On this day in 1928, the Providence Clamdiggers and Boston Wonder Workers played to a 0-0 draw. In the first half, former Chelsea FC center forward Bill Finlayson hit the post and Boston’s Bobby Blair, the American Soccer League’s second-leading scorer (38 goals) the previous season, missed an open net . The Boston Globe story notes Providence goalkeeper Joe Kennaway, who would go on to play for Celtic FC, “fell prone in the mud,” but Blair “hurried his boot and as a result shot clear over the bar.” Blair “rocked the upright with a fine drive” late in the game. In the final two minutes, Boston’s Johnny Ballantyne (Partick Thistle, Queen’s Park Rangers) and Providence’s Jimmy Bardell were ejected for fighting. [Read more…] about Feb. 12, 1928 – The story of Barney Battles
Bobby Blair
Feb. 9, 1929 – ‘Biggest crowd, best soccer of the season’
Bobby Blair scored twice as J&P Coats took a 3-0 win over the Providence Gold Bugs, remaining unbeaten in the second half of the ASL season in “a contest which brought about the biggest crowd and best soccer of the current season,” according to 2/10/29 editions of the Boston Globe. Providence’s Joe Kennaway would go on to become Celtic FC goalkeeper from 1931-39.
On the same day, the Boston Wonder Workers were upset, 4-3, by Jersey City at the Walpole Street Grounds. The visitors from Skeeterville “inject(ed) Jimmy Douglas, Olympic goalie of 1924 into their lineup” and “deserved to win,” according to the Globe account. “The field was heavy, in fact it was ankle deep in mud …” [Read more…] about Feb. 9, 1929 – ‘Biggest crowd, best soccer of the season’