May 18, 1925 – American Soccer League accepted as full member of United States FA

According to an Associated Press story, George M. Collins “declares” the USFA would “have to accept all other professional bodies on equal footing,” during the 12^th annual meeting of the group in New York. Collins, a Boston Globe columnist, representing the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Association, was referring to recognition for the two professional leagues – the American Soccer League and the St. Louis Soccer League.

The meeting was held a few months after a dispute between the ASL and the USFA that previewed the problems that would lead to the later demise of the ASL, and of the professional game in the U.S. During the 1924-25 season, some ASL teams complained about having to play U.S. Open Cup early-round matches, and about the gate receipts percentages. The federation gave in to the demands after the 1925 cup final.

In 1929, though, the groups failed to reach a compromise. The hope of some ASL teams was to conduct cup matches after the season – a proposal made by Horace Stoneham, owner of the New York Giants baseball team and the New York Nationals soccer team. Ironically, Stoneham’s Nationals were the reigning U.S. Open Cup champions and the New York soccer Giants were among three ASL teams who opposed his proposal. By the time the conflict had been settled, the Wall Street crash had further disrupted the league and, by 1931, the ASL ceased operations.

Also selected during the meeting were the president of the U.S. Referee’s Association (George Lambie of Newton, Mass.), vice president (Joseph Booth of New Haven, Conn.) and secretary (W.R. Welch of Cambridge).

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY