Frank Dell'Apa

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May 9, 1920 – Fore River SC falls in U.S. Open Cup final

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Fore River’s Jack Kershaw, who had been expected to be a reserve, because of an ankle injury, scored eight minutes before halftime for Fore River. Marre and Dunn countered in the second half.

May 9, 1920 – St. Louis Ben Millers 2:1 Fore River SC at Federal League Baseball Park (Att.: 12,000)

Fore River hoped to capitalize on tactical savvy and technique, plus the fact the St. Louis teams “are used to playing only 60-minute games,” according to The Boston Globe. [Read more…] about May 9, 1920 – Fore River SC falls in U.S. Open Cup final

May 8, 1964 – Liverpool FC draws a (15,000) crowd in Boston

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The Boston Globe listed attendance at 10,000, “the biggest crowd of people to ever watch a soccer game in the Boston area.” Several sources who were at the game as players or spectators are convinced the crowd was greater than 10,000. My primary source is Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league. Mirisola said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” Everett Memorial Stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a long-time Everett resident and former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender. [Read more…] about May 8, 1964 – Liverpool FC draws a (15,000) crowd in Boston

May 7, 2013 – Revolution acquire Juan Agudelo from Chivas USA in trade for allocation money

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Juan Agudelo scored twice in six games with Chivas USA before being sent to the New England Revolution, where he totaled seven goals in 14 matches, in 2013. That has been Agudelo’s most productive MLS season – nine goals in 20 games. Agudelo, 24, is on pace for his first double-figure goal total this season, with six in 10 games.

Agudelo burst on the scene as an 18-year-old with the New York Red Bulls, but failed to become a regular starter. Agudelo totaled six goals in 33 games (13 starts) with the Red Bulls before being traded to Chivas USA in 2012. Agudelo’s career seemed to be on the rise with a transfer to Stoke City, but he was unable to secure a work permit and was loaned to Utrecht, where he scored three goals in 14 appearances in 2013-14.

The Revolution hoped Agudelo’s return would help them contend for the MLS Cup, a year after they lost to the LA Galaxy in the 2014 final.

Revolution coach Jay Heaps is hoping to capitalize on Agudelo’s combination of size, skill and strength, also using his playmaking ability, in a 4-4-2 alignment. Agudelo, born in Manizales, Colombia, has reemerged on the U.S. national team scene – he scored in his debut, a 1-0 win over South Africa in Johannesburg Nov. 17, 2010, and has totaled three goals in 22 appearances.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

May 6, 1916 – A U.S. OPEN CUP RIVALRY IS BORN

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May 6, 1916 – Bethlehem Steel 1:0 Fall River Rovers at Coats Field (Att.: 15,000)

The rivalry between Bethlehem Steel Company FC and Fall River Rovers FC kicked off in the 1916 National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) final. The teams represented two of the country’s major industrial centers, the Bethlehem team composed of European imports, known for their precision passing game, and the Rovers a mostly native-born team relying more on effort than skill. [Read more…] about May 6, 1916 – A U.S. OPEN CUP RIVALRY IS BORN

May 5, 1967 – Atlanta Chiefs 3:1 Toronto Falcons at Fenway Park (Att.: 6,298)

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Jimmy Fund benefit game in rain storm. Roy Bloomfield finished a Ron Newman shot deflected off Bill Brown, then Newman earned two PKs, Bloomfield and Graham Newton converting. Lopez scored for Toronto. Roddy Pearce (Jamaica) commanded midfield, plus Ev Cummings and Emmet Kapengwe (Zambia), according to Seamus Malin story in The Boston Globe. Future NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam is player-coach, thanks to Bob Sales story.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

May 5, 2001 – Boston Breakers’ home-opener, largest stand-alone crowd for women’s club game

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Spectators for the Boston Breakers’ home-opener at Nickerson Field included Mayor Menino, the Boston Red Sox’ Nomar Garciaparra and Lou Merloni, former New England Patriot John Hannah, plus Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson. Homare Sawa scored past Tracy Ducar (Lawrence/North Andover) in the 62nd minute for the Atlanta Beat, which would go on to play in the WUSA final before a 21,078 crowd at Foxboro Stadium Aug. 25, 2001. The Breakers finished in sixth place in their first two seasons, then won the 2003 regular-season title under coach Pia Sundhage before the league folded.

[Read more…] about May 5, 2001 – Boston Breakers’ home-opener, largest stand-alone crowd for women’s club game

May 4, 1974 – Dallas Tornado 0:0 Boston Minutemen at Texas Stadium (Att.: 9,124). First Minutemen game in inaugural NASL season

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The Boston Minutemen, guided by former Yale coach Hubert Vogelsinger, reached the semifinals of the NASL playoffs in their first year. The roster included several internationals and English First Division players. Ade Coker and Carlos Metidieri performed for the U.S. national team. The back row of this team photo includes Steve Twellman, uncle of future New England Revolution all-time leading scorer Taylor Twellman. [Read more…] about May 4, 1974 – Dallas Tornado 0:0 Boston Minutemen at Texas Stadium (Att.: 9,124). First Minutemen game in inaugural NASL season

May 3, 1959 – Ukrainian Nationals 1:1 (2:4 aggregate) Fall River SC. U.S. Open Cup semifinals

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Fall River SC went on to the final, falling, 4-3, to the McIlvaine Canvasbacks of San Pedro at Rancho La Cienega Stadium. Fall River teams have won five U.S. Open Cup titles and New England teams have won 10 U.S. Open Cups (nine from Massachusetts, one from Rhode Island). Fall River clubs also won five American FA Cups, the competition running from 1885-1924.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

May 2, 2006 – Clint Dempsey named to U.S. World Cup team

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Clint Dempsey went on to score a goal for the USMNT in the 2006 World Cup and went on to captain the team and total 56 goals in 132 international appearances.

Dempsey, who was playing his third season with the Revolution, continued a streak of New England-based players on U.S. World Cup teams extending to 1998 (Alexi Lalas, Joe-Max Moore) and 2002 (Carlos Llamosa). Four Revolution players were named to a reserve list: Pat Noonan; Steve Ralston, who had converted the goal to clinch a U.S. place in the World Cup finals; goalkeeper Matt Reis; and Taylor Twellman. Chris Aduama photo

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

April 30, 1939 – Long before Cristiano Ronaldo, there was Billy Gonsalves

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Long before Cristiano Ronaldo, Adelino (Billy) Gonsalves was considered among the most proficient players of Madeira Island descent. Gonsalves, born in Portsmouth, R.I., in 1908, holds the record by winning eight U.S. Open Cup championships, six in succession (1930-35) with three clubs. Gonsalves won his first title with Fall River Marksmen at the age of 22 and his last with Brooklyn Hispano at 35 in 1944.

Gonsalves competed for teams in several cities, but he might not have had to leave St. Louis to play for Chicago-based Manhattan Beer. Gonsalves left Fall River after the demise of the ASL and the Marksmen, performing for St. Louis Central Breweries, Beltmar Drug and South Side Radio in the “Mound City” from 1933-38. The St. Louis Soccer League invited Chicago teams to participate in the league, and Gonsalves joined Manhattan Beer for the 1938 and ’39 seasons. Gonsalves teamed with Spain-born Fabri Salcedo to lead the attack for the Brewers, and they continued to combine with Brooklyn Hispano in the ‘40s.

April 30, 1939 – Chicago Manhattan Beer 0:1 St. Mary’s Celtic (Brooklyn)

Gonsalves scored Manhattan Beer’s only goal in the two-game series on a penalty kick. Duke Nanoski converted in the away leg and added two goals in St. Mary’s Celtic’s 4-1 win in the return leg at Starlight Park in the Bronx May 7, 1939. Rudolf Kuntner, a U.S. Men’s National Team member who became stage manager at the Metropolitan Opera, added a penalty kick goal in the second leg. According to a Dec. 19, 1971 New York Times review of Tristan und Isolde, Kuntner “… was responsible for the lighting effects. Bravo.” The Met used the stage lighting setup for productions in the ‘80s, also.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY