Three Players Signed by Salsa
The Salsa, which opens the American Professional Soccer League season May 1 against the Toronto Blizzard at Cal State Fullerton, put the finishing touches on its team Thursday by signing three players, including former UCLA standout and U.S. national team member Dale Ervine, to contracts.
Joining Ervine on the expansion team is Arturo Velasco, a defender who played with Ervine on the Wichita Wings of the Major (indoor) Soccer League and defender Maciej Smagacz, who has played in the Polish first division for more than a decade.
Ervine, a 29-year-old forward, broke the MSL record for goals in a season by an American with 62 in 1991-92. He was a national team member in 1986 and rejoined the team for a brief period in March.
The team also announced that they have reached a deal with SportsChannel America for the cable network to televise the Salsa game of the week, Wednesday nights at 7 PDT. SportsChannel, which is no longer available in Southern California, also will air a weekly professional soccer show featuring the APSL Thursday nights at 7 PDT.
Locally, Prime Ticket and Channel 24 in San Bernardino have agreed to televise, on a tape-delayed basis, the Salsa’s first three games, with an option to pick up the remainder of the 24-game schedule.
Salsa Communications Director David Bolton will produce the telecasts, which will air on Monday nights, and former KCBS, Channel 2, reporter Mario Machado will be play-by-play announcer.
