December 12, 2013
ROCHESTER LANCERS ANNOUNCE 2014 WALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Ceremony to be Held at Saturday's Home Game
December 12th, 2013
(Rochester, NY) - The Rochester Lancers of the Major Indoor Soccer League are proud to announce the inductees into the Lancers Wall of Fame Class of 2013-2014. Four members of the Rochester Lancers family will join the 20 current inductees in the Wall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 14 before the Lancers 7pm home game against St. Louis at the Blue Cross Arena.
The members of the 2013-2014 inductee class include two former Lancers players and two non-players.
Former Lancers players being inducted are Dick Howard and Don Lalka. Howard was a goalkeeper for the Lancers from 1970-71. He was the keeper for the 1970 NASL Champion Rochester Lancers and earned the nickname “Mr. Zero” for the number he wore on his jersey, and for the shutouts he posted in goal. Lalka was a defender/midfielder for the Lancers from 1967-68. He was named to the US Men’s National Team roster for 1966 World Cup qualifying. He played professionally for Toronto Ukraina and Newark Sitch before becoming one of the original Rochester Lancers in 1967.
Alex Loj, former Lancers Business Manager, Director of Public Relations, and Lancers writer for the Democrat and Chronicle will receive entry into the Lancers Wall of Fame for his commitment and success with the original Lancers organization. Known as the “Dean of Soccer,” he began working at the Democrat and Chronicle at age 16 and was the original sportswriter for the Rochester Lancers from 1965-71. He was also the first Rochester reporter to cover the FIFA World Cup, traveling to Mexico in 1970. He will be enshrined alongside Ed Merante, original Lancers founder and owner. Merante was on the initial committee of four with Tony Pullano, Patsy Frank and Rudy LePore at the Italian-American Sport Club of Rochester that began the process to secure a pro franchise in the American Soccer League, which became the Rochester Lancers. He also started the first youth soccer program in the USA in 1968 for 7 year old boys and as a result, Chili Little Guy Soccer was formally founded in 1969.
The Rochester Lancers Wall of Fame honors the pioneers of professional soccer in Rochester that were part of the original Rochester Lancers of the American Soccer League (1967-69) and the North American Soccer League (1970-80). The Wall of Fame is located at the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester. For tickets to attend the Wall of Fame ceremony, call (585) 872-5425
