Ray Jacobs, who launched the ASL New Jersey Eagles in the late 1980s, passed away on Oct. 2 at the age of 90.
Jacobs founded the Eagles along with Clive Toye as part of the outdoor push following the NASL’s collapse. Ex-Cosmos players included Hubert Birkenmeier and Andranik Eskandarian. Hall of Famers Tab Ramos and Peter Vermes both first played as pros with the Eagles.
The Eagles played their first two seasons at Hinchcliffe Stadium in Paterson, then moved to Cochrane Stadium for their final season in 1990.
Jacobs was raised in Bergen County, New Jersey and attended the University of Rochester and Harvard Law School. He maintained his law practice until he was 89.
In 1980, Ray and his brother Mitch launched Software City — a retail software company that was ahead of its time, and at one point had 100 stores across North America.
Ray is survived by his wife, Marti, his sons Gregory and Douglas; his daughters-in-law Heather and Cheryl; his grandchildren Gabriel, Declan, Sabrina, Benjamin and Samantha; and his beloved grand-dog, Cody.