The final days of voting for the “Best Kit in Washington” held a few surprises. Word got out late but when it did over 600 votes were cast in the final 48 hours. The poll has closed and the Tacoma Stars Admiral Whites have been voted as top kit. The Stars Whites ended with 32% of the total vote. Wenatchee FC’s Green and White Joma’s finished a close second with 30%, boosted by a slew of votes from Brazil. The Kitsap Pumas’ Blue and White Admiral hoops rallied late and ended up third with 19% of the vote. The Sounders’ Addidas Blacks ended with 9% of ballots cast.

It’s been quite a year for the Tacoma Stars. The club name and logo was awarded to Lane Smith, operator of the Tacoma Soccer Center and co-owner of the Sounders U-23’s and Sounders Women. That award was challenged but later confirmed. Over the summer the Stars began work on returning to play. They helped found the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) and contacted Admiral in regards to having their nostalgic, traditional MISL kit replicated for use today. Admiral had done the same a few years back when the Stars were in the PASL.

The Tacoma Stars debuted in 1983 using a kit that had a diamond pattern resembling the roof of the Tacoma Dome, but using the club’s striking gold and orange. Nostalgia clearly played a factor in this year’s vote, but the late surge seems to indicate that newer Stars fans are also fond of the unique kits.

The website Uni-Watch.com paid the Stars the ultimate compliment back in 2009, when they picked the kit as the #1 all-time in the MISL:

“I know, I know, it looks as if Charlie Brown collided with Dan Issel or Alex English and fused into one being, but that is what makes it so endearing to me. That’s right, I love these babies so much I had one made for my membership card. The Stars not only looked good, however, they were good. They were the only team to beat San Diego in a playoff series, and they were one game away from winning the ’86-’87 title.”

The truth is that the MISL Tacoma Stars had only one winning season, and even they went away from these kits in their later years before the league went down in the early 90’s. Doesn’t matter. When Preki and Zungul lit up the Tacoma Dome wearing them in one short 1986-87 season, the images were lasered into the memories of indoor soccer fans.

Today, MISL Star Dick McCormick’s son WISL Star Duncan is wearing the Diamond Whites, and the Stars are leading the WISL at the halfway point of the season in goals, goalkeeping and attendance.

Now their history is given a nudge, and their present is given a boost. The voters say the Tacoma Stars are wearing the “Best Kit In Washington.”

Since you asked, you can buy one here.