ONEONTA, NY (May 22, 2006) – St. Louis native Al Trost, a veteran of the North American Soccer League, has been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Trost had been on the Veteran’s Ballot for the past 5 years but never reached the 50% threshold needed for election. He was one of the premier American players in the North American Soccer League and was Captain of the United States National Team in the early 70s.

“Al is a great addition to the Induction Class of 2006,” Hall of Fame President/CEO Will Lunn said. “The American players were often overshadowed by the big name players from around the world, but Al certainly fit well among those players, carving out a well deserved reputation as a top midfielder even as he competed against many of the world’s best.”

Trost was a star at Saint Louis University, named NSCAA All America in 1970 and a 2-time winner of the Hermann Award, emblematic of being the top player in collegiate soccer. His NASL career took him to the St. Louis Stars then on the California Surf and Seattle Sounders. In is 7 years in the league, he scored 38 goals and had 24 assists.

He played 14 times for the United States in international play and 10 times as an Olympian. He made his National Team debut on August 12, 1973 against Poland, scoring a goal in his first match. His Olympic debut was on July 18, 1971 against El Salvador, and he represented the United States in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

Al joins an illustrious list of 15 St. Louis natives who have been honored with induction into the Hall of Fame, beginning with the immortal Harry Ratican from the inaugural class of 1950. Among the St. Louis Hall of Famers are five members of the 1950 U.S. team that defeated England at the World Cup, Frank Borghi, Charlie Colombo, Harry Keough, Gino Pariani, and Frank ‘Pee-Wee’ Wallace. He is the second player from Saint Louis University to be enshrined, joining Pat McBride, Class of 1994.

Trost is currently the boys’ and girls’ soccer coach at Parkway South High School in St. Louis, continuing to play an important part in American Soccer. He was honored by induction into the Saint Louis University Billiken Hall of Fame in 1994.

Trost will be join players Alexi Lalas and Carla Werden Overbeck and Builder Philip Anschutz in the Class of 2006. Induction Ceremonies are scheduled for Monday, August 28 at the Hall of Fame in Oneonta, NY. Details of the events are available on the Hall’s web site, www.soccerhall.org, and include a Pub Night, Golf Tournament, President’s Dinner, Induction Ceremony and Hall of Fame Game.

Veteran players are elected by vote of the Hall of Famers. Trost was named on 29 of the 57 ballots cast. Second in the balloting were recently deceased international star George Best and U.S. Women’s National Team veteran Linda Hamilton with 25 votes.

The 15 players on the final ballot were selected through a vote of the Veteran’s Screening Committee, a 15-member Hall of Fame committee comprised of Hall of Famers who review the over 300 eligible veteran players to select the players who appear on the Final Ballot.

Full Ballot Results:

Al Trost 29 Votes 50.88%

George Best 25 Votes 43.86%

Linda Hamilton 25 Votes 43.86%

Bobby Smith 23 Votes 40.35%

Brian Quinn 20 Votes 35.09%

Kyle Rote, Jr. 20 Votes 35.09%

McPherson 18 Votes 31.58%

Hubert Birkenmeier 17 Votes 29.82%

Boris Bandov 16 Votes 28.07%

Teofilo Cubillas 14 Votes 24.56%

Barry Barto 12 Votes 21.05%

Debbie Belkin Rademacher 12 Votes 21.05%

Jimmy Banks 9 Votes 15.79%

John ‘Harp’ O’Connell 9 Votes 15.79%

Tony Bellinger 7 Votes 12.28%