18 July 2007 - San Jose Shakes Again

On 18 July 2007, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced that the San Jose Earthquakes would be returning to the league after a two-year absence.

The Earthquakes were one of the ten founding members of MLS, though they were initially known as the San Jose Clash. In 1999, they changed their name to the Earthquakes, taking it from the defunct NASL team. Two years later, driven by manager Frank Yallop and midfielder Landon Donovan, they won their first MLS Cup, then repeated as champions in 2003.

Despite their success, frustration over their inability to build a soccer-specific stadium led the owners to move the team to Houston for the 2006 season. MLS, however, decreed that the team's name, colors, and records would remain in San Jose while the Houston team was rebranded as the Dynamo and went on to win the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.

The league added Toronto as an expansion team in 2007, then, when the time came to add another team for 2008, selected San Jose. The new Earthquakes joined the league for the 2008 season and finished dead last, with only eight wins out of thirty matches.

Although they have yet to replicate the success of their previous incarnation, they reached the MLS Cup semifinals in 2010 before losing to that season's eventual champions, Colorado.

18 July 2007 - San Jose Shakes Again

On 18 July 2007, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced that the San Jose Earthquakes would be returning to the league after a two-year absence.

The Earthquakes were one of the ten founding members of MLS, though they were initially known as the San Jose Clash. In 1999, they changed their name to the Earthquakes, taking it from the defunct NASL team. Two years later, driven by manager Frank Yallop and midfielder Landon Donovan, they won their first MLS Cup, then repeated as champions in 2003.

Despite their success, frustration over their inability to build a soccer-specific stadium led the owners to move the team to Houston for the 2006 season. MLS, however, decreed that the team's name, colors, and records would remain in San Jose while the Houston team was rebranded as the Dynamo and went on to win the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.

The league added Toronto as an expansion team in 2007, then, when the time came to add another team for 2008, selected San Jose. The new Earthquakes joined the league for the 2008 season and finished dead last, with only eight wins out of thirty matches.

Although they have yet to replicate the success of their previous incarnation, they reached the MLS Cup semifinals in 2010 before losing to that season's eventual champions, Colorado, and had the league's best record in 2012.

6 April 1996 - The Name "San Jose Sex Pistols" Is Still Available

On 6 April 1996, the San Jose Clash hosted DC United for the inaugural Major League Soccer match. San Jose won, 1-0, but United went on to win the league title.

The new league was part of the deal that brought the World Cup to the United States in 1994. Only ten teams contested that first season, followed by a playoff tournament to decide the league champion. In addition to the tournament, MLS departed from the International Football Association Board rules by using a countdown clock (which paused for stoppages of play) and shootouts to decide matches that were even at the end of regulation.

It looked as if the shootout procedure might be needed in that first game, played before a capacity crowd of 31,683 at San Jose's Spartan Stadium. But with two minutes left, Clash forward Eric Wynalda dribbled into the DC United box, beat one defender, then split two others to fire a shot into the far corner of the net. It was the very first goal scored in MLS and was enough to give the victory to the Clash.

In 1999, the Clash renamed themselves the Earthquakes, taking the name from the city's old NASL team. The team moved to Houston in 2006 and became the Dynamo, while the Earthquakes name and records remained in San Jose. After a two-year hiatus, the Earthquakes team rejoined MLS in 2008.

18 July 2007 - San Jose Shakes Again

On 18 July 2007, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced that the San Jose Earthquakes would be returning to the league after a two-year absence.

The Earthquakes were one of the ten founding members of MLS, though they were initially known as the San Jose Clash. In 1999, they changed their name to the Earthquakes, taking it from the defunct NASL team. Two years later, driven by manager Frank Yallop and midfielder Landon Donovan, they won their first MLS Cup, then repeated as champions in 2003.

Despite their success, frustration over their inability to build a soccer-specific stadium led the owners to move the team to Houston for the 2006 season. MLS, however, decreed that the team's name, colors, and records would remain in San Jose while the Houston team was rebranded as the Dynamo and went on to win the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.

The league added Toronto as an expansion team in 2007, then, when the time came to add another team for 2008, selected San Jose. The new Earthquakes joined the league for the 2008 season and finished dead last, with only eight wins out of thirty matches.

Although they have yet to replicate the success of their previous incarnation, they reached the MLS Cup semifinals in 2010 before losing to that season's eventual champions, Colorado, and at present, they sit at the  top of the MLS table with two-thirds of the season gone.

6 April 1996 - The Name "San Jose Sex Pistols" Is Still Available

On 6 April 1996, the San Jose Clash hosted DC United for the inaugural Major League Soccer match. San Jose won, 1-0, but United went on to win the league title.

The new league was part of the deal that brought the World Cup to the United States in 1994. Only ten teams contested that first season, followed by a playoff tournament to decide the league champion. In addition to the tournament, MLS departed from the International Football Association Board rules by using a countdown clock (which paused for stoppages of play) and shootouts to decide matches that were even at the end of regulation.

It looked as if the shootout procedure might be needed in that first game, played before a capacity crowd of 31,683 at San Jose's Spartan Stadium. But with two minutes left, Clash forward Eric Wynalda dribbled into the DC United box, beat one defender, then split two others to fire a shot into the far corner of the net. It was the very first goal scored in MLS and was enough to give the victory to the Clash.

In 1999, the Clash renamed themselves the Earthquakes, taking the name from the city's old NASL team. The team moved to Houston in 2006 and became the Dynamo, while the Earthquakes name and records remained in San Jose. After a two-year hiatus, the Earthquakes team rejoined MLS in 2008.