Frank Dell'Apa

frankdellapa@gmail.com

April 23, 1968 – Boston Beacons 3:0 Detroit Cougars at Fenway Park (Att. 4,406). Beacons’ inaugural home match

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Boston Beacons investors included the Celtics’ Red Auerbach and Red Sox general manager Dick O’Connell. The team had hired coach Jack Mansell a year earlier, but had been unable to make player acquisitions until shortly before the start of the 1968 season. On the eve of the opener, team spokesman Joe McKenney said the Beacons were “hoping for 5,000” attendance. Ticket prices ranged from $1 to $4.50. Leigh Montville’s preview in the Boston Globe noted the crowd would include Cardinal Cushing and the governor, John A. Volpe, and the team would provide a pre-game demonstration of the rules of the game. [Read more…] about April 23, 1968 – Boston Beacons 3:0 Detroit Cougars at Fenway Park (Att. 4,406). Beacons’ inaugural home match

April 22, 1950 – St. Louis Simpkins Ford 2:0 Ponta Delgada SC. U.S. Open Cup final first leg

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Ponta Delgada, which won one of its six U.S. Amateur Cup titles in 1950, would fall in the National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) final after a 1-1 return leg draw in North Tiverton, R.I., May 7. Ponta Delgada won one U.S. Open Cup title, in 1947 (when it also won the U.S. Amateur Cup). [Read more…] about April 22, 1950 – St. Louis Simpkins Ford 2:0 Ponta Delgada SC. U.S. Open Cup final first leg

April 21, 1996 – New England Revolution prepare for inaugural MLS home game

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New England Revolution investor/operator Jonathan Kraft said the team had released additional tickets for the Saturday, April 27 visit from D.C. United. On April 20, the Revolution registered their first victory (1-0 over the New York/New Jersey MetroStars at Giants Stadium). Earlier in the month, the 22,000 initial capacity at Foxboro Stadium had been sold out. [Read more…] about April 21, 1996 – New England Revolution prepare for inaugural MLS home game

April 20, 1997 – Record 57,047 crowd for Dos a Dos

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Carlos Hermosillo blocked a Kasey Keller attempted clearance into the net 38 seconds into the game, fastest goal in Foxboro Stadium history. Then, dos a dos was considered a very positive result for the U.S. national team, but the most significant figure associated with this match was the crowd total: 57,407 (more than 17,000 more than the previous high for a U.S. home World Cup Qualifier).

Mexico coach Bora Milutinovic took credit for encouraging Hermosillo to pressure Keller on clearances, the strategy paying off as the “early goal silenced the crowd of 57,407.” Milutinovic wore a Soccer America magazine scarf honoring him as the best U.S. national team coach in the last 25 years. The U.S. scored as Eddie Pope headed in a free kick (35th minute), the Luis Hernandez chipped Keller (54th), and Nicolas Ramirez surrendered an own goal by heading an Earnie Stewart cross (74th). Hernandez earned a late caution for tripping the New England Revolution’s Alexi Lalas.

Foxborough used to be the go-to site for the USMNT, which went unbeaten (7-0-3) at Foxboro Stadium from 1991-2001. The USMNT has a combined 5-0-1 record in World Cup Qualifiers at Foxboro/Gillette.

U.S. 2:2 Mexico, First WCQ at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 57,407).

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 19, 1927 – Boston SC 3:2 Uruguay, Malden High School Field (Att. 7,000)

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The game was interrupted by a fight shortly after the Boston team took the lead on a McArthur penalty kick past Uruguayan goalkeeper Mazzalli with 10 minutes remaining. “A regular riot” ensued, according to George M. Collins’ report in the Boston Globe. “It was a hot afternoon and the hot temperaments of the Olympic champions became pronounced as the game progressed. The climax came when Cea deliberately kicked McIntyre and then tried to slam the Boston captain.” [Read more…] about April 19, 1927 – Boston SC 3:2 Uruguay, Malden High School Field (Att. 7,000)

April 18, 1921 – Abbot Worsteds manager Kelly one-year suspension for using ineligible player v Hendee Indians

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Jimmy Kelly drew the suspension after using Greensdale in a State Cup semifinal game. The State Cup committee also voted to withhold the runner-up cup and medal, Fore River winning the title. The Hendee Indians were accused of using an ineligible player in a previous game, manager James Shepard suspended for a year.

Hendee took a 5-1 win over the Abbots (Milne scored 4 goals) at the Fore River Shipyard field in Quincy Jan. 1 and the teams played to 2-2 draws Dec. 26 in Holyoke and in a semifinal replay March 26 at the Fore River Shipyard field in Quincy.

The Hendee team seems to have been short-lived. [Read more…] about April 18, 1921 – Abbot Worsteds manager Kelly one-year suspension for using ineligible player v Hendee Indians

April 17, 2004 – New England Revolution changing of the guard – Joe-Max Moore’s final home game, Clint Dempsey’s first start

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Joe-Max Moore set up Taylor Twellman for the Revolution goal in the team’s home-opener, but it turned out he would play only one more game before sustaining a career-ending injury. Landon Donovan led the way with a goal and assist on an Arturo Alvarez finish for the reigning MLS Cup champion Earthquakes.

Revolution 1:3 San Jose Earthquakes [Read more…] about April 17, 2004 – New England Revolution changing of the guard – Joe-Max Moore’s final home game, Clint Dempsey’s first start

April 16, 2011 – NEEP Holdings takes control of AS Roma

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Jim Pallotta came from the North End and his partners from Everett and Peabody (NEEP) to begin an ambitious project that has kept AS Roma near the top of Italy’s Serie A. A major part of Pallotta’s goal to vault Roma into soccer’s elite includes building a stadium ( http://www.stadiodellaroma.com/en ) and several hurdles have been cleared in what has been described as potentially the biggest building project in Southern Europe. [Read more…] about April 16, 2011 – NEEP Holdings takes control of AS Roma

April 15, 1933 – Joe Kennaway becomes first foreigner to earn Scottish Cup winners’ medal. Celtic 1:0 Motherwell (Att.: 102,339)

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Jimmy McGrory scored off a deflection as Celtic FC won the 55th edition of the Scottish Cup (Celtic’s 14th championship). Kennaway made his international debut as a 21-year-old with Canada in 1926, then attracted Celtic’s attention in a friendly match; Fall River took a 1-0 win over Celtic May 31, 1931 (Celtic’s goalkeeper was John Thomsen, who would die following a clash with Rangers’ Sam English less than five months). Kennaway replaced Thomsen and became Celtic’s starting goalkeeper from 1931-39, then coached Brown University from 1946-59. [Read more…] about April 15, 1933 – Joe Kennaway becomes first foreigner to earn Scottish Cup winners’ medal. Celtic 1:0 Motherwell (Att.: 102,339)

April 14, 2007 – U.S. 5:0 Mexico at Gillette Stadium (Att. 18,184)

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Kristine Lilly scored twice, Lauren Cheney, Lindsay Tarpley and Abby Wambach once as the U.S. Women’s National Team and Mexico met in a doubleheader, along with the Revolution vs. Toronto FC match. New England established itself as an early home for the USWNT, the first significant crowds arriving for Sports Museum of New England Challenge Cup games against Norway in 1991 and ’92. In Foxborough, the U.S. women have compiled a 7W-0L-1D record (28-1 goal differential) at both stadia. Until recently, crowds for USWNT games in Foxborough were strong, especially for the 1999 Women’s World Cup at Foxboro Stadium – 50,484 arrived for a doubleheader as the U.S. took a 3-0 win over North Korea (and Italy blanked Mexico, 2-0) June 27, 1999. In ’99, three WWC dates were staged at Foxboro Stadium and in 2003, two WWC dates were held at Gillette Stadium. [Read more…] about April 14, 2007 – U.S. 5:0 Mexico at Gillette Stadium (Att. 18,184)