Sam Mark Archives - Frank Dell'Apa

Stix, Baer & Fuller 2:5 (5:8) New Bedford, National Challenge Cup final at Sportsman’s Park. Billy Gonsalves scored twice, including the aggregate go-ahead goal on a free kick 18 minutes into the second half, according to an Associated Press report. (Other sources credit Gonsalves with one goal in the game – and a record 14 goals in U.S. Open Cup finals; Gonsalves could actually have totaled 15 goals). The New Bedford team was essentially the Fall River Marksmen, who had won the 1930 and ’31 Challenge Cup titles, owner Sam Mark moving the franchise for the 1932 season (difficult to understand why Mark moved to New Bedford, as he controlled Mark’s Stadium near Fall River).

The record for U.S. Open Cup titles is five (Bethlehem Steel and Los Angeles Maccabi), but Gonsalves holds the individual title with eight victories (playing for five teams). This was the third of six successive U.S. Open Cup championships for Gonsalves, who was 23 years old at the time. [Read more…] about April 2, 1932 – New Bedford Whalers win U.S. Open Cup

That was the headline the day after Fall River defeated Bethlehem Steel. 2-0, in the National Challenge Cup Eastern final at Dexter Park in Brooklyn on March 9, 1924.

The Boston Globe story estimated 5,000 supporters had traveled from Fall River “and other Massachusetts towns,” a trip estimated to cost about $25 – teams and fans usually traveled by boat.

The match drew “a record crowd,” to Dexter Park, which had a 25,000 capacity. Attendance figures were not listed in the game story, but each club received about $2,500 in gate receipts. Later estimates were a 20,000 crowd.

The Marksmen’s direct play was effective because the field was muddy and “in deplorable condition.” Johnny Reid headed in a Dougie Campbell cross and Campbell finished a Frank McKenna free kick. Alec Lorimer (Fall River) and Tommy Maxwell (Bethlehem) were ejected.

Fall River owner Sam Mark, asked by the Globe’s George M. Collins about the upcoming final, responded: “Believe me, boy, there is no bigger game than this one for me. Beating Bethlehem Steel was our objective and we did it.”

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY