Sockers retire Toth's number

When the San Diego Sockers begin their 2011-12 home season Nov. 19, the retired numbers on the rafters of the Del Mar Arena will include #1 to honor Zoltan Toth.

Toth, who now lives in Fallbrook, was the Sockers' goalkeeper for six seasons in the 1980s. Currently his son is a goalie for the Sockers, who retired Zoltan Toth's uniform number on Feb. 26.

"It was just like a dream," Toth said.

"I was so thrilled and so honored by the club to give me such a tribute," Toth said. "That was such a beautiful gesture from the club."

"He was just really excited about the whole honor," said Sockers general manager John Kentera.

"I think it's fantastic with all the great goalkeepers who have played for the Sockers," Kentera said. "He was probably the most dominant."

In Toth's six seasons with the Sockers, he played in 152 regular-season games and was in the nets for 8,696 minutes. He faced 3,487 shots and made 1,920 saves. He had a 3.66 goals against average with 93 wins and 49 losses. Two of those wins were by shutout: in January 1986 against the Wichita Wings and in December 1989 against the St. Louis Steamers. Toth's playoff record with the Sockers included 43 games, 2,373 minutes in the nets, 1,048 shots faced, 518 saves, a 3.74 goals against average, 29 wins, 13 losses, and one assist.

On Feb. 3, 1987, Toth became the only Sockers goalkeeper to score a goal when he took advantage of an empty net in Dallas. He also had 17 regular-season assists with the Sockers including 11 during the 1984-85 season and three in a single December 1984 game against St. Louis.

The Hungarian-born Toth played four seasons with the Major Indoor Soccer League's New York Arrows before the Sockers acquired him in 1984. Toth was the MISL's leading goalkeeper for the 1982-83 season with a 4.01 goals against average for the Arrows.

The Sockers played both an outdoor season and an indoor season when Toth was acquired, and he was part of the Sockers during the North American Soccer League's final outdoor season in 1984. The Sockers joined the MISL for the 1984-85 season, when Toth split time in the nets with Jim Gorsek. Toth had a 4.21 goals against average in 24 regular-season games during 1984-85 along with an 18-3 record, and the playoffs saw Toth post a 3-2 record and a 5.92 GAA in five games. The Sockers defeated the Baltimore Blast in the finals to win their fourth consecutive indoor championship.

Toth played 28 regular-season games during the 1985-86 season, posting a 17-9 record and a 4.19 GAA which placed fifth in the league (Gorsek's GAA of 3.72 ranked second). In that year's playoffs Toth had a 5-2 record and a 3.91 GAA in seven games, and the Sockers once again won the MISL championship.

Toth's 33 games in 1986-87 included a 17-13 record and a 3.52 GAA which ranked fourth in the league, immediately ahead of Gorsek's 3.89 GAA. The Sockers lost to the Tacoma Stars in the playoff semifinals.

Toth led the MISL with a 2.94 GAA in 1987-88 and had a 21-6 record in 28 games. Gorsek's GAA of 3.43 placed third in the league, and the Sockers won their sixth indoor title. Toth was named the MISL's goalkeeper of the year and was also selected to the league's first team. He also had nine playoff wins during the season.

Victor Nogueira replaced Gorsek as Toth's goalkeeping complement for the 1988-89 season. Toth played 12 games that season and had a 4.00 GAA along with a 6-5 record. The Sockers once again won the MISL championship.

Toth's final Sockers season was in 1989-90 when he had a 14-13 record and a 3.48 GAA, which placed second in the MISL, in 27 games. Toth's 7-2 record and 2.48 GAA in nine playoff games helped give the Sockers another MISL title.

Toth spent 1990-91 and 1991-92 with the St. Louis Storm; in his first year with the Storm his 5.03 GAA placed third in the league.

"I think I achieved my goals. I left my legacy and everything to my son," Toth said.

Toth's number is the sixth to be retired by the Sockers, including coach Ron Newman, who did not wear a uniform. Kaz Deyna wore #10, Brian Quinn was #14, Jean Willrich spent his Sockers days as #15, and Juli Veee was introduced as "double deuce and triple E" due to his uniform #22.

"It's kind of surprising to me that they've never had one of their goaltenders' numbers retired," Kentera said.

The Sockers now play in the Professional Arena Soccer League. The PASL also has a developmental league which includes the San Diego Fusion. Chris Toth, a 2007 Fallbrook High School graduate, spent 2009-10 on the Fusion and split 2010-11 between the Fusion and the Sockers.

"That was my biggest achievement," Zoltan Toth said of having his son in goal. "For me to pass it to my son, that was like a dream."

"Chris has got a lot of talent," Kentera said. "He's got really, really good skills."

Chris Toth and Riley Swift are the Sockers' goalies. The 34-year-old Swift currently wears uniform #1 and will wear that number until he retires. There is also a possibility that Chris Toth may wear his father's uniform number after Swift's retirement.

Chris Toth is a third-generation professional soccer goalkeeper; Gyorgy Toth was with the Hungarian national team in the 1940s. Zoltan Toth also played for the Hungarian national team before defecting to the United States.

"Zoltan was very proud that he was able to live the legacy on from his dad," Kentera said.

When Toth's number was retired February 26, the Sockers hosted the Edmonton Drillers. Chris Toth was in goal during the Sockers' 13-3 win. "He had a fantastic game," Kentera said of the youngest Toth goalie. "He had by far the best game of his young pro career."

More than 1,500 fans witnessed Zoltan Toth's uniform number retirement despite the cold weather that night. "We were pretty happy," Kentera said. "It was a great night all the way around. It was great to honor a legend of the Sockers."

Toth's recognition also included congratulations from his teammates. "Everybody from the team called me," Toth said.

"We were extremely excited," Kentera said. "Just a fantastic night."

The 2010-11 season also included a Legends Night which honored Toth and several other Sockers, and many would like to see Legends Night become an annual event. "We keep in touch," Toth said. "We all remember those years together."

Toth and his teammates also remember departed players such as Kaz Deyna (whose Sockers career overlapped Toth's), Manu Sanon (who concluded his Sockers career before Toth arrived), and Slobo Ilijevski (who shared goalkeeping duties with Toth and Gorsek on the Storm and had previously earned MISL goalkeeper of the year honors with the Steamers).

"We are the old generation," Toth said. "That's why I'm very thankful for the Sockers to come back."

Toth noted that honoring the legends allows the Sockers to share their history with younger fans. "This would never happen if Phil Salvagio didn't bring back the team," Toth said.

Salvagio himself was a Sockers goalie during the 1990s Continental Indoor Soccer League years. Salvagio played college soccer at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he earned a bachelor's degree in banking and finance. Salvagio and two business partners revived the Sockers in 2009, and Salvagio became the head coach.

The Sockers franchise began as the NASL's Baltimore Comets in 1974, played as the San Diego Jaws in 1976, became the Las Vegas Quicksilvers for 1977, returned to San Diego as the Sockers in 1978, and first played indoor for the 1980-81 season. The team played only indoor games after the 1984 NASL season. The Sockers ceased operations after the 1996 season, returned to play in 2001, and ceased operations again in 2004 before Salvagio brought back the team in 2009.