06/22/2026
A Tribute to Papa Joe ❤️⚽🍻
Josef “Papa Joe” Bischof came to America with a dream. An immigrant with a passion for soccer, family, and hard work, he believed anything was possible in this country if you were willing to roll up your sleeves and build it.
Long before soccer became the phenomenon it is today, Papa Joe envisioned Southern California as a soccer destination. In the early 1960s, he purchased land in Torrance with hopes of creating some of the West Coast’s most prominent soccer fields and gathering places for players and families. At the time, America wasn’t quite ready for soccer the way it is today, so he did what great visionaries do—he adapted.
That pivot led to the creation of Alpine Village in Torrance and helped bring Oktoberfest to the South Bay, introducing generations of Southern Californians to German culture, food, music, and celebration.
Then came Old World.
In the 1970s, Papa Joe built what would become far more than a village—it became a community, a family legacy, and a place where four generations now live, work, and carry forward his vision every day.
Him sitting as his favorite place at the bar, is deeply missed—especially on soccer match days. He was always the first to arrive, eager to watch the game, share his opinions, and engage in spirited conversation. If you knew Papa Joe, you know exactly what we mean. He was matter-of-fact, unapologetically honest, and spoke his mind expressly his freedom of speech and all the other wonderful things USA has to offer.
Today, as thousands gather at Old World to celebrate the World Cup and the beautiful game he loved so much, we can’t help but think of him. He would be amazed to see Old World become one of the premier soccer gathering placesh on the West Coast—a fitting legacy for a man whose passion for soccer helped inspire our name: West Coast Soccer League.
Thank you, Papa Joe, for building a place where memories are made, friendships are formed, traditions are celebrated, and people come together to eat, drink, dance, and be merry.
Your dream lives on every day.
Prost to the man who started it all. ❤️🍻⚽
Forever in our hearts.
