Pittsburgh Spirit Reunion Being Hosted by Riverhounds
Published on September 23, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
PITTSBURGH - Absolute Magic will happen at F.N.B. Stadium with the Pittsburgh Spirit Reunion taking place during the Pittsburgh Riverhounds match against Hartford Athletic on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.
The Spirit was one of the six founding clubs of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), and the team represented a strong foundation for soccer in Pittsburgh and held a unique affinity with the fan base during its run from 1978-86. This year marks 40 years since the team was disbanded, and former Spirit players and staff are coming together at F.N.B Stadium to celebrate that special history.
Spirit alumni will be honored as part of the in-stadium festivities at the Riverhounds match on Oct. 10, and the Hounds will be seen wearing Spirit-inspired warm-up jerseys during pregame. Those jerseys, along with Spirit T-shirts, hats and scarves will be on sale during the match. Tickets for the Oct. 10 match are available now through Ticketmaster or by visiting Riverhounds.com.
In preparation for the Spirit Reunion, media members are invited to catch up with some of the former players during an interview taping and media availability Monday, Sept. 28 from 1-3 p.m. at the AHN Montour Sports Complex in Coraopolis. Among those expected to be in attendance are Paul Child, Dave MacKenzie, Bobby Vosmaer, Joe Luxbacher and head coach John Kowalski.
A VIP Welcome Event for Spirit alumni and special guests will be held Friday, Oct. 9 at F.N.B. Stadium, and Spirit fans are able to attend the event and catered dinner for $55 per person. Registration for the Welcome Event is online at PittsburghSpirit.com.
From 1978-86, the Spirit rocked the Civic Arena and gave the city its first taste of professional indoor soccer. The Spirit played a fast, physical game that most American fans had never seen before with recognizable stars such as Child and Stan Terlecki. Pittsburgh fans fell in love with the game along with clever promotions like the Chili Goal (the seventh goal of the game), Hot Legs contest and others. Success was measured with average attendance of more than 8,000 at home games in several seasons. The 1983-84 Spirit team went 32-16, the best regular season in club history, but two years later, owner Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. elected to end the franchise on April 11, 1986 to focus on his resurgent hockey franchise, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Thanks to organizing efforts among the Riverhounds, former Spirit and Hounds head coach Kowalski, former Spirit play-by-play announcer Keith James and Spirit Historian Patrick McCarthy, this will be an excellent affair to take part in and remember the excitement and history of Pittsburgh Spirit soccer.
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