Amazingly, the Rowdies won the league championship that season, with Hammond recording clean sheets in all three playoff games.
He saved a penalty in the 1–0 quarter-final win over Toronto, and survived an onslaught of Portland shots in the Rowdies 2–0 Soccer Bowl victory.
Although Mausser had been capped by the U.S. national team, and was selected as the top NASL goalkeeper for 1976, Firmani preferred Hammond and negotiated his purchase from Palace.
[1] At this time Palace was attempting to rebuild its team and used the funds from Hammond's sale to purchase striker Jeff Bourne from Derby County.
Hammond was selected as the Goalkeeper of the Year as the Summit ran to the best record only to fall to the champion New York Arrows in the playoff semifinals.
He had gained his U.S. citizenship and the United States Soccer Federation had decided to enter the U.S. national team into the NASL.
To make up a full roster, USSF allowed a limited number of non-U.S. citizens, such as Alan Green to join Team America.