Farr Alpaca F.C. was an early twentieth-century American soccer team sponsored by the Farr Alpaca textile mill of Holyoke, Massachusetts. The team competed in amateur leagues in western Massachusetts, but experienced some success in national competitions.
Farr Alpaca F.C. played in the Western Massachusetts League beginning in 1909. They made it to the second round of the 1913 American Cup where they lost to Bridgeport F.C. Regarding the 1914 American Cup, a May 9, 1914 Bethlehem Globe article stated, “Bethlehems was ordered to play the strong Farr Alpaca F. C. of Holyoke, Mass., three times champions of Mass.” Despite the plaudits, Bethlehem Steel easily dispatched Farr Alpaca in the second round of the cup. [1] They also lost in the first round of the 1914 National Challenge Cup to New Bedford F.C. [2] In 1915, it lost in the third round of the 1915 American Cup, losing again to Bethlehem Steel. [3] The team continued to compete until at least 1920 when it was paired with United Shoe in the first round of the 1921 National Challenge Cup. [4]
Massachusetts State Cup
Bethlehem Steel Football Club (1907–1930) was one of the most successful early American soccer clubs. Known as the Bethlehem Football Club from 1907 until 1915 when it became the Bethlehem Steel Football Club, the team was sponsored by the Bethlehem Steel corporation. Bethlehem Steel FC played their home games first at East End Field in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley, then later on the grounds Bethlehem Steel built on Elizabeth Ave named Bethlehem Steel Athletic Field.
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.
Robert Millar was a Scottish American soccer forward and coach of the U.S. national team at the first FIFA World Cup, in 1930. During his at times tumultuous Hall of Fame career, Millar played with over a dozen teams in at least five U.S. leagues as well as two seasons in the Scottish Football League. He finished his career as a successful professional and national team coach.
Archibald McPherson Stark was a Scottish American soccer player who became the dominant player in U.S. leagues during the 1920s and early 1930s. He spent nine seasons in the National Association Football League and another twelve in the American Soccer League. He also earned two caps, scoring five goals, as a member of the U.S. national team. He holds the U.S. single-season scoring record with 67 goals scored during the 1924–25 season which is the current World Record. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950.
Harold Pemberton Brittan was a U.S.-English soccer center forward. He began his career in England with Chelsea before moving to the United States. In the U.S., he was a prolific goalscorer with the powerhouse Bethlehem Steel, Philadelphia Field Club and Fall River F.C. clubs in the National Association Football League and American Soccer League. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1951.
The Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock were an American soccer team which took its name from the workplace it represented. The dock was part of the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Brooklyn who formed the professional soccer club in 1918 to play in the National Association Football League. Robins played until the league folded in 1921. Robins best finish was third in 1920 and 1921, but won the 1921 National Challenge Cup.
Neil G. Clarke(sometimes listed as Clark) was a Scottish American soccer player who began his career in the Scottish Football League before migrating to the United States. He played in both the National Association Football League and American Soccer League. In 1916, he played in the first two U.S. national team games.
James "Jimmy" or "Bow" Ford was an American soccer outside right who earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1916. He played professionally in the National Association Football League and the American Soccer League, scoring goals in the first two National Challenge Cup Finals.
Harry Jay Ratican was a U.S. soccer forward, coach and team owner. He began and ended his career in the St. Louis Soccer League with several years in both the National Association Football League and American Soccer League. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Thomas "Tommy" or "Whitey" Fleming was a Scottish American soccer outside forward who began his career in Scotland and finished it in the United States. During his Hall of Fame career, Fleming won five American Cups, four National Challenge Cups and at least eight league titles.
Robert Morrison was a Scottish American soccer half back who played most of his career in the USA.
The 1920–21 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
George McKelvey, also spelled McKelvie, was a Scottish-American soccer player who spent his entire professional career in the United States.
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.
Victor F.C. is a name used by at least two, and possibly three, U.S. soccer teams in the early twentieth century.
Philadelphia Hibernian, also known as Hibernian F.C., was an early twentieth century U.S. soccer team which played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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.
Edward J. Donaghy was an American soccer referee active in the 1920s and 1930s. Donaghy is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and managed a number of important matches, such as the finals of the National Challenge Cup in 1930 and 1934, as well as three games in the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Frank Mather was an English association football goalkeeper who played in the first two American National Challenge Cups. He played sporadically for Brooklyn Celtic.
The Farr Alpaca Company was a Canadian and subsequently American textile manufacturer specializing in alpaca and mohair worsted woolen products. Established initially in 1864 as the Randall Farr Company in Hespeler, Ontario, the company was subsequently moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts to avoid tariffs brought on by the Wool and Woolens Act of 1867, and was established as the Farr Alpaca Company in 1874. The Farr family managed to build the company into a dominant brand in the woolen goods market in large part by relying on secrecy; rather than patenting machinery, the company would make use of machine shops with familial ties in the city, paying laborers well and keeping knowledge of components limited across units, such that no one worker could completely duplicate their processes. By the beginning of the 20th century the company had the largest alpaca woolen mill in the world and was a dominant producer in its industry. Unable to adapt to a changing market, the company eventually ceased production in 1939, and was formally dissolved by 1942. The company is remembered today for its role in the creation of the first professional soccer league in the United States the American Soccer League, as its Farr Alpaca F.C. served as a direct predecessor to the Holyoke Falcos, one of the league's founding teams.