Much has been made of our fandom and the Sounders’ competitive nature, dating back now over a half-century. But beyond the ‘Born in ‘74’ catchphrase are those who helped make all the magic come about.
For sure, Seattle’s been much, much more about the collective rather than star power. And that makes for a more nuanced-based discussion when it comes to nominating and advocating for our Eternal Sounders Circle of Legends induction. There’s also the matter of playing catch-up since the queue began forming back before the Kingdome was completed.
Full disclosure: I know each of the nominees being voted upon for 2027 induction, just as I knew each of those individuals honored this past summer. I am bullish on all four and, basically, here’s why: Without these people, the Sounders simply wouldn’t exist as we know it. Not in the beginning and certainly not now, with worldwide recognition of what, together, we’ve created here.
Obviously, Ozzie Alonso needs no introduction to the electorate. He was an everyday fixture in our XI for the first 10 years of MLS. In the beginning, back in 1974, Jimmy Gabriel set the tone for Sounders while playing either at center back or defensive midfield. He threw himself into headers, exhibited strength and skill in winning possession and the lads all fell in behind their captain. Gabriel was the guts, the true Mr. Sounder, and that’s why he’s one of the first three individual inductees.
Ozzie, in the estimation of some, was the second coming of Gabriel. It’s no wonder he was plucked from Charleston for that inaugural squad because Brian Schmetzer’s USL Sounders got an up-close look at the Cuban’s tenacity and, yes, subtle flair. He’s a winner, a captain and someone you would love to serve a Mojito but dare not drift into his territory in the middle of the park. He is a legend.
Two other past players on the ballot – Pepe Fernandez and Mike England – possess, respectively, Ozzie’s Latin flair and unflinching crunch. Big Mike arrived in Seattle following some treasured seasons at White Hart Lane, winning a FA and League Cup with Tottenham. He replaced Gabriel on the backline and instantly became the most dominant defender in the NASL and, together with fellow center back Dave Gillett, made the back end of the box a no-fly zone for opposing crossers. England was solid in the tackle, moved the ball upfield and was a big target on set plays.
Each of his first four seasons in Seattle, England was voted to the Best XI. Not an all-star but The Best. No other Sounders made it twice, and during Seattle’s NASL existence, only three other players – all members of the Cosmos – were Best XI that many times, including one named Beckenbauer. England was also engaging to fans, appearing at clinics around the state, doing TV commentary and often seated courtside at Sonics games.
Pepe Fernandez, while one of the most popular Sounders of the NASL era, is nominated as a Builder. It’s not for a lack of production. Before arriving in Seattle, he set a league record of 30 goals in 29 games at San Diego, then won an MVP and NASL championship in Kansas City. John Best, who as a player had to defend Fernandez, made Pepe his prized signing as first Sounders coach in 1974. Pepe promptly assisted on two goals in his first two games, then scored in the third game. It was on that kick he was taken out by a dastardly San Jose defender, sustaining a double fracture of the right leg. It took him more than a year to recover and score again.
In the meantime, he did not shrink from the spotlight. Instead, Pepe’s presence was bigger than any other player. Rather than be dour due to his predicament, the Uruguayan wore a broad, friendly smile and made countless appearances at schools, clinics and birthday parties (see 10th minute of this video). Best brought the injured winger along on road trips for his contributions to squad morale. Although Spanish was his language, the Sonics invited him to sing the national anthem, and when entering Memorial Stadium on crutches in ’74, no individual received a bigger ovation.
He would enjoy a productive season with ASL Tacoma in 1976, return to play 6v6 indoor with the Sounders in 1981. Yet his biggest contribution was his enthusiasm and connection to people over the coming decades through his clinics, camps and ownership (with Walter Schmetzer) of the Everett Soccer Center. In the times I visited him at home, he brought out his guitar and played and sang extemporaneously. Pepe Fernendez typified the friendly, outgoing nature of Sounders players in the early years, prompting an explosion in youth participation, by 82% over a four-year period. He was the pied piper of the game, particularly north of Seattle.
Of all the nominees, Gary Wright worked his magic outside the public eye. That has always been his preference; no quotes, no glad-handing in front of cameras. He was the wizard behind the curtain, however.
Joe Roth described Gary’s postponed retirement to oversee the fledgling MLS Sounders’ business operation as the equivalent of signing a No. 1 draft pick. I’d met Gary decades prior, when he was one of the NFL’s most revered executives while with the Seahawks from Season 1. He had just been smitten by soccer while on vacation in Spain when we were introduced before a fundraiser at Interbay Stadium in 2000.
Regular lunches ensued, and in 2007 he invited me to join in heralding the launch of the MLS franchise. I don’t know what clubs were doing elsewhere, but Seattle’s standard was operating out of the gate like an NFL team (using Hawks staff in marketing, ticketing, community) or European giant. With Gary having worked under the Nordstrom-headed ownership in the Seahawks’ formative years, there was an emphasis on a quality experience for fans, empowerment of staff and a dedication to excellence.
Seattle fired on all cylinders those initial seasons, growing the base of support among the public, media and business community. He was chosen MLS Executive of the Year in 2009 and 2012 Seattle Sports Star Executive of the Year. A testament to his ability to build a true team of professionals was that several other Sounders staffers also earned MLS awards.
If you or someone you knew became a fan from those first few MLS seasons, it was likely due to the craving of a big-time club to call our own, a winning and entertaining team straight out of the blocks and the fact Wright put a front office team together that put fans first.
A great deal of committee rigor and reason went into forming this foursome of nominees. We love celebrating that the Sounders have been around for more than 50 years. For those of you who haven’t been fans that long, just know that these first few classes may feature folks unknown to you. But once upon a time, without widespread TV exposure, online access or social media, they were winning respect and more fans, one heart at a time.
Backing Ozzie Alonso’s candidacy is a no-brainer. If Chad Marshall is your epitome of a defender, you would rightly pay homage to Mike England. If you admire someone smiling bravely through pain and setback, who is continually recruiting more people into our soccer tent, you should promote Pepe Fernandez. And if you consider Seattle has established itself as the sport’s U.S. capital, honor Gary Wright, because that was his objective.
