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The San Jose Earthquakes was a professional soccer club that played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1984, the Western Soccer Alliance (WSA) from 1985 to 1988 and the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) during the 1982-83 season. The team began as an expansion franchise originally intended to play in San Francisco; but the franchise was switched to San Jose hoping the lack of professional sports in the city would increase interest. From 1983 to 1984, the team was rebranded as the Golden Bay Earthquakes. Following the collapse of the NASL in 1984, the team reverted its name back to San Jose and joined the WSA where it played until folding after the 1988 season.

Founding and first season
On 11 December 1973, the North American Soccer League (NASL) announced expansion plans which included four West Coast cities being awarded teams for the upcoming season. Serbian-American businessman Milan Mandarić acquired the rights to the San Francisco franchise for $75,000, but the following month it was announced the team would play their home games in San Jose allegedly at the urging of general manager Dick Berg. Although General Manager Dick Berg claimed to have come up with the team moniker and to have received criticism of the name due to San Jose's proximity to the San Andreas Fault, it was announced on 21 January 1974 the team would be called Earthquakes based on the winning entry of a name the team contest. In mid-February, it was announced that Ivan Toplak, former head coach of the California Clippers would coach the team while also coaching the Yugoslavia national football team during 1974 FIFA World Cup. The team traded its second round picks for the next two seasons to the Dallas Tornado for Momčilo "Gabbo" Gavrić and Mirko Stojanović both Yugoslav nationals who had played under Toplak at the Clippers and also worked for team owner Mandarić's electronics firm. Forwards Paul Child and Art Welch were acquired via a dispersion draft from the defunct Atlanta Apollos, United States men's national soccer team forward Archie Roboostoff and Atlético Madrid youth player Manuel Hernandez were signed as well. Defensively, the team added thirteen year journeyman of the English lower divisions Laurie Calloway as well as American brothers Mark Demling and Buzz Demling. Prior to the team's first game, it was announced that Gabbo Gavrić would act as head coach until Toplak returned from the World Cup.

The Earthquakes made their NASL debut on 5 May 1974 with a 2-1 shootout win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on the road with rookie Mani Hernandez scoring the first ever point for a San Jose professional sports franchise. The following week, 15,617 fans attended the San Jose home opener in which they defeated the Dallas Tornado 4-3. Throughout the summer, San Jose scheduled friendlies against various visiting teams. In June, the Earthquakes played Club América, winners of the 1973-74 Copa México, over two legs. The Earthquakes lost the first match held at at Spartan Stadium on 11 June 1974 with the final score 2-1, but were able to earn a 1-1 draw two days later at Charles C. Hughes Stadium in Sacramento. On 31 July 1974, the Earthquakes hosted a team comprised of All-stars from the amateur Central California League soccer and lost 3-2 in an upset. During the first week of August 1974, San Jose hosted the United States men's Olympic soccer team in preparation of the US team beginning qualifications for the 1976 Summer Olympics with the match ending in a 2-2 draw. The Earthquakes ended their first season at home with a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Aztecs, securing a playoff spot. Paul Child who scored two goals in the contest was the season's top scorer. The Earthquakes ended the season in second place of the Western Division with a record of 9 wins and 8 losses and with an average attendance of 16,584, highest in the league. Facing Dallas in the first round of the playoffs as week later, San Jose was defeated by the Tornado 3-0. At the end of August in their final friendly of the season, the Earthquakes faced off again against the United States national team, winning 1-0 in Dettmar Cramer debut match as head coach of the US team. Cramer stated after the match he expected to add as many as four Earthquake players to the national squad.

At a press conference in mid-October called to publicize the team's participation in the upcoming NASL Indoor tournament it was announced that along with having already sold over 4,800 season tickets for the 1975 outdoor season, the San Jose City Council had declared the week of 21 October 1974 to be "San Jose Earthquakes" week. The next week it was announced that the Earthquakes would act as hosts for Region 3 of the indoor tournament at Cow Palace in San Francisco, with San Jose meeting Dallas on 7 February 1975. In early January 1975, it was announced that the Earthquakes had set a new record for season ticket sales with over 6,000 sold for the upcoming outdoor season.

1975 NASL Indoor championship
In January, February and March 1975 the NASL staged an indoor tournament with sixteen of the league's twenty teams participating. Divided into four regional tournaments, with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Dallas Tornado, Rochester Lancers, and Earthquakes each hosting a group stage with the regional winners meeting in San Francisco for final-four playoff similar in format to the NCAA college basketball tournament.

The Earthquakes began their first indoor campaign with an exhibition match at the Cow Palace with a near capacity crowd of 11,421 watching the team defeat the Dallas Tornado 8-3. In another warmup match the following week, a smaller crowed of 9,487 saw the Earthquakes beat the Los Angeles Aztecs 11-7. The trend of smaller crowds would continue through the tournament. On 21 February 1975, 9,223 attended the double-header of games with the Vancouver Whitecaps defeating the Aztecs 15–4 and the Earthquakes beating the Seattle Sounders 14-4. Two days later, the Earthquakes defeated the Whitecaps 7-3 in front of 7,232 fans to advance to the Indoor Final Four the next month. Acting as hosts for the final four tournament, the Earthquakes defeated the Dallas Tornado on 14 March in front of 9,113 fans to earn a berth in the championship game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies who had defeated the New York Cosmos 13-5. On 16 March, with 8,618 in attendance, the San Jose defeated the Rowdies 8-5 to win the 1975 NASL Indoor championship.