Christmas Day Soccer Football

Christmas Day soccer games were conducted regularly in New England from the 1880s through at least the mid-1930s.

Dec. 25, 1885 – East Ends 2:0 North Ends, Fall River, Mass.

Dec. 25, 1889 – Fall River Rovers 1:0 Olympics

Fall River Rovers 2:1 Holyoke Scotras

Fall River East Ends 5:0 Tauntons

Dec. 25, 1890 – Fall River Rovers 4:2 Nonpareils (Att.: 1,500)

“Bell scored the final goal … pushed Cameron and the leather over the line, amid great cheering.”

            Chase Rovers 2:1 Fall River Clippers at Congress St. Grounds (Att.: 200)

”The cold wind whistled around the grounds made memorable by the brilliant work of Boston’s famous champions of 1890 and the foot ball players were unable to keep warm, not to speak of the spectators.”

Dec. 25, 1891 – Boston Rovers 5:2 East Bostons, Congress St. Grounds (Att.: 150)

“… the sport was witnessed by 150 people, among them many ladies.”

Dec. 25, 1907 – Fall River Rovers 4:3 Bostonians (Att.: 1,500)

Time: 35m halves

J&P Coats 2:1 Howard & Bullough, Lonsdale Ave. Grounds

Dec. 25, 1909 – Fall River Rovers 8:2 Boston Rovers

Boston two-year unbeaten streak snapped

Charlestown FC 5:0 Walworth, Sullivan Sq.

Dec. 25, 1911 – Providence 0:0 Fore River, NEFA league match, Gorham Field

“The grounds were in perfect condition and the weather of the best for fast playing.”

Dec. 25, 1915 – Fall River Rovers 1:0 Pan-Americans, second round National Challenge Cup match, Athletic Grounds (Att.: 2,500)

Goal: Swords

General Electric (Lynn, Mass.) 2:1 Fore River, National Cup series (Att.: 1,500)

Goals: Gillespie, Cay; Elliott. Note: Fore River hit post three times

Lynn Hibernians 3:0 Boston Americans, National Cup replay

Goals: Ritchie, Murray Freil.

Dec. 25, 1919 – Fore River v. J&P Coats, National Cup game postponed

“Crowds of soccer fans were gathered at the South Station when the fact was announced that they could go home, as the game was off.” The match was rescheduled, Fore River eliminating J&P Coats, 3-1.

Dec. 25, 1923 – Scandinavia 4:1 Portugal, Boston & District League series, Walpole St. Grounds

“… annual match … “ Goals: Fradal (2), Dahl, Nilsen; Sousa (PK).

Dec. 25, 1924 – J&P Coats 5:2 Providence

Goals: Hogg 2, Drummond, Hibbert, Perry (PK); Tewfik Abdallah, Tommy Florie

Indiana Flooring 4:1 Boston Wonder Workers (Att.: 4,000)

Goals: Rew 2, Carlson, McFarlane; Stevens.

New Bedford Whalers 0:2 Fall River, Battery Park

Goals: Campbell, Brittan.

Dec. 25, 1925 – Bethlehem Steel 1:2 Fall River

Crowd “largest of the season at the grounds.”

Indiana Flooring 1:1 Shawsheen Village, ASL game, New York Oval (Att.: 2,100)

Goals: Bob Millar (“clever overhead kick” off a corner); Cook (86^th).

Boston SC 1:0 New York National Giants, Walpole St. Grounds

Woodsies gain second place. “… ground was covered with snow and treacherous underfoot.”

Dec. 25, 1926 – J&P Coats 0:0 Fall River (Att.: 4,000)

“Players and mounted policemen escorted Referee George Lambie of Newton off the field …”

Boston 6:1 Springfield, Walpole St. Grounds

Dec. 25, 1927 – Brooklyn Wanderers 4:2 Boston SC, Hawthorne Field (Att.: 4,000)

“Boston Tumbled From Top Berth”

Newark 0:3 Fall River (Att.: 1,000)

Goals: McCauley, McEachran, Graham.

New York Giants 7:2 Providence (Att.: 3,000)

Campbell converted a rebound after Hogg hit the post to give Providence a two-goal lead in the 31^st minute. Goals: Moorhouse 4, Schwarz 2, O’Brien; Agnew, Campbell.

Dec. 25, 1928 – New Bedford Whalers 2:0 Philadelphia

Goals: Howieson, Kennedy.

Providence 2:0 Brooklyn Wanderers

Goals: Patterson 2.

New York Nationals 4:0 Fall River, Polo Grounds

Goals: Leonard 2, Nelson, Connaboy.

Dec. 25, 1930 – Pawtucket 2:2 New Bedford Whalers

Whalers remain in first place on Lorimer free kick, then Jerry Best’s second-half tying score. Pawtucket’s Kennedy and McIntyre opened scoring in the first half. Best league-leading 35 goals.

Dec. 25, 1932 – Fall River FC 6:0 Boston, ASL match, Bigberry Stadium

Goals: Gonsalves (2), O’Keefe (2), Reid, White. Note: Reder GK for Fall River.

Swedish SC 2:1 Gremio Lusitano (Ludlow), Hampden International League annual charity series

“… conditions were decidedly unfavorable for the playing of soccer …” Match called “with 25 minutes to play”

Fairlawn Rovers 1:1 Victoria Mills, National Soccer Cup (U.S. Open Cup), Lindsey Field, Pawtucket, R.I.

Replay at Thornton “next Sunday”

Dec. 25, 1933 – Quincy Canadians 4:4 New Bedford Defenders, American Pro League match, Lincoln Park

            Tessiers 2:2 Fall River Rovers, ASL game at New Bedford

Dec. 25, 1936 – Brookhattan 5:1 Chicopee Rovers

NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY