rival league, the National Professional Soccer League, announced it was ready to launch in 1967. Not wanting to lose ground to its rival, the Association decided to fast track its launch. Without any players of its own, the Association opted to import whole teams from Europe and South America, which would represent the franchises during the inaugural season, giving them time to build their own squads for the following season. Toronto City was represented by Hibernian of the Scottish Football League. The team played 12 games in the 1967 season with six being home games played at Varsity Stadium. Their record for the year was four wins, three losses and five ties to finish third in their division, failing to qualify for the playoffs. In December 1967 the United Soccer Association and the National Professional Soccer League merged to form the North American Soccer League. As a result of this merger some of the Association's franchises, including Toronto City, folded, in part to avoid cities having more than one club in the new league with City losing out to its National Professional Soccer League rival the Toronto Falcons. Stavro sold his team back to the league for $160,000. Summing up Stavro's contribution to Canadian soccer, Senator Trevor Eyton stated that: “Steve was involved in the management of the Continental Soccer League, the International Soccer League, the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League, the United Soccer Association and the North American Soccer League. As a result of this support and contribution to soccer in Canada, Steve was honoured as a life member of the Canadian Soccer Association.” In addition, in recognition of Stavro's contribution to Canadian soccer he was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005 as an “honoured builder” of the sport. Knob Hill Stable Stavro's interest in horse racing began in 1967 when he acquired a pair of yearlings – Boy Bandit and Danforth Dan. They were conditioned by J. C. Meyer. However, it wasn't until the early 1980s that Stavro became passionate about thoroughbreds. As his passion grew, he founded Knob Hill Stable in Newmarket Ontario. At the peak of Knob Hill Stables, there were more than 60 horses which included 15 or more racers at Woodbine Racetrack. To further grow Knob Hill Stables prospects Stavro purchased a 300-acre (120 ha) farm in Kentucky in 1988. Stavro had begun to take a bigger interest in not