Frank Dell'Apa

ASL

Feb. 5, 1928 – Providence Clamdiggers 3×1 J&P Coats

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Soccer was thriving and the U.S. was producing goal-scorers during the 1927-28 American Soccer League season. In this game, Tommy Florie would score Providence’s third goal on an 82nd-minute penalty kick and New Bedford-born Arnie Oliver would convert for the “JayPees.” Both Florie and Oliver led their team in scoring that season, and went on to join the U.S. national team for the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay.

Three of the ASL’s top eight scorers were U.S.-born, and others, such as Johnny Nelson and Archie Stark, had moved to the U.S. as teenagers. [Read more…] about Feb. 5, 1928 – Providence Clamdiggers 3×1 J&P Coats

Feb. 3, 1929 – New York Nationals win Lewis Cup

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The Nationals and New Bedford Whalers were even, 4-4, on aggregate, so this was the deciding match, staged “before an enthusiastic crowd of 4,000 fans at Hawthorne Field in Brooklyn,” according to The Boston Globe account. The Nationals took a 4-2 victory, the Whalers squandering the advantage after a scoreless first half.

New Bedford was led by 40-year-old Sam Chedgzoy, a star at Everton and with the England national team, plus Jeremiah Best (formerly of Newcastle and Leeds United) and Scottish international Jimmy Howieson. The Whalers’ center half was Jimmy Montgomerie, who in late February would play in his 200th consecutive American Soccer League match (he totaled 303 career games). [Read more…] about Feb. 3, 1929 – New York Nationals win Lewis Cup

Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers

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Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers

Boston moved into second place in the ASL as Johnny Ballantyne, Bobby Blair, Bill Westwater score. Blair went on to total 36 goals in 33 games. Stevens and Mike McLeavy converted for the Whalers, Stevens going on to lead the league with 44 goals in 39 games. Many of the players in this match had been high-level performers in Scotland, Ballantyne causing controversy by “jumping” his contract with Partick Thistle to move to Boston in 1924. Ballantyne returned to Partick Thistle from 1929-35 and played for Queens Park Rangers in 1935.

Ballantyne’s goal in this game was “accidently” knocked in by Shaw, according to The Boston Globe account. [Read more…] about Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers

Jan. 7, 1922 – Philadelphia FC 3×1 J&P Coats at Phillies Ball Park.

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Today in New England Soccer History

Jan. 7, 1922 – Philadelphia Field Club 3×1 J&P Coats. ASL match at Phillies Ball Park.

Tommy “Whitey” Fleming equalized with a first-half penalty kick and Dugald “Dougie” Campbell scored twice in the second half for the “Phillies,” the Bethlehem Steel team that was playing home games in Philadelphia’s baseball stadium in the 1921-22 ASL season. The Bethlehem Globe editions of 1/9/22: “Tripping gave Whitey Fleming a free chance in front of the net and he made good by driving the ball squarely between the uprights, over the head of Knowles.” Campbell, born in Paisley, Scotland, won three ASL titles (1923-24, 1924-25 and 1925-26) and two U.S. Open Cups (1924 and ’27) with the Fall River Marksmen. [Read more…] about Jan. 7, 1922 – Philadelphia FC 3×1 J&P Coats at Phillies Ball Park.