Boston Minutemen home-opener, scoreless streak stretches to 358 consecutive minutes over two seasons. [Read more…] about May 9, 1975 – Boston Minutemen 0:2 Rochester Lancers at Nickerson Field (Att.: 6,800)
May 8, 1936 – Victoria SC (Jamaica Plain) 3:3 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at Sullivan Sq.
The Maschinos and Wallendas, noted acrobat/high-wire performing families, appear to have provided most of the starting lineup for the circus team in this soccer match at Sullivan Square in Charlestown.
Goals: Solo 2, Morgan; W. Otaris, A. Wallenda, Repinski.
Circus XI included: F. Wallenda rb & J. Wallenda ch. L. Maschina lb, W. Maschino lh, A. Maschino rh, H. Maschino rif.
May 8, 1964 – Boston Metros SC 1:8 Liverpool FC at Everett Stadium (Att.: 15,000)
The Boston Globe listed attendance at 10,000, “the biggest crowd of people to ever watch a soccer game in the Boston area.” Several sources who were at the game as players or spectators are convinced the crowd was greater than 10,000. Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league, said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” The stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender.
Boston SC, which went by the “Metros” in ’64, was organized by Umberto Atria, who owned Sal’s Pizza on Cambridge Street and had coached Boston & District league power Boston Italia, and Gino Carpintieri, once a high-level local player while working as an illustrator at the Globe. Atria coached the team, recruiting players from Toronto Italia. The Boston team proved no match for Liverpool, but went on to finish second to the Ukrainian Nationals in the ASL standings with a 9W-1L-3D record, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The Boston team competed in the ASL through the 1968 season, its demise coinciding with the advent of the Boston Beacons, who lasted one season in the NASL.
Liverpool was the reigning champion of England and would go on to win the 1965 FA Cup. Some of the Reds were on international duty (Roger Hunt, Gordon Milne, Peter Thompson), skipping Liverpool’s U.S. tour and playing for England (including a 10-0 win over the U.S. May 27, 1964). The Liverpool team, coached by Bill Shankly, that visited the Boston area included regulars Alan A’Court, 21-year-old Alf Arrowsmith, Jerry Byrne, Ian Callaghan, Phil Chisnall, Phil Ferns, Chris Lawler, goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, Ronnie Moran, Ian St. John, Tommy Smith, Willie Stevenson, Ron Yeats, plus Bobby Graham, 19, and Gordon Wallace, 20, who were on the verge of breaking through to the first team. The Globe listed the Liverpool team’s average age at 23.
The Boston team included former U.S. national team goalkeeper Henry Noga, high-level players from South America such as Nestor Caceres and Hector Marinaro Sr., plus Hubert Vogelsinger (future Boston Minutemen coach), and several local players, such as Vincenzo Mauro, who would go on to referee in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Mauro set up Boston’s goal with a free kick, according to Francis Rosa’s story in the Globe. Oscar Sapis listed as the goal-scorer – his name probably should be spelled “Sapia.”
Four months later, the Beatles would play at Boston Garden to a similar crowd. Rosa’s lede noted “The Red Devils from the land of the Beatles yah-yahed the Boston Metros … 8-1 … ”
Below are lineups published by the Globe.
LIVERPOOL FC: G, Tommy Lawrence; rfb Jerry Byrne; lfbRonnie Moran; rh Phil Ferns; ch Ronnie Yeats; lh Willie Stevenson; or Ian Callaghan; ir Alfred Arrowsmith; cf Ian St. John; il Phil Chisnoll (sic); ol Gordan (sic) Wallace.
Subs: Alan A’Court, Tommy Smith, Bobby Graham, Chris Lawler
BOSTON SC: G Henry Noga; rfb Sal Gulino, lfb Hubert Vogelsinger, rh Hector Fernandez, ch Hector Marianaro (sic), lh Hugo Fernero, or Vincente Nido, ir Nestor Caceres, cf George Havanidis, il Sanchez Garcia, ol Frank DiReda.
Subs: Oscar Sapis, Sal LoGrasso, Vincenzo Mauro
Goals: OG (Vogelsinger) 3d, Chisnoll 29’, Arrowsmith 34’, 53’; Smith 47’, Lawler 50’, St. John 71’, Graham 76’, Sapis 83’.
May 8, 1976 – Hartford Bicentennials 0:3 Boston Minutemen at Dillon Stadium (Att.: 3,632)
May 8, 2010 – Zak Boggs scores two goals in first start. Columbus Crew 3:2 Revolution
NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
May 7, 1939 – St. Mary’s Celtic 4:1 [5:1] Manhattan Beer, National Challenge Cup final at Starlight Park (Att.: 8,000)
Celtic’s Ed Czerkiewicz (West Warwick, R.I.) plays in fourth of six U.S. Open Cup finals, Billy Gonsalves’ ninth consecutive final, at Starlight Park in the Bronx. Czerkiewicz, who also won a title with the Pawtucket Rangers, started at right fullback for the U.S. in the 1934 World Cup. [Read more…] about May 7, 1939 – St. Mary’s Celtic 4:1 [5:1] Manhattan Beer, National Challenge Cup final at Starlight Park (Att.: 8,000)
May 6, 1916 – Bethlehem Steel 1:0 Fall River Rovers, National Challenge Cup final at Coats Field (Att.: 15,000)
This match set standards for the National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) as a record crowd arrived for Bethlehem Steel’s second consecutive victory in the final in Pawtucket, R.I. Tommy Fleming’s 78th-minute penalty kick decided the match. [Read more…] about May 6, 1916 – Bethlehem Steel 1:0 Fall River Rovers, National Challenge Cup final at Coats Field (Att.: 15,000)
May 5, 1917 – Fall River Rovers 1:0 Bethlehem Steel, National Challenge Cup final at Coats Field (Att.: 7,500)
Fall River Rovers become first Massachusetts team to win National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) at J&P Coats Field in Pawtucket, R.I. U.S. national team captain Tommy Swords credited with goal at 30 seconds, though The Boston Globe story noted: “… this time it came 60 seconds after the ball was kicked off, on a drive 35 yards out, for which Duncan dove and barely missed.” [Read more…] about May 5, 1917 – Fall River Rovers 1:0 Bethlehem Steel, National Challenge Cup final at Coats Field (Att.: 7,500)
May 4, 1930 – USFA “foreign relations committee” selects 15 players for World Cup team
Players with New England ties named to the first U.S. World Cup squad included: halfbacks Andy Auld (Providence), William Gonsalves (Fall River); and forwards James Brown (New York Giants), Thomas Florie (New Bedford), J.C. Gentle (Philadelphia), Bert Patenaude (Fall River). Arnold Oliver (New Bedford) also joined the U.S. team, which reached the semifinals of the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay. [Read more…] about May 4, 1930 – USFA “foreign relations committee” selects 15 players for World Cup team
May 3, 1936 – Philadelphia German-Americans 3:0 (5:2) St. Louis Shamrocks, National Challenge Cup final (Att.: 10,000)
Six-year National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) championship streak snapped for Shamrocks’ Billy Gonsalves and Alex McNab.
Gonsalves and McNab had teamed to win the title with the Fall River Marksmen, New Bedford Whalers, St. Louis Stix, Baer & Fuller and St. Louis Central Breweries from 1930-35. [Read more…] about May 3, 1936 – Philadelphia German-Americans 3:0 (5:2) St. Louis Shamrocks, National Challenge Cup final (Att.: 10,000)
May 2, 1926 – Providence Clamdiggers 2:2 Hakoah Vienna at Cycledrome (Att.: 6,000)
Professional soccer games were played at both the Cycledrome and Kinsley Park in Providence in the 1920s and ‘30s. Kinsley Park (capacity 6,000 est.) was demolished in 1933 and the Cycledrome (capacity 10,000) in 1937. [Read more…] about May 2, 1926 – Providence Clamdiggers 2:2 Hakoah Vienna at Cycledrome (Att.: 6,000)
May 1, 1915 – Tommy Fleming converts penalty kick, Bethlehem Steel wins National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup)
Tommy Fleming, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, goes on to play for J&P Coats, Fall River Marksmen, Boston SC and other New England teams, and coach at Quincy (Mass.) High School. Fleming (b. 1890) left Scotland as a teenager, starting his U.S. playing career with Fore River FC in 1907.
Bethlehem Steel 3:1 Brooklyn Celtic, U.S. Open Cup final at Taylor Field, Bethlehem, Pa. (Att.: 7,000) [Read more…] about May 1, 1915 – Tommy Fleming converts penalty kick, Bethlehem Steel wins National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup)
April 30, 1988 – Boston Bolts 1:1 Orlando Lions, Bolts’ inaugural home match (Att.: 4,028)
Boston Bolts take first “victory,” the result against the Orlando Lions decided by post-match penalty kicks during a rainstorm at Nickerson Field. [Read more…] about April 30, 1988 – Boston Bolts 1:1 Orlando Lions, Bolts’ inaugural home match (Att.: 4,028)