October 21, 2009 RING OF FIRE Armas to join Fire's Hall of Fame
Chris Armas will be inducted into his fourth Hall of Fame Thursday night. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
Former Adelphi University and Long Island Rough Riders standout midfielder Chris Armas will be inducted into the Chicago Fire's Hall of Fame, "The Ring of Fire," during the MLS team's Thursday night game against Chivas USA.
Armas, a Brentwood, N.Y. native who is a one-time U.S. international, captained the Fire for many years before retiring after the 2007 season.
Armas will join Peter Nowak, Frank Klopas, Bob Bradley and Peter Wilt in the "Ring of Fire."
The seven-time MLS All-Star finished his decorated playing career in 2007 having recorded 12 goals and 48 assists in 214 games. Armas ranks in the top five on the Fire’s all-time list with 42 assists (second), 13 game-winning assists (second), 19,018 minutes played (third), 214 games played (third), and 212 games started (second).
In 2008, Armas became an assistant coach under head coach Denis Hamlett, helping the team reach the Eastern Conference final.
“Chris was a leader on the field and in the locker room, helping to build the Fire’s winning tradition since our first season in 1998," Fire president Dave Greeley said. "He truly displays the qualities of leadership, dedication and integrity that this honor represents.”
This will be the fourth Hall of Fame to which Armas will be inducted. He already is a member of the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame, Long Island Rough Riders Hall of Fame and the Adelphi University Athletics Hall of Fame.
ESPN2 will televise the game at 8 p.m. ET Thursday.
Armas, who is director of coaching with the Massapequa Soccer Club, lives on Long Island with his wife, Justine, and two sons, Christopher and Aleksei.
