Soccer has been on the minds of thousands of Mainers this year, thanks to the successful season of Portland Hearts of Pine. This year is the team’s inaugural season in the USL League One, and every game has been sold out.
Here are six photos that show Maine’s long-standing love for soccer. From high school and college teams, to a famous female player visiting the state, soccer has always been popular.
In this photo in the Portland Press Herald on Sept. 18, 1959, Mainer Carmine Maddaluno, a native of Pozzuli Italy, is seen with his children, Eutillo Ann (left) and Nando. Maddaluno was one of 16 who received citizenship at naturalization ceremonies. He was a professional soccer player and member of the Boston Italia team. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)The Cape Elizabeth High School soccer team poses for a photo that ran in the Evening Express on Nov. 7, 1966. The team won the Triple-C Soccer League’s Southern Division title, then lost a playoff match to Yarmouth High School. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)In a Portland Press Herald photo from Oct. 27, 1967, a soccer game takes place on the campus of what was then Gorham State Teachers College (now a campus of the University of Southern Maine). (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)The Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute soccer team poses for a photo in 1973. The school is now Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. (Portland Press Herald photo courtesy of Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)In this photo from July 7, 1978 in the Portland Press Herald, Scarborough High School is playing Portland High School. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)Olympic gold medalist soccer superstar Mia Hamm signed a ball for a fan during a visit to Falmouth Middle School on Oct. 28, 1998. Hamm was in Maine for an awards ceremony during which she distributed $4,000 in cash awards to local soccer programs. The Falmouth soccer program was the top recipient, with a $15,000 award for its work with children from the Spurwink School in South Portland. (Press Herald photo courtesy Portland Public Library Special Collections and Archives)
Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town…
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