ST. LOUIS — Pat McBride, an Olympian and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee known as "Missouri's Father of Soccer," died Wednesday at the age of 81, friends of the family confirmed.
He was born Nov. 13, 1943, in St. Louis.
McBride, a midfielder, was a two-time first-team All-American for the St. Louis Billikens, and played on the team when it won NCAA soccer titles in 1963 and 1965.
McBride was the first American-born player to sign with the North American Soccer League. He spent his entire NASL soccer career playing for the St. Louis Stars from 1967 to 1976, according to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
McBride was also a member of the United States Olympic Team in 1964 and the United States National Team in 1968 and 1972.
After his retirement, McBride was the men's head soccer coach at St. Louis Community College at Meramec. In his first year, he led his team to an NJCAA national title and was named NJCAA coach of the year. He later coached the St. Louis Steamers and Kansas City Comets in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 to 1988.
Along with the National Soccer Hall of Fame, he was also an inductee to the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame, the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the NJCAA Hall of Fame.
"Pat, along with Al Trost, are considered the greatest soccer players ever from St. Louis. What made Pat special was that his humility off the field was as great as his talent was on the field," said 5 On Your Side Sports Anchor Frank Cusumano.
McBride is survived by his wife, Barb, sister Lila Schmitz, children Kelly Travis, Tim and Brian, and grandchildren Hailey and Drew Travis, and Caden and Graeme McBride.
Funeral arrangements are pending, David Lange said in a statement on behalf of McBride's family.
"Mr. McBride's family asks that their privacy be respected as they deal with their devastating loss," Lange said.
