SAN JOSE, Calif. –
U.S. Soccer announced today the list of nominees for the National Hall of Fame Class of 2017. The list of players includes current Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear, assistant coach Steve Ralston and former goalkeeper Joe Cannon, among other former Quakes/Clash players.
A former U.S. international, Kinnear was an assistant coach for the Earthquakes during the club’s two championships in 2001 and 2003. The Scotland native is third all-time in MLS with 165 wins as a coach and one of eight in league history to win 100 games. In 2005, Kinnear led the Quakes to the club’s first Supporters’ Shield. He also ranks third all-time in MLS Cup Playoff wins with 15 and has reached the post-season in nine of his 14 seasons as a head coach.
Prior to his coaching career, Kinnear spent 12 years as a professional soccer player, much of it rooted in the Bay Area. His first team was the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, where he spent three seasons and won a title in 1991. Kinnear was also member of the San Jose Hawks during the 1993 season. After going abroad to help lead Mexican-side Necaxa to the 1995-96 Primera Division championship, Kinnear joined the San Jose Clash in 1997, scoring two goals and recording four assists in 28 games that season.
Steve Ralston is in his third season as the Earthquakes’ assistant coach. A native of St. Louis, Ralston retired as the all-time MLS leader in assists (135), games played (378), starts (372), and minutes played (33,143). As a midfielder, he played in four MLS Cup finals for New England and was named an MLS All-Star seven times. He received MLS Best XI recognition three times during his 15-year career and is the only three-time recipient of the MLS Fair Play Award in league history.
On the international level, Ralston appeared 36 times for the United States National Team and scored four goals, including the game-winning goal against Mexico on September 3, 2005, as the United States clinched qualification for the World Cup. He was an alternate for the World Cup, but has represented the United States at the Gold Cup three times, including championship squads in 2005 and 2007.
A two-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Cannon helped lead the Quakes to their first MLS Cup in 2001. The Sun Valley, Idaho native holds the Quakes record for most games played in goal with 171 appearances and is fourth in all-time games played for the club. Cannon also ranks first in saves (693), tied for first in saves in one season (137) and third in minutes played (15,561). During his time as a Quakes player, Cannon was twice selected to the MLS All-Star team (2001, 2002) and was also named the Earthquakes’ Defensive Player of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year in 2000.
Other Hall of Fame nominees for the Class of 2017 include former Earthquakes players Brian Ching, Pat Onstad, John Doyle, Danny Califf and Eddie Lewis, as well as the NASL Earthquakes’ George Best. The list of nominees also includes Bay Area women’s soccer pioneers Aly Wagner and Leslie Osborne, who competed for Santa Clara University and the U.S. Women’s National Team.
The
full list of nominees
is available on U.S. Soccer’s website. Elections and voting will begin immediately by the Selection Committee, which consists of all present and former coaches of the Men's and Women's full National Team; all active MLS and NWSL coaches with a minimum of 4 years as head coach in a first division league; MLS and NWSL management representatives; MLS Commissioner; NWSL Executive Director; U.S. Soccer Secretary General; U.S. Soccer President; designated members of the media; and all Hall of Famers.
Committee members may vote for up to 10 candidates from the ballot. Any player named on at least 66.7% of the ballots cast is elected into the Hall of Fame.
The results of the voting and induction ceremony details for the Class of 2017 will be announced at a later date.
