Washington Darts

Defunct American soccer club

Soccer club

Washington Darts

Full name| Washington Darts
Nickname(s)| Darts
Founded| 1967
Dissolved| 1971
(rebranded to Miami Gatos)
Stadium| Brookland Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Capacity| 30,000
Chairman| William Cousins Jr.
General Manager| Norman Sutherland
League| ASL (1967–69)
NASL (1970–71)

Home colors

Away colors

|

The Washington Darts were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 to 1969 and the North American Soccer League in the 1970 and 1971 seasons, though in 1967 they were known as Washington Britannica. They won two ASL championships and played for the NASL championship once. They also won the 1970 NASL International Cup. The club left Washington after 1971 and became the Miami Gatos (1972), Miami Toros (1973–76), Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (1977–83), and Minnesota Strikers (1984), in the NASL's final season. The club's colors were blue, white and gray.

## History

[edit]

In December 1963, Scottish immigrant Norman Sutherland[1] and soccer players in the Washington, D.C. area created the amateur team, Washington Britannica. In 1967, the team went professional when it joined the American Soccer League. In 1968, they changed their name to the Washington Darts. Following the 1969 season, after winning two consecutive league titles, the Darts left the ASL to join the first division of the American soccer pyramid at the time, the North American Soccer League.[2] After the 1971 NASL season, the team moved to Miami becoming the Miami Gatos.

In 1968, they played their home games at Woodrow Wilson Stadium on the campus of Woodrow Wilson High School on Nebraska Avenue NW.[3] In 1969 they moved their home games to Brookland Stadium on the campus of Catholic University. In 1970 they also played three matches against international teams at RFK Stadium.[4]

In 1968 the Darts became the first professional soccer team to have a black coach in U.S. history when Lincoln Phillips, the goalkeeper, became player-coach.[5]

In 1970, NASL teams rounded out their schedules by playing an assortment of foreign teams including Hoepel from Israel, Varzim from Portugal, Hertha Berlin from Germany and England's Coventry City. These games weren't just for attendance but also counted in the standings. The Washington Darts went 2-2-0 versus the international teams earning the "International Cup". Many teams also played games against Pelé and his Brazilian squad, Santos FC.[6] The 1970 game against Pelé and Santos crushed the Darts previous attendance record of 6,215 against Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C., with 13,878 fans in attendance at RFK Stadium. It was the largest crowd to ever watch a Darts match.[7]

Today, a Washington club soccer team pays tribute to the Darts' legacy via their name: The D.C. Darts.[8]

## Club colors

[edit]

During their time in the NASL, the Darts home colors were gray with blue sleeves, and the away colors were blue.[9]

## Year-by-year

[edit]

Year  | Division  | League  | W  | L  | T  | Pts  | Reg. Season  | Playoffs

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1967–68 | 2  | ASL  | 7  | 6  | 2  | 16  | 2nd(t), First Division  | out of playoffs
1968 | 2  | ASL  | 9  | 1  | 1  | 19  | 1st  | Champions (no playoff)
1969 | 2  | ASL  | 14  | 1  | 5  | 33  | 1st, Southern Division  | Won Championship (Syracuse)
1970 | 1  | NASL  | 14  | 6  | 4  | 137  | 1st, Southern Division  | Lost Championship (Rochester)
1971 indoor | 1  | NASL  | 0  | 2  | 0  | n/a | 4th place  | Lost 3rd place match (St. Louis)
1971 | 1  | NASL  | 8  | 6  | 10  | 111  | 3rd, Southern Division  | out of playoffs

## Coaches

[edit]

* Lincoln Phillips (1968–1970)

## See also

[edit]

* Washington Whips
* Washington Diplomats
* Team America (NASL)
* Miami Gatos 1972
* Miami Toros 1973–76
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1977–83
* Minnesota Strikers 1984
* D.C. United

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Washington Darts General Manager gets new contract". Washington Afro-American. May 20, 1969. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
2. ^ "Washington Set to Return to Soccer League". The Cumberland News. November 13, 1969. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
3. ^ "The Washingtonian". Vol. 4\. Washington Magazine. 1968. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
4. ^ "D.C. Soccer Scheduled". The Federal Times. No. 1\. Army Times Publishing Company. May 13, 1970. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
5. ^ "Trinidad Native is 1st Black U.S. Soccer Coach". Johnson Publishing Company. November 21, 1968. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
6. ^ Dunn, Don (September 17, 1970). "Pelé Amazing to Soccer Experts, Meets Darts Tomorrow at RFK". Cumberland Evening Times. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
7. ^ "Washington Darts Games". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
8. ^ "DC Darts Soccer". Instagram. September 21, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
9. ^ "Washington Darts". sportslogos.net. Retrieved September 11, 2012.

* v
* t
* e

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

* Formerly Miami FC
* Founded 2006
* Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Stadiums|

* Tropical Park Stadium (2006–2008)
* Lockhart Stadium (2009–2016)
* Central Broward Regional Park (2016)

Rivalries|

* Florida Derby
* Coastal Cup

Affiliated clubs|

* Adelaide United FC
* Desportivo Brasil
* Estoril

Previous Clubs|

* Washington Darts (1967–1971)
* Miami Gatos (1972) & Miami Toros (1973–1976)
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983)
* Minnesota Strikers (1984–1988)
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994)
* Florida Strikers (1994–1997)
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (2006–2016)

Other topics|

* Related articles

Seasons

USL First Division|

* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009

USSF D2 Pro League|

* 2010

NASL|

* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016

* v
* t
* e

North American Soccer League (1968–1984)

* Broadcasters
* USSF
* CSA
* Portal
* NASL (2011–2017)
* First overall draft picks

Seasons|

* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984

Soccer Bowls|

* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984

Predecessors|

* USA 1967
* Final
* NPSL 1967
* Final

Indoor seasons|

* 1971
* 1975
* 1976
* 1978
* 1979
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1983
* 1983–84

Conferences|

1968
East
West
1976–1977
Atlantic
Pacific
1978–1980
American
National

Related|

* Soccer Bowl broadcasters
* NASL Indoor Championship

Clubs|

* Atlanta Apollos
* Atlanta Chiefs
* Baltimore Bays
* Baltimore Comets
* Boston Beacons
* Boston Minutemen
* Boston Shamrock Rovers1
* Calgary Boomers
* California Surf
* Chicago Mustangs
* Chicago Spurs2
* Chicago Sting
* Cleveland Stokers
* Caribous of Colorado
* Connecticut Bicentennials
* Dallas Tornado
* Denver Dynamos
* Detroit Cougars
* Detroit Express
* Edmonton Drillers
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers
* Golden Bay Earthquakes
* Hartford Bicentennials
* Houston Hurricane
* Houston Stars
* Jacksonville Tea Men
* Kansas City Spurs
* Las Vegas Quicksilvers
* Los Angeles Aztecs
* Los Angeles Wolves
* Memphis Rogues
* Miami Gatos
* Miami Toros
* Minnesota Kicks
* Minnesota Strikers
* Montreal Manic
* Montreal Olympique
* New England Tea Men
* New York Cosmos
* New York Generals
* New York Skyliners1
* Oakland Clippers
* Oakland Stompers
* Philadelphia Spartans2
* Philadelphia Atoms
* Philadelphia Fury
* Pittsburgh Phantoms2
* Portland Timbers
* Rochester Lancers
* San Antonio Thunder
* San Diego Jaws
* San Diego Sockers
* San Diego Toros
* San Francisco Golden Gate Gales1
* San Jose Earthquakes
* Seattle Sounders
* St. Louis Stars
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* Team America
* Team Hawaii
* Toronto Blizzard
* Toronto City1
* Toronto Falcons
* Toronto Metros
* Toronto Metros-Croatia
* Tulsa Roughnecks
* Vancouver Royals
* Vancouver Whitecaps
* Washington Darts
* Washington Diplomats
* Washington Whips

1 United Soccer Association team that did not join NASL upon merger with NPSL.
2 National Professional Soccer League team that did not join NASL upon merger with USA.

* v
* t
* e

American Soccer League (1933–1983)

Seasons|

* 1933–34
* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983

Teams|

* Baltimore Americans
* Baltimore Bays
* Baltimore Flyers
* Baltimore Germans
* Baltimore Pompei
* Baltimore Rockets
* Baltimore S.C.
* Baltimore St. Gerards
* Baltimore Stars
* Bethlehem Hungarian
* Bird & Son
* Boca Juniors
* Boston Astros
* Boston Metros
* Boston Soccer Club
* Boston Tigers
* Brookhattan
* Brookhattan-Galicia
* Brooklyn Celtic
* Brooklyn
* Brooklyn Hakoah
* Brooklyn Hispano
* Brooklyn Italians
* Brooklyn Wanderers
* California Sunshine
* Canton S.C.
* Carolina Lightnin'
* Chicago Americans
* Chicago Cats
* Cleveland Cobras
* Cleveland Stars
* Colombo
* Columbus Magic
* Connecticut Wildcats
* Connecticut Yankees
* Cincinnati Comets
* Dallas Americans
* Delaware Wings
* Detroit Express
* Detroit Mustangs
* Elizabeth Falcons
* Fairlawn Rovers
* Falcons SC
* Falcons-Warsaw
* Fall River Astros
* Fall River Rovers
* Fall River SC
* Fall River United
* Galicia-Honduras
* Galicia SC
* Gary Tigers
* Georgia Generals
* Golden Gate Gales
* Gremio Lusitano
* Hartford Kings
* Hartford S.C.
* Hakoah
* Hispano F.C.
* Indiana Tigers
* Indianapolis Daredevils
* Irish-Americans
* Inter SC
* Inter-Brooklyn Italians
* Jacksonville Tea Men
* Kearny Americans
* Kearny Celtic
* Kearny Scots
* Las Vegas Seagulls
* Los Angeles Skyhawks
* Ludlow Lusitano
* Ludlow S.C.
* Lusitano Sports Club
* Miami Americans
* Nashville Diamonds
* New Brunswick Hungarian Americans
* New England Oceaneers
* New England Sharks
* New Jersey Americans
* New Jersey Brewers
* New York Americans
* New York Apollo
* New York Brookhattan
* New York Eagles
* New York Greeks
* New York Hakoah
* New York Hakoah-Americans
* New York Inter
* New York United
* Newark Falcons
* Newark Germans
* Newark Portuguese
* Newark Ukrainian Sitch
* Oklahoma City Slickers
* Olimpia
* Oakland Buccaneers
* Passon Phillies
* Paterson Caledonians
* Paterson F.C.
* Patterson Roma SC
* Pawtucket Rangers
* Philadelphia Americans
* Philadelphia Germans
* Philadelphia German-American
* Philadelphia Nationals
* Philadelphia Spartans
* Philadelphia Ukrainians
* Pennsylvania Stoners
* Pittsburgh Canons
* Pittsburgh Miners
* Ponta Delgada S.C.
* Rhode Island Oceaneers
* Rochester Flash
* Rochester Lancers
* Roma S.C.
* Sacramento Gold
* Sacramento Spirit
* Sacramento Spirits
* Santa Barbara Condors
* Scots-Americans
* Southern California Lazers
* St. Louis Frogs
* St. Mary's Celtic
* Syracuse Scorpions
* Syracuse Suns
* Tacoma Tides
* Trenton Americans
* Trenton Athletics
* Trenton Highlanders
* Uhrik Truckers
* Ukrainian Nationals
* Utah Golden Spikers
* Utah Pioneers
* Virginia Capitol Cavaliers
* Washington Britannica
* Washington Cavaliers
* Washington Darts

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template