April 19, 1927 – Boston SC 3:2 Uruguay, Malden High School Field (Att. 7,000)

The game was interrupted by a fight shortly after the Boston team took the lead on a McArthur penalty kick past Uruguayan goalkeeper Mazzalli with 10 minutes remaining. “A regular riot” ensued, according to George M. Collins’ report in the Boston Globe. “It was a hot afternoon and the hot temperaments of the Olympic champions became pronounced as the game progressed. The climax came when Cea deliberately kicked McIntyre and then tried to slam the Boston captain.”

The match was played on Patriots Day, the Boston Marathon conducted in 82-degree heat (Clarence De Mar won in 2 hours, 40 minutes – only three runners broke the 3-hour mark). Gov. Alvan Fuller attended the match in his hometown and the previous day received the Uruguayan team at the State House (he was also being petitioned to review the Sacco and Vanzetti case).

Things escalated after Scarone struck the first blow and started the fracas, according to the Globe. The next day, Uruguay announced the suspension of Pedro Petrone for “kicking a player.”

Some reports later noted this was actually the Nacional club, which supplied the Uruguay national team with many of its players. In any case, Uruguay would go on to win the first World Cup in 1930, several of the players on the ’27 tour included on the team: Jose Leandro Andrade, Hector ”Manco” Castro, Pedro Cea, Lorenzo Fernandez, Emilio Recoba, Zoilo Saldombide, Santos Urdinaran, Petrone and Hector “Magico” Scarone. Boston’s Werner “Scotty” Nilsen went on to play for the U.S. in the 1934 World Cup. Scarone, who had played for Barcelona, joined Inter and played for Palermo in Italy’s Serie A after the World Cup.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY