Philadelphia Merchant Ship

Last updated

Philadelphia Merchant Ship F.C. was a short-lived U.S. soccer team of the early twentieth century. It spent two seasons in the National Association Football League and went to the semifinals of the 1919 American Cup.

Contents

History

Philadelphia Merchant Ship was the company team for the W. Averell Harriman’s Shipbuilding Company located on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [1] The team exploded onto the national scene in 1918. That year it entered the National Association Football League, finishing tied for second with Paterson F.C., but defeated them in a run off game to take sole possession of second place. That summer, the company entered two teams, Merchant Ship “A” and Merchant Ship “B” in the National Challenge Cup. Both were eliminated in the second round. However, Merchant Ship “A” went to the semifinals of the American Cup before falling to Paterson F.C. and Merchant Ship “B” won the Allied Amateur Cup. [2] The team experienced an immediate drop off in performance the next season, finishing ninth in the NAFBL standings. The team withdrew from the league at the end of the season and disbanded.

Year-by-year

YearLeagueReg. SeasonAmerican CupNational Challenge Cup
1918/19NAFBL2ndSemifinalSecond round
1919/20NAFBL9th?Second round

Honors

League Championship

  • Runner Up (1): 1919

Related Research Articles

Jimmie Wilson (baseball) American soccer and baseball player (1900-1947)

James Wilson, nicknamed "Ace," was an American professional athlete in soccer and baseball. He began his professional sports career as a soccer outside right in the National Association Football League and American Soccer League before becoming a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. Wilson was the starting catcher for the National League in baseball's first All-Star game. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed at 6 ft 1 12 in (187 cm) tall and 200 pounds (91 kg).

Paterson F.C. (NAFBL)

Paterson F.C. was an early twentieth-century American soccer club based in Paterson, New Jersey. It spent three seasons in the National Association Football League, winning one title, and one season in the American Soccer League.

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.

David "Davey" Brown was a former U.S. soccer forward. He spent most of his career playing for teams in New Jersey and New York, gaining his greatest fame with the New York Giants. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

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.

The Brooklyn Morse Dry Dock were an early 20th-century American soccer team sponsored by the Morse Dry Dock and Repair Company. The team played its home games at Morse Oval in South Brooklyn.

Thomas “Tommy” Murray was a Scottish-American football (soccer) right halfback who played the first two U.S. national team games in 1916.

John J. "Rabbit" Hemingsley(also spelled Heminsley) was a U.S. soccer center forward who played the first two U.S. national team games in 1916. He spent seven seasons in the National Association Football League and five in the American Soccer League.

Johnny "Jack" McGuire was a Scottish-U.S. soccer inside right who played professionally in both Scotland, Canada and the United States. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C.

St. Louis Scullin Steel was a U.S. soccer team established in St. Louis, Missouri in 1918. It spent seven seasons in the St. Louis Soccer League, winning three league titles and one National Challenge Cup.

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.

Fore River was an amateur U.S. soccer team which had its origins as the Fore River Shipbuilding company team of Quincy, Massachusetts.

Paterson True Blues was a professional U.S. soccer team founded in 1887 and disestablished after 1915. The True Blues, based out of Paterson, New Jersey, are best known as one of the dominant soccer teams of its era and one of the first U.S. soccer dynasties.

Babcock & Wilcox was a U.S. soccer team which had its origins as the Babcock & Wilcox company team of Bayonne, New Jersey. It spent five seasons in the National Association Football League and finished as runner-up in the 1918 American Cup.

Philadelphia Tacony Disston Athletic Association Football Club, better known as Disston A.A. and nicknamed The Sawmakers was a U.S. soccer team sponsored by the Disston Saw Works company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The team played for several years in local Philadelphia leagues before joining the National Association Football League. It was a perennial contender in both league and cup play until 1921. No records exist for the team after that year.

Kearny Federal Ship Athletic Association Soccer Club was a U.S. soccer team which competed for two seasons in the National Association Football League.

Frank McKenna was a Scottish football Wing Forward who began his career in Scotland before playing eight seasons in the American Soccer League.

Patrick "Paddy" 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 as well as 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 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.

References

  1. April 19, 1920 The Globe
  2. "U.S. Soccer Archives - 1919". Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-02-08.