June 5 (1974)

The St. Louis Stars score four goals — two for the opposition — and lose to the Denver Dynamos, 3-2, in an NASL match at Busch Stadium. Denny Vaninger and future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Al Trost have big nights for the Stars, each with a goal and an assist. But Denver scores on shots that deflect off the Stars’ Tom Howe and player-coach John Sewell (pictured). Howe’s deflection comes off a shot by Denver’s Ian Robins to open the scoring in the 21st minute. Vaninger ties the game a minute later on a pass from Trost. Trost puts the Stars ahead in the 25th minute on an assist from Vaninger. Kaizer “Boy-Boy” Motaung knots the score in the 34th minute. The winning goal comes in the second half when Iris DeBrito shoots off Sewell into the Stars’ goal. “I goofed and put the winning goal into the net for them,” Sewell tells Harold Flachsbart of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The goof is one of few in Sewell’s long career, which spanned 17 years in England with Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace and Leyton Orient. He joined the Stars in 1972 and became head coach in 1974. He will manage the Stars through 1977 and will go with the team as their manager when it moves to California. Sewell will manage the club from 1978-80.