I found this loose in a bunch of stuff from Baker. It’s undated.
So much hair!
Several other things occur to me. First, where did that bus come from? Where was it kept? Second, that doesn’t look much like a soccer team would today. There have been a lot of changes in American soccer since this was taken. Third, I can’t help but note that Al Van Helden is right in the middle of it. Faculty sponsor, maybe?
Bonus: I don’t know about you, but I suspect someone lit up in this Fondren women’s room.
I don’t recall the exact years, but Al Van Helden was indeed the faculty sponsor, and sort of coach, of the soccer team when it was a club sport. I recall him explaining his strategy to me one time on how he was going to hold a much more skilled and experienced UofH team to a one-one tie, and he did!
The three guys at the top might help date it. Shirtless, then a distinctive Rice shirt with an engraved-style logo, then some pretty pointy lapels on the shirt. I’d call those lapels early 70’s. Someone else might be able to date the shirt, though that graphic style was also popular around then.
The very circular “rice” letters on the bus look like extra bold Avant Garde (hand painted). Must have had an Archi on the team. The Rice Thresher logo was similar.
I’d say early 70’s too as I recognise one of the guys. What a change between then and when I entered Rice. From 74-79, the soccer team was much more international with members from Mexico, Thailand, Taiwan, and Rhodesia if I recall correctly.
The soccer picture is from 1971-75, as I recognize two of the members, my suite-mate George Dames and my friend Craig Jones. IIRC, Al was on leave at least one year in that period, so you might be able to narrow down the window by checking that out. No idea about the bus.
More information on the soccer team; apparently this picture is from 1972-73, when they made a trip to play Texas A&I and Pan American in the Valley, according to the memory of one of the members passed on to me.
This was Fall of 1972. Al Van Helden was our faculty sponsor/coach and I can see my hair and sandals (third head from the right conversing with Jim Thompson (far right).
Opps..I was wrong. I am the guy peeking out of the window.
Definitely Fall of 1972 (this from the long-haired shirtless guy on top leaning against the windshield/roof), though I’m not sure if this was taken before departure or after return from our trip to the Valley to play 2 matches over a weekend (Pan American University and UT-Brownsville, as I recall). Fortunately, the Immigration officers who stopped this rather weird sort-of school bus as our beauteous drivers navigated the long road back up the coast toward Rice decided in those innocent days that we must be harmless (or just crazy) despite the obvious multicultural chaos on board, and didn’t take a harsh position about viewing IDs and passports.
Nope — Bill got it right, Texas A&I, not UT-Brownsville.
What an awesome head of hair!
Fall ’72. We played Pan Am and Texas A & I
I am 3rd player from the right.
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