December 22 (1978)

St. Louis native Jim Pollihan scores the first goal in Major Indoor Soccer League history while playing for the New York Arrows against the Cincinnati Kids in the new league’s first-ever match. Pollihan, a defender, played outdoors for the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League starting in 1976. The Arrows signed Pollihan, his Lancers teammates, and coach Don Popovic for the 1978-79 indoor season. A top player outdoors and indoors, Pollihan will earn 15 caps outdoors with the U.S. National Team and will log five seasons outdoors with Rochester and five more indoors with three MISL teams. As a collegian, Pollihan followed brothers Tom and Bob to Quincy College and helped the Hawks win three NAIA championships as a forward. In 1974, he scored 22 goals, was named the NAIA tournament’s most valuable player and was a second-team All-American.