Oct. 26, 1938 – Olimpico at Harvard

Howard “Howie” Mendel “flashy outside left forward and their leading goal scorer [converted] a flag shot that fooled Lee and landed in the net in the [13^th minute].”

Harvard 1:0 Springfield College, New England Intercollegiate Soccer League match at soccer pitch beside Business School

The Gymnasts, coached by John Brock, seemed set to win a second successive New England Intercollegiate League title, according to the Boston Globe. Game was played in four 22 ½-minute periods. Before the game, Mendel was listed as third in scoring with four goals, behind Wesley’s Hammerstrom (8 goals) and Dartmouth’s Bailey (5).

The first “Olimpico” was recorded during an Argentina v Uruguay friendly in 1924, shortly after a FIFA rule change allowed goals to be scored directly off corner kicks.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY