Frank Dell'Apa

Fenway Park

Boston’s history with Santos & the Seleção

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Brazilian teams have been visiting the Boston area since Pelé led Santos FC on a visit to Fenway Park nearly 50 years ago. The match marked a milestone in modern soccer promotion for the area, attracting 18,431 on July 9, 1968, indicating soccer could be a viable professional sport in Boston, after decades of the sport having been shunted aside.

Santos’ 7-1 victory over the Boston Beacons also attracted mainstream media attention, which was not easy to do. Prominent bylines included Peter Gammons, Leigh Montville, Marvin Pave, Bob Sales. The stories were complimentary about Santos’ performance, Pelé earning plenty of praise. And nearly every story made the same factual error, stating Santos had twice won the World Cup. Remarkably, at that time, even the best and brightest of mainstream journalism had difficulty distinguishing between club and country competitions.

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May 10, 1968 – Boston Beacons 0:1 Atlanta Chiefs at Fenway Park (Att.: 5,318)

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The Atlanta Chiefs went on to win the North American Soccer League title and the Boston Beacons finished in last place in the Atlantic Division. Graham Newton’s 57th-minute goal made the difference for the Chiefs (5W-2L-1D). Atlanta’s roster included Kaizer Motaung, who would return to South Africa to found what would become the country’s preeminent soccer team, Kaizer Chiefs. The Beacons (1W-4L-2D) lost their second successive home match. [Read more…] about May 10, 1968 – Boston Beacons 0:1 Atlanta Chiefs at Fenway Park (Att.: 5,318)

July 21, 2010 – Celtic FC 1:1 Sporting CP at Fenway Park (Att.: 32,161)

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Celtic’s Georgios Samaras opened the scoring with a 72nd-minute penalty kick and Helder Postiga’s 81st-minute header equalized. Paul McGowan scored the deciding shootout goal for Celtic, which was playing at Fenway Park for the first time since 1931. Celtic has a 1W-3L-2D record in New England since 1930.

This was the first Fenway soccer match since 1968, when Santos FC defeated the Boston Beacons, 7-1, before an 18,431 crowd. Chris Aduama photo

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

May 30, 1931 – New York Yankees 4:3 Glasgow Celtic at Fenway Park (Att.: 8,000)

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Billy Gonsalves scored three goals for the Yankees, who began the season as the Fall River Marksmen, in an upset win over Celtic FC. In fact, the Boston Globe advance story called the team the “Fall River Yankees.”

“Billy Gonsalves, who learned his soccer on the sandlots of East Cambridge and then was grabbed by the old Boston team, was the big works in the game. All he did was score three of the Yankees’ goals and manipulate the ball in such a manner that he completely mystified the famous Celtics at times.” [Read more…] about May 30, 1931 – New York Yankees 4:3 Glasgow Celtic at Fenway Park (Att.: 8,000)

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

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 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