Washington Warthogs

Continental Indoor Soccer League (1994-1997)

Tombstone

Born: November 11, 1993 – CISL expansion franchise¹
Folded: December 23, 1997

First Game: June 15, 1994 (L 9-4 @ Dallas Sidekicks)
Last Game: September 28, 1997 (W 7-6 @ Arizona Sandsharks)

CISL Championships: None

Arena

USAir Arena (18,130)²
Opened: 1973
Demolished: 2002

Marketing

Team Colors: Green, Ochre & Black³

Television:

1995: Home Team Sports (“HTS” – regional cable station)

Television Broadcasters:

1995: Al Koken & Dave Baker

Radio:

1995: Radio Zone (1050 AM)

Radio Broadcasters:

1995: ?

Ownership

Owner: Abe Pollin

Background

The Washington Warthogs played four seasons of indoor soccer at the old Capital Centre/USAir Arena in Landover, Maryland from 1994 to 1997. The Warthogs were members of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), which moved the sport of indoor soccer out of its traditional home in the wintertime and used it as a date-filler for NBA and NHL arenas during the slow summer months. Many of the CISL club investors were NBA owners and the Warthogs were no exception. Washington Bullets and Capitals owner Abe Pollin paid a $150,000 expansion fee to join the CISL for the league’s second season in the summer of 1994.

Female Player Signings

The CISL didn’t garner much in the way of national media coverage, but the Warthogs did earn some attention for their periodic use of female players. In 1994, the team signed former North Carolina State player Colette Cunningham. Cunningham saw limited action but on July 16th, 1994 she became the first female to score a point in men’s professional soccer in the U.S., assisting on a Goran Hunjak goal.

The following year, the Warthogs signed U.S. National Team star Kristine Lilly, already one of the all-time greats of the women’s game at age 24. Lilly joined the team in August 1995 and played 3-4 shifts per game for the Warthogs late in the season. Lilly’s appearances earned the team a sizable write-up in Sports Illustrated. Warthogs Head Coach Jim Gabarra was married to Lilly’s National Team teammate Carin-Jennings Gabarra. He would later become a highly regarded coach in the women’s pro leagues formed of the 2000’s.

Other notable Warthogs included U.S. World Cup veteran Eric Eichmann, who appeared for the club in 1994, and forward Dante Washington, who played for the team in 1994 and 1995 and later went on to a long career in Major League Soccer.

The CISL folded after five seasons of play on December 23, 1997, taking the Warthogs down with it.