February 8 (1985)

Perry Van Der Beck scores for the United States in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in Tampa, Fla. The 25-year-old midfielder from St. Louis will be named the U.S. Male Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1985. Van Der Beck was the first player drafted out of high school by an NASL team when the Tampa Bay Rowdies selected him out of Aquinas High School in 1978. Van Der Beck will play professionally indoors and outdoors until 1997. Called by ussoccerplayers.com as “a key part of the U.S. National Team in the early 1980s when the program was at a crossroads,” Van Der Beck will appear 23 times and score two goals for the United States. He will be head coach of the MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001.