• World War I slowed the growth of soccer in Utah for some time, but it became big again by 1930, and the ensuing decade was known as "the Golden Age of Utah soccer." Immigrants dominated the 1930s as three teams composed mainly of immigrants — the Caledonians (United Kingdom), the Vikings (Norway) and AC Germania (Germany) — enjoyed considerable success. "All through the 1930s these teams contended in front of large crowds ... These years were big ones for Utah soccer fans; articles about soccer appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune and Salt Lake Telegram on almost a daily basis, with reports on games, analysis of the teams' chances for the season, and profiles of the players. Media attention to soccer games and players reached a level that would not be equaled until the advent of Real Salt Lake in 2004."

• Inasmuch as World War I had previously slowed down soccer in Utah, World War II almost killed it off altogether. "That soccer in Utah survived the immediate postwar years is attributed to the efforts of one man, Herman Neumann of AC Germania ... He was known for sometimes outrageous stunts to promote soccer, such as a parade he somehow got permission to hold ... In 1969, Neumann was honored by the Deseret News as "Mr. Soccer."

• After finding ways to survive, soccer eventually began to slowly grow again, and over the next several decades a number of notable things happened — Hispanic immigrants arrived in Utah and made their mark on the game; women became much more heavily involved in soccer with the advent of Title IX, and youth soccer began to take hold.

• The Golden Spikers were Utah's first professional team, as they competed in the American Soccer League in the 1970s. The club folded quickly after, however, and while other teams came and went, "it was not until 2004, when Major League Soccer gave an expansion slot to Salt Lake City, which created Real Salt Lake, that professional soccer finally seemed to take hold in Utah."

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E-mail: drasmussen@desnews.com