Notable coaches
- Henry Farrell 1928
New York Nationals were a New York City soccer team which played in the American Soccer League between 1927 and 1930. A New York Nationals team also played in the United Soccer League in 1984.
In 1927, Charles Stoneham, owner of the New York Giants baseball team took over the ASL Indiana Flooring franchise. He wanted to rename the team the Giants. However, as there was already a New York Giants in the ASL, Stoneham had to settle for renaming his soccer team the New York Nationals. [1] Nationals won the 1928 National Challenge Cup, beating Chicago's Bricklayers and Masons F.C. 4–1 on aggregate in the final. [2] Then in 1929 they won the Lewis Cup, the ASL league cup, defeating New Bedford Whalers over three games. [3] On May 25, 1930 at the Polo Grounds, the Nationals played a friendly against Rangers, the reigning Scottish champions. They lost this game 5–4. [4] The Nationals most prominent players included Jimmy Douglas, Jimmy Gallagher, Bart McGhee and Robert Millar. The former three all played for the United States at the 1930 World Cup while Millar was the team coach.
In 1930 the New York Giants of the ASL decided to rename themselves the New York Soccer Club. Seizing upon the opportunity, Stoneham relaunched the Nationals as the New York Giants. [5] One player Davey Brown actually transferred from the original Giants to the Nationals, in effect moving from the Giants to the Giants!
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | National Challenge Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927/28 | 1 | ASL | 10th (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | Did not qualify | Champion |
| 1928/29 | N/A | ASL | 3rd (1st half); 4th (2nd half) | Did not qualify | Did not enter |
| Fall 1929 | 1 | ASL | 4th | No playoff | N/A |
| 1929/30 | 1 | ACL/ASL | 5th (Spring); 8th (Fall) | No playoff | Second round |
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 Marksmen was an American soccer club, based in Fall River, Massachusetts. They originally played as Fall River United before becoming known as the Marksmen after their owner, Sam Mark. 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.
New Bedford Whalers was the name of three American soccer teams based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The first Whalers played in the Southern New England Soccer League between 1914 and 1918. The second Whalers played in the American Soccer League between 1924 and 1931 before merging into Fall River F.C.. The third Whalers were then formed when Fall River merged with New York Yankees. They played in the ASL between 1931 and 1932.
New York Giants was a name used by three different New York City soccer teams. Two of these teams were associated with the New York Giants baseball franchise. The first team that used the name played in the American League of Professional Football in 1894. The second team played in the American Soccer League between 1923 and 1930 while the third team played in the same league between 1930 and 1932.
The Brooklyn Hispano was an American soccer club based in Brooklyn, New York that was an inaugural member of the reformed American Soccer League. The club was named the Brooklyn Giants for the 1942/43 season only.
Bartholomew "Bertie" or "Bart" McGhee was an American soccer forward who typically played left wing forward. He played for the United States men's national soccer team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and scored the second goal in World Cup history against Belgium. He was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.
Robert "Bob" 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.
Rudy Kuntner was a U.S.-Austrian soccer forward who was a member of the U.S. team at the 1928 Summer Olympics. He is also known as a long time stage manager for the Metropolitan Opera and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
Indiana Flooring were a New York City soccer team that played in the American Soccer League between 1924 and 1927. They replaced New York Field Club. Before joining the ASL, the team had played in various state leagues.
Jimmy Gallagher was a Scottish American soccer right wing midfielder who spent eleven seasons in the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and 1934 FIFA World Cup. Gallagher was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.
Jimmy Douglas was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper who spent his career in the first American Soccer League (ASL). He earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, making his first appearance for the "Stars and Stripes" at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Notably, he finished his international career at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, where he posted the first "clean sheet" in World Cup history. Douglas was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1953.
George Moorhouse was the first native of England to appear in a FIFA World Cup. He spent most of his playing career in the United States and earned seven caps with the U.S. national team. He was a member of the U.S. teams at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and 1934 FIFA World Cup. Moorhouse was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.
James Harold "Harry" Chatton, commonly referred to as Harry Chatton, was an Irish footballer who played for several clubs in the Scottish League, the American Soccer League and the League of Ireland. Chatton was a dual internationalist and played for both Ireland teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI. His date and place of death are unknown.
The Eastern Professional Soccer League, better known as the Eastern Soccer League (ESL), was a U.S. soccer league which existed for only a season and a half in 1928 and 1929. Born of the internecine strife between U.S. soccer organizations known as the “Soccer War”, the ESL was created by the United States Football Association as a counter to the professional American Soccer League which was contesting USFA control of professional soccer in the U.S.
Peter “Pete” Renzulli was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper. He played in the New York State League, National Association Football League and the American Soccer League, winning three National Challenge Cups. Renzulli was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1951.
Tommy Duggan was an American soccer outside right who played in both the National Association Football League and American Soccer League. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Charles Abraham Stoneham was the owner of the New York Giants baseball team, New York Nationals soccer team, the center of numerous corruption scandals and the instigator of the "Soccer Wars" which destroyed the American Soccer League.
Statistics of American Soccer League in season 1928–29.
Statistics of American Soccer League in season 1930.
The American Soccer League has been a name used by four different professional soccer sports leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For several years the ASL's popularity rivaled the popularity of the National Football League. Disputes with the United States Football Association and FIFA, and the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 led to the league's collapse in spring 1933.
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