ay ) ▁The ▁National ▁Professional ▁Soccer ▁League ▁( N PS L ), ▁the ▁first ▁coast - to - co ast ▁s occer ▁league ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁held ▁its ▁opening ▁day ▁with ▁five ▁games , ▁starting ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁pm ▁game ▁at ▁Baltimore ▁that ▁was ▁tele vised ▁nation ally ▁by ▁CBS . ▁ ▁League ▁Commission er ▁Ken ▁Mack er ▁k icked ▁out ▁the ▁first ▁ball ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁contest , ▁and ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁his ▁guest , ▁NFL ▁Commission er ▁P ete ▁Ro z elle . ▁The ▁Baltimore ▁B ays ▁won , ▁ 1 - 0 , ▁over ▁the ▁Atlanta ▁Chief s ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁ 8 , 4 3 4 ▁fans . ▁ ▁In ▁Philadelphia , ▁more ▁people ▁( 1 4 , 1 6 3 ) ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Spart ans ▁( who ▁beat ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Fal cons , ▁ 2 - 0 ) ▁than ▁baseball ' s ▁Philadelphia ▁Phill ies ▁( 9 , 2 1 3 ). < ref >" Pro ▁Soccer ▁League ▁M akes ▁Deb ut ▁In ▁Five ▁C ities ", ▁AP ▁report ▁in ▁Las ▁Cru ces ▁( N M ) ▁Sun - News ", ▁April ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁p 9 </ ref > ▁The ▁rival ▁United ▁Soccer ▁Association ▁would ▁debut ▁a ▁month ▁later , ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 6 ▁Professor ▁Ry ok ichi ▁Min obe ▁of ▁the ▁Tokyo ▁Education ▁University , ▁back ed ▁by ▁Japan ' s ▁Social ist ▁and ▁Commun ist ▁parties ,