Frank Dell'Apa

frankdellapa@gmail.com

April 13, 1996 – New England Revolution’s first game

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Tampa Bay Mutiny 3:2 Revolution at Tampa Stadium (Att.: 26,473)

Rob Ukrop gave the Revolution a 20th-minute lead, finishing a Welton cross, Alexi Lalas starting the sequence from central defense. The Mutiny scored on three set pieces, Revolution defender Mike Burns disputing the foul that led to the third goal, saying “the referee (Zimmerman Boulos) knows he made a mistake.” Roy Lassiter’s 25th-minute goal tied the score, the first of his 27 for the season, which remains an MLS record. Ivan McKinley, who would play for the Revolution from 1997-2000, broke the deadlock early in the second half, and U.S. national team defender Steve Pittman converted off a Carlos Valderrama assist for a 3-1 lead, before Ukrop cut the deficit in the 70th minute. Ukrop would not score another goal for the Revolution, and was waived after playing nine games as the team set up roster space for acquiring Joe-Max Moore. [Read more…] about April 13, 1996 – New England Revolution’s first game

April 12, 1925 – Providence 3:1 Boston at Kinsley Park (Att.: 4,000)

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U.S. national team captain Tommy Florie converted a penalty kick and Tewfik Abdallah also scored as the Providence Clamdiggers took a 2-1 halftime lead, Barney Battles countering for Boston. Abdallah, nicknamed “Toothpick,” moved from Zamalek to Derby County in 1920, becoming the second Egyptian to play professionally in England. Abdallah played for Providence from 1924-26, then moved to the Fall River Marksmen, Hartford Americans and New York Nationals before returning to Egypt to play for Al Ahly and El Mokhtalt, concluding his career with Montreal Carsteel.

The previous day, Battles had scored as Boston took a 3-1 victory over the Ben Millers of St. Louis in the American Professional Championship before a 4,000 crowd at the Walpole Street Grounds.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 11, 1934 – U.S. Soccer Squad of 18 Selected – for World Cup

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The U.S. team for 1934 World Cup had a strong New England influence, including Eddie Czerkiewicz, Walter Dick, Tommy Florie, Joe Martinelli (Pawtucket Rangers); Billy Gonsalves and Werner “Scotty” Nilsen (Stix, Baer & Fuller); Tom Lynch (Brooklyn Celtics). Also listed was A. Donelli (Curry FC, Pittsburgh). [Read more…] about April 11, 1934 – U.S. Soccer Squad of 18 Selected – for World Cup

April 10, 2011 – Harvard 0:0 Haiti (Att.: 11,513)

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The Haiti Olympic team played earthquake relief fund-raisers at Dartmouth and Harvard in early April. The Sunday game at Soldiers Field outdrew the New England Revolution, which had a 7,970 crowd for a 2-0 loss to Real Salt Lake at Gillette Stadium the previous night. Haiti’s Wilde Donald Guerrier went on to score a goal against Spain in a 2-1 friendly loss in Miami in 2013, then moved to Wisla Krakow and is now playing for Alanyaspor in Turkey.

On April 10, 2010, the Revolution took a 4-1 win over Toronto FC before a 12,798 crowd. Zach Schilawski completed an 11-minute hat trick, the third hat trick by a rookie in MLS history.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 9, 2005 – Revolution win home-opener, Deuce hops to it with a Cuauhtemiña

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After a 3-0 win over the Columbus Crew, my Boston Globe story noted: “Though it is too early to determine trends, the Revolution have shown they plan to perform at a different level than in the past. Even on the uneven surface [yes, they played on real grass in those days] at Gillette Stadium, the Revolution seemed comfortable in controlling the pace and keeping the ball in play, eventually wearing down the Crew.”

Clint Dempsey scored the first goal on a 64th-minute header off a Jay Heaps cross. In the first half, “Dempsey nearly hopped through two defenders but was ruled out of bounds by referee Terry Vaughn. It was a move inspired by Mexican forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who calls the move a ‘Cuauhtemiña.’ [Read more…] about April 9, 2005 – Revolution win home-opener, Deuce hops to it with a Cuauhtemiña

April 8, 1978 – New England Tea Men set for debut

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The day before the New England Tea Men’s inaugural home game at Schaefer Stadium, the Boston Globe noted: “The football field lines have been erased. The soccer field has been laid out – 110 yards long and 65 yards wide – and the eight-foot high, 24-foot wide goal posts (sic) are in position. Next to seeing what the potential is in this hastily assembled 17-man English-dominated roster, the second question is: Who’s going to show up?”

On April 9, 1978, the Tea Men lost, 2-1, to the Tampa Bay Rowdies before an 11,360 crowd that included “1,000 Lipton Tea employees bussed in from New Jersey.’’ Both Tampa Bay goals were chipped over Kevin Keelan, Jim Fleeting heading in from Rodney Marsh, then Dave Robb breaking a 1-1 deadlock in the 87th minute. The Tea Men’s Roger Gibbins finished a header after Lawrie Abrahams headed on a Dennis Wit corner in the 86th minute.

The Tea Men had to put things together quickly – they had been awarded a NASL franchise three months previously. Noel Cantwell and assistant coach Dennis Viollet (whose 32 goals in 36 games in the 1959-60 season remains a Manchester United record — documentary film “A United Man” recently released) guided the Tea Men to a 19-11 record and a first-round playoff appearance.

Two American citizens were required to start for the Tea Men: Dave D’Errico at left back and Harvard assistant coach Kevin Welsh at left wing. The Tea Men also signed former Brown University star Ben Brewster, who was coaching Boston College, three days before the match. Mike Flanagan made his NASL debut as a late replacement for Ringo Cantillo, then went on to be named the league’s MVP, scoring 30 goals in 28 games.

In 2003, Fleeting’s daughter, Julie, would score for the San Diego Flash in a 1-1 draw with the Boston Breakers in a WUSA match – making the Fleetings the only father-daughter combination to convert goals at the professional level in Foxborough.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 7, 1967 – Birth of the Boston Beacons

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Boston ’s entry in the National Professional Soccer League (which became the North American Soccer League) to be called the Boston Beacons … “after consideration of thousands of suggestions from area sports fans.” [Read more…] about April 7, 1967 – Birth of the Boston Beacons

April 6, 2002 – Mamadou Diallo scores his only Revolution goal

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Diallo reveals a shirt sporting a U.S. flag and words “God Bless America” under his Revs’ jersey, winning over crowd after scoring for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001 strikes.

San Jose 2:1 Revolution at Spartan Stadium (Att.: 10,104) [Read more…] about April 6, 2002 – Mamadou Diallo scores his only Revolution goal

April 5, 1931 – Bert Patenaude scores 5 goals for Fall River Marksmen in U.S. Open Cup

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Fall River Marksmen 6:2 Chicago Bricklayers, National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) final at Polo Grounds, New York (Att. 12,000). Less than a year after the inaugural World Cup, Bert Patenaude continued his scoring spree as the Fall River Marksmen won the National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) for the second successive time. Patenaude was 21 years old and Gonsalves 22, and they might have continued their combination, but the American Soccer League folded before the 1932 season, and the U.S. national team lacked organization.

Patenaude was 20 when he converted the first hat trick in World Cup history in 1930, still the third youngest to score a hat trick in the competition. But Patenaude was not selected for the 1934 World Cup team, and information is scarce regarding his exclusion. In March 13, 1934 editions of the Boston Globe, George M. Collins wrote:

“Over New York way the most interesting item is that Bert Patenaude, former Fall River star, has drawn a suspension from the Irish-Americans Club. Patenaude was said to be a sure starter for Rome, but his recent actions may finish his hopes in this respect.”

This was the first of a three-game series, the next two games played in Chicago, a 1-1 draw and a 2-0 Marksmen win on goals by Patenaude and a Gordon Burness penalty kick. Patenaude totaled 13 goals, Gonsalves nine in Fall River’s Cup campaign.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 4, 1908 – Yale 5:2 Penn

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Yale’s McNulty opened the scoring late in the opening half. Penn equalized, then took the lead on Capt. Wood’s penalty kick and a goal by Marsh. Yale recovered as Congdon, O’Sullivan, Hart and Jennings scored “in record time.”

A week later, on Saturday, April 11, 1908, Yale took a 1-0 win over Harvard in the final game of the season at Soldiers Field. Jennings converted a wind-aided goal in the early going and Yale outplayed the Crimson for most of the match, according to the Boston Globe account. [Read more…] about April 4, 1908 – Yale 5:2 Penn