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 For his efforts in building the sport of soccer in the United
States in the modern era, Hunt was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of
Fame in 1982.
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Personal Information |
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Class of 1982 |
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Born:
August 2, 1932 - Eldorado, AR |
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Died:
December 13, 2006 - Dallas, TX |
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He was one of the leading initial investors, at first in
the United Soccer Association in 1967, and then in the
North American Soccer League in 1968. As the owner of
the Dallas Tornado, one of the sports model franchises
for 14 years, he saw the league grow from five clubs in
1969 to 24 ten years later. The NASL folded early in 1985 but when
Major League Soccer was formed in 1996 he once again became a major
player in the effort to have the United States take it's place on
soccer's world stage. Here not
only did he become the Investor-Operator of one club, but two, the
Columbus Crew and the Kansas City Wizards, with the Wizards winning the
MLS Cup championship in the 2000 season. In addition he led the way in building Columbus Crew Stadium the
first stadium in the United States, in the modern era, built specifically
for soccer. Hunt's love of sports
also extends to American football as an original
organizer of the American Football League in 1960, and
as the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs. Later he was a
principal negotiator in the AFL's merger with the
National Football League and upon completion of the
merger his team appeared in two of the first four Super
Bowls.
In 1999 Lamar was awarded the National Soccer Hall of
Fame's
Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor is bestowed upon individuals
who have been pioneers for soccer and who have significantly
impacted the game of Soccer at the national level. These award
winners have changed the sports landscape, creating a broader
environment for the sport. There can be no quibble, the game is
better for their contribution. |
