Seattle Sounders: Kicking through the memories
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May 5, 1974: The Sounders play first pro match in North American Soccer League in Los Angeles, losing 2-1 to the Aztecs in front of 4,107 fans.
May 12, 1974: Midfielder Willie Penman scores in the second minute and forward John Rowlands tallies a pair of goals as the Sounders beat the Denver Dynamos 4-0 in their first match in Seattle. A sell-out crowd of 12,132 witnesses the event at Memorial Stadium. Players wave at fans for their support after the game at midfield.
July 26, 1974: After a 5-1 win over the L.A. Aztecs, players again wave at the fans. The bond is formed and this tradition turns into the full "victory lap" when the team moves into the spacious Kingdome in 1976.
April 9, 1976: The Sounders play the first sports event at the Kingdome, opening the new stadium in front of 58,128 fans. Seattle lose the NASL exhibition 3-1 to the Pele-led New York Cosmos.
Aug. 18, 1976: Sounders earn their first NASL playoff win with a 1-0 triumph over the Vancouver Whitecaps at the Kingdome before 30,000 fans. Geoff Hurst tallies the game-winning goal.
1976: John Best, the Sounders' first coach, leaves to take general manager job with the Vancouver Whitecaps, where he stays 1977 to '80. The Whitecaps won Soccer Bowl '79 under Best.
Aug. 25, 1977: Sounders reach Soccer Bowl '77 by beating the Los Angeles Aztecs 1-0 in front of 56,000 at the Kingdome.
Aug. 28, 1977: Pele and the New York Cosmos defeat the Sounders 2-1 in Soccer Bowl '77 at Civic Stadium in Portland.
1977: Sounders defender Jimmy McAlister is named NASL Rookie of the Year.
1980: Sounders finish 25-7, the most regular-season wins in NASL history under new coach Alan Hinton, who is named NASL Coach of the Year.
1980: Sounders forward Roger Davies named NASL MVP.
1980: Sounders goalkeeper Jack Brand named North American Player of the Year.
Sept. 8, 1982: Sounders top the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 4-3 in OT to keep Soccer Bowl '82 hopes alive in what most consider the best game in team history. The Sounders return home Sept. 10 and win best-of-three series with 1-0 OT win on a long, left-footed goal from Kenny Hibbitt.
Sept. 18, 1982: In Soccer Bowl, New York Cosmos beat the Sounders 1-0 in San Diego.
1982: Sounders forward Peter Ward named NASL MVP.
1982: Sounders forward Mark Peterson, a Tacoma native, was named North American Player of the Year.
Sept. 6, 1983: Sounders franchise folds. The rest of the NASL shuts down after the 1984 season.
1984: F.C. Seattle Storm, initially coached by former Sounder Tom Jenkins, forms to fill outdoor pro soccer void for area's top players until 1990. The indoor Tacoma Stars formed in 1983.
1994: Hinton obtains rights of Sounders' name and leads a new ownership as the franchise is reborn, joining the American Professional Soccer League, which later becomes the A-League.
July 23, 1994: Sounders play their first home match in 11 years, beating Colorado 2-0 at the Tacoma Dome.
1994: Alan Hinton named APSL Coach of the Year as Sounders finish atop regular-season standings at 14-6.
1995: Sounders win A-League championship, beating Atlanta Ruckus in the best-of-three finals.
1995: Sounders midfielder Peter Hattrup named A-League MVP.
1996: Sounders win A-League championship, knocking off Rochester Raging Rhinos in 2-0 in title match.
1998: Sounders forward Mark Baena named A-League MVP.
2000: Sounders coach Neil Megson voted A-League Coach of the Year after club wins Pacific Division.
2002: Sounders first-year coach Brian Schmetzer, a former Sounders player, voted A-League Coach of the Year.
2002: Sounders midfielder Leighton O'Brien named league MVP as team posts second-best regular season in A-league history (23-4-1).
2003: Sounders win Pacific Division, reach Western Conference finals.
2003: Sounders beat the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS 1-0 in fourth round to post a franchise-best finish in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle falls to the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer 5-1 in quarterfinals.
— Matt Massey