Frisco, Texas (Tuesday, October 7, 2008) – Neil Cohen and Bobby Moffat, two former Dallas Tornado players, are this year’s inductees to the Texans Credit Union Walk of Fame at Pizza Hut Park. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 11 prior to FC Dallas’ final regular season home game against Toronto FC (7:30 pm CT).
Cohen and Moffat will be joined by representatives from Texans Credit Union, FC Dallas, and the Hunt Sports Group at the Walk of Fame between fields #6 and #7, on the north side of Pizza Hut Park. The induction ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., and the honorees will also be recognized at halftime of the FCD game.
Cohen, born in Dallas and a graduate of Bryan Adams High School, was one of the youngest American players selected to play in the North American Soccer League when he joined the Dallas Tornado as an 18-year old in 1974. He went on to play eight seasons in the NASL, including five with the Tornado. He also played six seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League, retiring after his final season with the Dallas Sidekicks in 1985. Cohen also played on three levels of the U.S. Soccer system, earning one cap on the U.S. Men’s National team in 1977.
Moffat started his professional career with Portsmouth FC in England in 1961, and joined the Dallas Tornado in 1971. That year, he scored the winning goal in the third and decisive game of the NASL Championship series versus Atlanta, giving the Tornado its first NASL Championship trophy. He went on to play nine seasons with the Tornado, and has become a seminal figure in the development of youth soccer in North Texas, his camps helping thousands of young players develop their skills.
Previous year’s inductees to the Texans Credit Union Walk of Fame were: Kenny Cooper Sr. and Schellas Hyndman (2007); Ron Newman and Jeff Agoos (Class of 2006); and the inaugural class of 2005, which included Lamar Hunt, Gordon Jago, Bill Kinder, Carla Overbeck, Kyle Rote Jr. and Tatu, along with four great moments in Texas soccer history.
ABOUT THE TEXANS CREDIT UNION WALK OF FAME
The Texans Credit Union Walk of Fame is a stretch of soccer history at Pizza Hut Park that spans approximately 1,400 linear feet and includes commemorative markers with plaques recognizing members of the soccer community and key events that have been instrumental in helping build the sport of soccer in Texas. Situated just north of the Pizza Hut Park stadium, this unique landmark is not only a tribute to those who have dedicated much of their lives to the sport of soccer, but is also a point of historical interest for all fans visiting the facility. Formal nomination applications were accepted from the general public in June. Thereafter, the Nomination Committee and then the Selection Committee reviewed and voted on all the nominees and selected this year’s inductees.
ABOUT PIZZA HUT PARK
Opened on August 6, 2005, Pizza Hut Park is a 145-acre multipurpose sports and entertainment facility located at the intersection of Main Street and Dallas North Tollway in Frisco, Texas, and is the home stadium for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. The stadium, which has a permanent stage on the north end situated off the playing surface, has a capacity of 20,500 fans for sporting events and can expand to accommodate over 27,000 fans for concerts. The complex, which includes 17 tournament-grade fields used for youth and adult soccer, as well as high school sports and other events, has drawn over 1.5 million visitors each year since opening. The $105 million public-private complex is owned by the City of Frisco in partnership with the Hunt Sports Group (HSG), the Frisco Independent School District, and Collin County. In November 2006, Pizza Hut Park was recognized as the first "Green" professional sports stadium in Texas after administering a formal recycling plan.
www.pizzahutpark.com