This match proved to be a showcase for Fall River’s Joe Kennaway, who became Celtic FC’s starting goalkeeper from 1931-39, after John Thomson, 22, sustained a fatal injury in a game against Rangers. [Read more…] about May 31, 1931 – Fall River FC 1:0 Glasgow Celtic at Mark’s Stadium (Att.: 7,000)
Billy Gonsalves scored three goals for the Yankees, who began the season as the Fall River Marksmen. The Boston Globe advance story called the team the “Fall River Yankees.” [Read more…] about May 30, 1931 – NY Yankees 4:3 Glasgow Celtic at Fenway Park (Att.: 8,000)
Buff Donelli scored every goal for the U.S. in a 4-2 victory over Mexico in a playoff match in Rome May 24, 1934. Three days later, Italy took a 3-0 halftime lead before Donelli’s 57th-minute conversion.
If the U.S.-Mexico game had been considered part of the World Cup finals, Donelli would have tied with Czechoslovakia’s Oldrich Nejedly for the Golden Boot with five goals. [Read more…] about May 27, 1934 – Italy 7:1 U.S., World Cup at Stadio Nazionale PNF (Att.: 25,000)
Liverpool FC compiled an 11-0-0 record (63-14 goal differential) on an eight-city tour of the U.S. and Canada from May 16-June 20, 1948.
Goals: Al Stubbins 2, Bill Fagan 2, Jack Balmer, Priday. Note: Joe Feicha (Ludlow Lusitano) goal disallowed (offside).
May 26, 1954 – Eastern Seaboard All-Stars 0:6 Chelsea FC at Fall River
Buff Donelli also scored for the U.S. in its 1934 World Cup match, a 7-1 loss to Italy on May 27, 1934. Donelli starred for Pittsburgh area soccer teams from the 1920s through ’40s, and also coached and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, later coaching Boston University’s football team.
Fernando Clavijo had coached the Revolution to their first .500 season and first playoff victory in 2000, then guided the team to the 2001 U.S. Open Cup final. But after a 2W-4L-1D start, Clavijo was replaced by assistant coach Steve Nicol on May 23, 2002.
May 23, 1975 – Boston Minutemen 3:0 Los Angeles Aztecs, NASL game at Nickerson Field
Goals: Melledew 2, Davies. Note: Shep Messing saves Bobby Sibbald PK
May 23, 1953 – Old Time Soccer Players Assn. fourth annual reunion at United Shoe FC in Beverly, Mass. [Read more…] about May 23, 2002 – Revolution fire Fernando Clavijo, name Steve Nicol interim coach
The Maschinos and Wallendas, noted acrobat/high-wire performing families, appear to have provided most of the starting lineup for the circus team in this soccer match at Sullivan Square in Charlestown.
Goals: Solo 2, Morgan; W. Otaris, A. Wallenda, Repinski.
Circus XI included: F. Wallenda rb & J. Wallenda ch. L. Maschina lb, W. Maschino lh, A. Maschino rh, H. Maschino rif.
May 8, 1964 – Boston Metros SC 1:8 Liverpool FC at Everett Stadium (Att.: 15,000)
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. Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league, said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” The stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender.
Boston SC, which went by the “Metros” in ’64, was organized by Umberto Atria, who owned Sal’s Pizza on Cambridge Street and had coached Boston & District league power Boston Italia, and Gino Carpintieri, once a high-level local player while working as an illustrator at the Globe. Atria coached the team, recruiting players from Toronto Italia. The Boston team proved no match for Liverpool, but went on to finish second to the Ukrainian Nationals in the ASL standings with a 9W-1L-3D record, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The Boston team competed in the ASL through the 1968 season, its demise coinciding with the advent of the Boston Beacons, who lasted one season in the NASL.
Liverpool was the reigning champion of England and would go on to win the 1965 FA Cup. Some of the Reds were on international duty (Roger Hunt, Gordon Milne, Peter Thompson), skipping Liverpool’s U.S. tour and playing for England (including a 10-0 win over the U.S. May 27, 1964). The Liverpool team, coached by Bill Shankly, that visited the Boston area included regulars Alan A’Court, 21-year-old Alf Arrowsmith, Jerry Byrne, Ian Callaghan, Phil Chisnall, Phil Ferns, Chris Lawler, goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, Ronnie Moran, Ian St. John, Tommy Smith, Willie Stevenson, Ron Yeats, plus Bobby Graham, 19, and Gordon Wallace, 20, who were on the verge of breaking through to the first team. The Globe listed the Liverpool team’s average age at 23.
The Boston team included former U.S. national team goalkeeper Henry Noga, high-level players from South America such as Nestor Caceres and Hector Marinaro Sr., plus Hubert Vogelsinger (future Boston Minutemen coach), and several local players, such as Vincenzo Mauro, who would go on to referee in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Mauro set up Boston’s goal with a free kick, according to Francis Rosa’s story in the Globe. Oscar Sapis listed as the goal-scorer – his name probably should be spelled “Sapia.”
Four months later, the Beatles would play at Boston Garden to a similar crowd. Rosa’s lede noted “The Red Devils from the land of the Beatles yah-yahed the Boston Metros … 8-1 … ”
Below are lineups published by the Globe.
LIVERPOOL FC: G, Tommy Lawrence; rfb Jerry Byrne; lfbRonnie Moran; rh Phil Ferns; ch Ronnie Yeats; lh Willie Stevenson; or Ian Callaghan; ir Alfred Arrowsmith; cf Ian St. John; il Phil Chisnoll (sic); ol Gordan (sic) Wallace.
Subs: Alan A’Court, Tommy Smith, Bobby Graham, Chris Lawler
BOSTON SC: G Henry Noga; rfb Sal Gulino, lfb Hubert Vogelsinger, rh Hector Fernandez, ch Hector Marianaro (sic), lh Hugo Fernero, or Vincente Nido, ir Nestor Caceres, cf George Havanidis, il Sanchez Garcia, ol Frank DiReda.
Subs: Oscar Sapis, Sal LoGrasso, Vincenzo Mauro
Goals: OG (Vogelsinger) 3d, Chisnoll 29’, Arrowsmith 34’, 53’; Smith 47’, Lawler 50’, St. John 71’, Graham 76’, Sapis 83’.
May 8, 1976 – Hartford Bicentennials 0:3 Boston Minutemen at Dillon Stadium (Att.: 3,632)
May 8, 2010 – Zak Boggs scores two goals in first start. Columbus Crew 3:2 Revolution
NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Manchester United emerged among the top teams in New England, defeating teams such as the Harvard University Crimson, during the early 1900s. At the time, Manchester United was tied with Clan McPherson for the league lead. Another team in New Hampshire was the Manchester Light Blues, which was tied with Andover for third place. [Read more…] about Dec. 21, 1912 – Lawrence 5:2 Manchester United. Upset of 1st-place team in Lawrence, Lowell & District Soccer League
The top soccer teams in the Boston area competed regularly during the winter months in the Commonwealth Armory, now the site of BU’s Agganis Arena.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Yale and Eton competed in possibly the first 11-a-side game conducted using Football Association rules in the U.S. FA rules were established in London in 1863, then adopted by the Scottish FA in 1873. [Read more…] about Dec. 6, 1873 – Yale 2:1 Eton College Alumni, Hamilton Park, New Haven, Conn.