The report says the Spirit played at the Civic Arena from 1978 to 1986, during the strongest years of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. Their matches featured six-a-side teams, hockey-sized pitches, boards and recessed nets - a fast, compact format built for regular scoring.
The attendance figures underline the club’s impact:
The Spirit did not win an MISL final, but their audience gave indoor football a significant place in Pittsburgh’s sporting landscape.
The report credits the team with attracting high-level international talent. Polish forward Stan Terlecki reportedly shared the 1981-82 league MVP award with Steve Zungul after scoring 74 goals in 43 games.
Local connections mattered too. Mt Lebanon-born John O’Hara provided a Pittsburgh link, while Paul Child and Dave MacKenzie remained in the city after their playing careers.
Zungul became indoor football’s defining star, winning seven titles in 12 seasons. With historical records incomplete, he is credited with 828 goals in 532 matches, a scale that captures the attacking era the Spirit helped represent.
The original MISL folded in 1992, four years before Major League Soccer began. Yet the indoor game survived through later competitions, including the current Major Arena Soccer League and clubs carrying former MISL identities.
Saturday’s tribute gives the Riverhounds a chance to connect today’s outdoor game with Pittsburgh’s indoor past. The next storyline will be whether that recognition sparks fresh interest in the city’s football history - and in the modern clubs carrying its traditions forward.