccer League. October 31, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  18. "2014 Men's Soccer Roster: Coaching Staff". Bobcat Athletics. Ellisville, MS: Jones County Junior College. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
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