April 29, 1989 – Boston Bolts 0:0 Washington Diplomats at Nickerson Field (Att. 2,151)
Post by frankdellapa@gmail.com
Rain contributed to keeping the crowd numbers down for the Boston Bolts in the home-opener of their second season. The Bolts went on to reach the ASL final, falling to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in a mini-game Aug. 26, 1989.
The Bolts’ inaugural home match, a 1-1 draw with the Orlando Lions, drew 4,028 on a rainy April 30, 1988. Both the 1988 and ’89 home-openers concluded with a penalty kick shootout, the Bolts earning their first official point in the ’88 game:
— Randolph High School coach Ross Irwin converted the deciding PK after Dave Pike equalized;
— Orlando took the lead on Chris Otorubio’s 28th-minute free kick past former Yale goalkeeper Jeff Duback. Kurt Manal scored a 90th-minute equalizer off a Marvin Etienne (ex-Southern Connecticut State) assist.
Crowds were enthusiastic for the Bolts. After the inaugural home game, Duback told the Boston Globe’s Marvin Pave: “In all my years of playing the game, I can’t recall seeing fans staying around like that to congratulate a team.”
The Bolts fell, 2-1, to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in their third-year home-opener before a 6,648 crowd on April 28, 1990, but folded after the season.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY