It was a freshman in high school 15 years ago, and I remember only a little. I know there was a controversial offside call, I think against Clyde Best in the final 10 minutes. The whole crowd booed, because they thought they should let the play go on, as it was a reunion match. I am sure Timber Jim was there, but over the years the chainsaw has become synonymous with every Timbers match at PGE Park.Please send us what you know or post a comment of what you remember about this match, the stories, photographs, video?, any and all would be awesome.
Found a Oregonian story on line
ReplyDeleteORIGINAL TIMBERS FALL TO NASL STARS
Oregonian, The (Portland, OR) - Saturday, August 12, 1995
Author: JOHN NOLEN - of the Oregonian Staff
Tony Betts came away with a big headache -- but also two first-half goals -- on a nostalgic night for soccer Friday in
Civic Stadium.
Stuart Lee came away with three second-half goals, however, as the younger NASL Old Stars overhauled Betts and
the older original Timbers for a 6-5 exhibition victory.
More important, the Timbers were playing on a field where the old Portland franchise drew more than 1.6 million
spectators during eight seasons, and it was a final, memorable swan song in what was billed as their final reunion
game.
It was an special night for Betts and eight other members of the original Timbers team that captured the city with
their memorable 1975 season marked by huge late-season crowds that filled the stadium and carried the ``Lads of
Summer'' to Soccer Bowl.
The game commemorated that 1975 season, but 20 years have passed and only 1,237 spectators -- a far cry from
the 1975 home playoff crowds of 33,000 and 35,000 -- showed to cheer their one-time heroes one final time.
The lack of fans, however, did not take away the emotion felt by the ex-Timbers, especially the nine from the original
team.
Graham Brown, the goalkeeper on the 1975 team, played the entire first half, making four saves, as the Timbers built
a 4-1 lead.
The NASL Old Stars had youth on their side, however, and they dominated the second half, led by Lee's three
consecutive goals within five minutes. Jim Tursi's unassisted goal gave the NASL Old Stars a 5-4 lead in the 63rd
minute.
Ignacio Baez, a younger ex-Timber on loan to the short-handed original Timbers, forged a 5-5 tie with a header in
the 82nd minute.
But a controversial own-goal by the original Timbers gave the NASL stars the victory -- after time had expired.
``The referee gave us a few extra seconds because the other team stalled in the corner,'' NASL star Jimmy Conway
explained.
Teammate Fran O'Brian used the extra seconds to cross the ball in front of the goal. But when Chris Dangerfield of
the original Timbers tried to clear it, it glanced off his shin and wound up in the back of the net.
The first half, it was all original Timbers as Betts scored twice and Clyde Best and Brian Gant also beat goalie Bill
Irwin.
Edition: SUNRISE