Fall River F.C. was an American soccer club based in Fall River, Massachusetts. During the 1920s and early 1930s they were one of the most successful soccer clubs in the United States, winning the American Soccer League on six occasions. They also won the National Challenge Cup four times. In 1924 they won the first ASL / Challenge Cup double and were subsequently the American soccer champions three times in succession. Between 1928 and 1930 they won a further three titles in a row. In 1930 they completed a treble, winning the ASL title, the Challenge Cup and the Lewis Cup. The same year they also toured Central Europe.
The American Football Association (AFA) was the first attempt in the United States to form an organizing soccer body. It was the second oldest sports league to form, behind the National League of baseball in 1876, as well as being the oldest soccer organization in the United States.
The National Association Football League (NAFBL) was a semi-professional U.S. soccer league which operated between 1895 and 1898. The league was reconstituted in 1906 and continued to operate until 1921.
Thomas Swords was an American soccer forward, who served as captain of the U.S. men's national team in its first two games. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
The American Football Association Challenge Cup was the first major U.S. soccer competition open to teams beyond a single league. It was first held in 1884. In the 1910s, it gradually declined in importance with the establishment of the National Challenge Cup. It was last held in 1924.
The American Amateur Football Association Cup was an American soccer competition open to amateur teams affiliated with the American Amateur Football Association (AAFA). It played only two years, 1912 and 1913 before being superseded by the National Challenge Cup, now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Mark's Stadium is a former soccer stadium located in North Tiverton, Rhode Island. During the 1920s and early 1930s it was the home of Fall River F.C., one of the era’s most successful soccer teams. It is one of the earliest examples of a soccer-specific stadium in the United States. After the demise of the 'Marksmen', the stadium was used as a home ground by other local teams, most notably Fall River F.C. (1932) and Ponta Delgada S.C.
Samuel Mark was an American soccer club owner. During the 1920s and early 1930s he was the owner of Fall River Marksmen, one of the era's most successful teams. Mark's continued to own the team after it relocated and became the New York Yankees and then New Bedford Whalers. He also briefly owned Boston Soccer Club. He had played guard for the Massachusetts American Legion basketball team.
James White was a Scottish footballer who spent most of his career playing for Fall River in the American Soccer League. He was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The 1909 American Cup was the annual soccer tournament held by the American Football Association.
Frederick "Chiddy" Pepper was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. Born in Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, Pepper received a basic education before finding vocation as a fireman on the local railway. Joining Notts County F.C. in 1908 aged 21, he found little success playing in the English Football League and subsequently emigrated to Canada in 1913. Settling in Hamilton, Ontario, Pepper was scouted by industrialist Charles M. Schwab from local team Hamilton Lancashire and joined his Bethlehem Steel F.C. in 1914, an important club in the infancy of organized association football in the United States.
The Colonial League was the name of two mid-level American minor baseball leagues. The first Colonial League was a Class C level league that existed from 1914 to 1915 as a minor league for the outlaw Federal League. The second Colonial League existed from 1947 through mid-July 1950. It was graded Class B, two levels below the major leagues, and featured teams based in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey
Patrick Butler was an early twentieth-century Irish soccer player who appears to have spent his entire career in the U.S. leagues. He was a member of the Bethlehem Steel teams which won the 1916 National Challenge Cup and the 1917 and 1919 American Cup Butler began his career on the front line, playing both inside and outside forward on both sides of the field. He ended his career at the right half back position.
The 1908 American Cup was the annual soccer tournament held by the American Football Association. The West Hudsons won the tournament for the second time in three years defeating the Paterson True Blues in the final as they did in 1906.
The 1888 American Cup was the fourth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. Having expanded into the New England district the first new champions came from Fall River, Massachusetts after Clark O.N.T. of Newark had won the previous three editions. The Fall River Rovers defeated the Newark Almas in the final.
The 1889 American Cup was the fifth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Fall River Rovers won their second consecutive title by defeating the Newark Caledonians in the final.
The 1890 American Cup was the sixth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Fall River Olympics won their first title becoming the second Fall River team to do so after the Rovers had won the previous two editions.
The 1891 American Cup was the seventh edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Fall River East Ends won their first title, keeping the title in Fall River for the fourth year running. Fall River Olympic won the title in 1890 and Fall River Rovers won in 1888 and 1889. The Fall River Rovers were readmitted to the AFA after having settled their dispute with the Pawtucket Free Wanderers, before which any associations teams were barred from playing them.
Alexander William Bannwart, also known as Al Winn, was a Swiss-American businessman. He was involved in baseball, politics, and real estate.
The 1893 American Cup was the ninth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Pawtucket Free Wanderers won their first title by overcoming the New York Thistles in the final. This season operations shifted to New England with the elected committee represented by John Clark of Pawtucket as president, Joseph Brady of the East Ends as vice president, John F. Geagan of the Rovers as Secretary, and Ephraim Mayes of the Olympics as Treasurer.
