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San Francisco, California – August, 2006 Not far away in distance, but vastly separated by tradition and history, the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, New York shares the same region of the country as its baseball counterpart in Cooperstown. They share little else. The Baseball Hall of Fame's majestic legacy dates back to 1939, and approximately 350,000 people per year visit its three-story complex. The Oneonta facility opened just seven years ago; until that time, the archives, records, photographs and exhibits were housed – literally – at a modest home in the city. Yet like its upstate cousin, the Soccer Hall of Fame opens its doors virtually every day of the year to welcome visitors eager to know more about the sport and to glimpse into its past. Like its hardball relative up the road, the Soccer HOF also hosts an annual exhibition game on the weekend it inducts new members. Visitors can see photographs and memorabilia dating back to the late 1800s, when the sport began to spread from New England colleges to working-class communities. The glamorous Cosmos years and the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League are well documented, as is the growth of Major League Soccer. Yet also depicted are U.S. Open Cups won by teams like Bethlehem Steel, Fall River, and Simpkins-Ford in the first half of the last century.  US National Team Captain Carla Overbeck in her greatest moment. On August 28th, joining the ranks of inductees will be former U.S. national team players Alexi Lalas and Carla Overbeck, who retired from club play in 2003 and were elected on the first ballot for which they were eligible. "It's a great honor for two stalwart defenders for the U.S. national team for many years," says U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati. "Alexi and Carla participated in multiple World Cups and multiple Olympics as well, and achieved a great deal of success over a long period of time." Also entering the Soccer HOF will be former NASL professional Al Trost, a St. Louis native who played for the U.S. between 1971 and 1978; and billionaire Philip Anschutz, named as a builder for his extensive investment in MLS. Defenders they both may be, but Lalas and Overbeck couldn't be more different. Lalas' rock-star look and quirky quotes raised the game's profile in the U.S. immeasurably during a playing career that encompassed 96 international games. A thoughtful, intelligent young man, he exuded a gregarious persona associated with shaggy red hair, a stringy goatee, and a music career that eventually produced three albums. "He became an icon that transcended his playing ability because of his look, because of his music, because of his outspoken comments," says Gulati. "The sport needs figures and characters like that." Overbeck chose a quieter path. In a 13-year national team career that spanned three Women's World Cups and two Olympic competitions, she led the Americans to three titles, two of them as captain. Despite playing for her country 168 times, seldom did she earn a mention; the country knew far more about Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain than the rugged, reliable defensive linchpin, admittedly slow of foot yet quick of mind. "Carla didn't need blazing speed because she was four steps ahead of the game and the player she was marking," says Foudy. "She was our true leader. She was always this constant voice and presence from the back, this stabilizing force." Their vital roles in the World Cups hosted by the United States in 1994 and 1999 exemplified not only their careers, but also their personalities. After the U.S. team stunned Colombia, 2-1, in a packed Rose Bowl during the 1994 World Cup, Lalas -- draped in American flag, of course -- exclaimed, "It's fantastic! It's historical! It's very cool."
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