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
Partick Thistle
Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers
Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers
Boston moved into second place in the ASL as Johnny Ballantyne, Bobby Blair, Bill Westwater score. Blair went on to total 36 goals in 33 games. Stevens and Mike McLeavy converted for the Whalers, Stevens going on to lead the league with 44 goals in 39 games. Many of the players in this match had been high-level performers in Scotland, Ballantyne causing controversy by “jumping” his contract with Partick Thistle to move to Boston in 1924. Ballantyne returned to Partick Thistle from 1929-35 and played for Queens Park Rangers in 1935.
Ballantyne’s goal in this game was “accidently” knocked in by Shaw, according to The Boston Globe account. [Read more…] about Jan. 23, 1926 – New Bedford Whalers 2×3 Boston Wonder Workers