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Frank Dell'Apa

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Soccer

Dec. 24, 1927 – Billy Gonsalves makes debut with Boston Wonder Workers

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Right inside forward Billy Gonsalves scored and set up Bobby Blair’s fifth-minute opening goal in his Boston Wonder Workers debut, a 4-0 win over the Brooklyn Wanderers. Barney Battles, who had been signed after playing for amateur teams in Charlestown, was also in the Boston starting lineup. Boston moved into first place but fell out of the lead with a 4-2 loss at Brooklyn on Christmas Day.

“[Gonsalves] was in great form and he finished up a great play beating three of the Brooklyn men, flashing the ball into the net for Boston’s fourth and last goal.” (The Boston Globe) [Read more…] about Dec. 24, 1927 – Billy Gonsalves makes debut with Boston Wonder Workers

Dec. 23, 1928 – Brooklyn Wanderers 2:2 Fall River Marksmen, Ebbets Field

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Brooklyn Wanderers stay in first place, Fall River Marksmen second, in American Soccer League standings. Goals: Robertson, Nehadoma; Dubiency, Granger.

Providence 2:2 New Bedford Whalers, ASL Cup

Goals: Hogg, Green (PK); McLeavy, Kennedy.

New York Nationals 2:1 (3:3) J&P Coats, ASL Cup return leg, Polo Grounds

Goals: Nelson 2; Walker.

            Fall River Second 2:4 Boston Second, North Tiverton, R.I.

Dec. 23, 1922 – J&P Coats 6:0 Ansonia, American Cup (U.S. Open Cup) fourth round

Threadmen had knocked out Saylesville, Fall River Marksmen and Greystone FC, and would go on to eliminate Worsted Abbot, 1-0. J&P then fell, 3-2, to eventual champion Paterson FC in the semifinals. Ansonia had defeated Whitman Mills in the third round. J&P (21W-5L-2D, 44 points) edged Bethlehem Steel (18W-4L-6D, 42 points) for the ASL championship. Tommy Fleming, who led the Threadmen with 22 goals, helped Philadelphia FC win the 1921-22 ASL title. Fleming began his U.S. career with Fore River Shipyards and led Bethlehem Steel to the 1915, ’16, ’18 and ’19 U.S. Open Cup titles, going on to star for the Boston Wonder Workers, then coach Quincy High School. Goals: Robert Gilmore 2, William Neilson 2, Dick McAvoy, Fred Morley.

Dec. 23, 1923 – Wayposet 0:3 Fall River, National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) Eastern quarterfinals, Pawtucket, R.I.

New York 3:3 J&P Coats (Att.: 3,000)

Goals: McNiven, Duggan, McGhee; Shepherd, McLeavey, Fleming (PK).

Bunker Hill Celtics 2:1: Boston Blues, Sullivan Sq. Playground

“The field was ankle deep with mud.”

Dec. 23, 2011 – Revolution sign Clyde Simms

NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

Dec. 22, 1928 – Boston Second 4:0 Fall River Second, ASL Second Division opener, Walpole St. Grounds

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The American Soccer League “expects to take all the coming sandlotters and make them into Big League stars” with Second Division teams. (The Boston Globe) [Read more…] about Dec. 22, 1928 – Boston Second 4:0 Fall River Second, ASL Second Division opener, Walpole St. Grounds

Dec. 21, 1912 – Lawrence (Mass.) 5:2 Manchester United

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Manchester United, tied for first place with Clan McPherson in the Lawrence, Lowell & District Soccer League, was victim of “one of the biggest surprises of the season …” Lawrence’s Shaw scored “from the 25-yard line” and on a penalty kick. [Read more…] about Dec. 21, 1912 – Lawrence (Mass.) 5:2 Manchester United

Dec. 20, 1924 – Boston Wonder Workers 2:0 Newark Skeeters, Walpole St. Grounds

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“Boston played the one-back defense, and Newark was offside repeatedly.” (The Boston Globe)

Boston tied for first place with Fall River in ASL. Robert Blyth opened the scoring with his only goal in a two-game Boston career. Blyth, a cousin of Bill and Bob Shankly, played for Portsmouth and Southampton in England. Goals: Blyth, J. Ballantyne.

J&P Coats 3:0 Fall River, Coats’ Field (Att.: 3,500)

Goals: Drummond, Perry (PK), McGrain.

New Bedford Whalers 3:0 Philadelphia

Goals: Marshall, Jackson, Allen.

Charlestown FC 2:3 Roxbury, Sullivan Sq. Playground

“Roxbury played all the game with 10 men.” Meanwhile, Charlestown “Manager George Mooney will have M. Ring at center forward. A. Marques will also be in the forward line. Both players have played on the MIT team. They are natives of Uruguay, the home of the … Olympic champions and are the first players from South America to play in New England.”

Fore River 6:2 Lorraine Mills (Pawtucket, R.I.)

Worcester Rangers 4:0 Whitinsville, Central Mass. League

Clan Robertson 1:0 Clan Stewart, U.S. Amateur Cup, Gibson Field, Dorchester

Yale 2:1 [aet] Navy

Game length: two 20-minute halves, and two five-minute overtime periods.

Dec. 20, 1890 – Fall River Rovers 4:1 Fall River Olympics, Jarvis Field, Cambridge, Mass.

“…. The Fall River contingent … arrived home at 8 o’clock and the Rover men immediately began to paint County St., where the winning team’s clubs are situated, a bright red. The Olympics were favorites in betting … 50 to 10 … About $2,000 was wagered on the game by local sports.”

The game was “arranged by Gov.-elect Russell with Col. Spencer Borden of his prospective staff while the former was here to speak during the campaign.” There had been “a movement … to add Association foot ball to the regular list of sports at Harvard …”

The Rovers and Olympics had split two previous contests in 1890.

NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

Dec. 19, 1891 – Olympics (Fall River) 3:0 Conanicuts, New England League, Olympian Grounds (Att.: 1,000)

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The Olympics had a 1-0 first half lead, “and the second [half] was begun without intermission on account of the approaching darkness.” Goals: Barlow, Randall, Morgan (OG). [Read more…] about Dec. 19, 1891 – Olympics (Fall River) 3:0 Conanicuts, New England League, Olympian Grounds (Att.: 1,000)

Dec. 18, 1921 – Harrison SC 5:1 Fall River United, Harrison (N.J.) Field (Att.: 2,500)

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In the first year of the ASL, Fall River United was led by left half Frank Booth, who played for the Fall River Rovers in the National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) finals in 1916, ’17 and ’18. Harrison’s John “Rabbit” Heminsley started for the U.S. in the country’s first international, against Sweden, in 1916. Harrison’s Davie Brown, 23, would play for the U.S. in 1926 and go on to become the league’s No. 3 all-time leading scorer with 189 goals. Goals: Post, Heminsley 2, Brown, Ford; Corrigan. [Read more…] about Dec. 18, 1921 – Harrison SC 5:1 Fall River United, Harrison (N.J.) Field (Att.: 2,500)

Dec. 17, 1921 – Charlestown FC 1:4 Braintree Welfare, Sullivan Sq. Grounds (Att.: 3,000)

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Braintree remained in first place in the Boston & District League Division A. “Playing on a muddy field … Braintree Welfare defeated Charlestown, 4 to 1, in as lively a game as any fan could wish for.” (The Boston Globe)

J&P Coats 3:1 Falco AC (Holyoke, Mass.)

Goals: Weall 2, Sheppard; William Dowdall.

Dec. 17, 1929 – Nelson D. Rockefeller (Dartmouth fullback) wedding announced

Nelson Rockefeller was a starting right fullback for Dartmouth. The Indians concluded their season with a 4W-3L-1D record after a 5-0 victory over Northeastern at Hanover, N.H., on Nov. 24, 1929.

Other high-ranking politicians who played soccer in New England included President George H.W. Bush (Phillips Andover) and John Kerry (St. Paul’s School/Yale).

Dec. 17, 1922 – Fall River 5:0 Brooklyn Wanderers, Mark’s Stadium

“Players suffered falls on the ice, but none was injured.” Goals: Brittan 2, Drummond 2, Monroe.

Dec. 17, 2015 – Revolution defender Kevin Alston acquired by Orlando City SC in Re-Entry Draft

NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

Dec. 17, 1929 – Nelson D. Rockefeller (Dartmouth fullback) wedding announced

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Nelson Rockefeller was a starting right fullback for Dartmouth’s varsity soccer team in 1928 and ’29. The Indians concluded the season with a 4W-3L-1D record with a 5-0 victory over Northeastern at Hanover, N.H., on Nov. 24, 1929. [Read more…] about Dec. 17, 1929 – Nelson D. Rockefeller (Dartmouth fullback) wedding announced