Crew8 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 A little NE Ohio Soccer History I thought some would enjoy to read. Did you know two different clubs from NE Ohio won the National Amateur Cup in 1931 and 1932? The first club from Ohio to win the National Amateur Cup was from Toledo in 1925. Followed up by Akron Goodyear FC in 1931 and Cleveland Shamrocks in 1932. Amateur clubs were a form of community pride and the community would indeed show up in large numbers. Amateur sports would frequently outdraw Professional sports during this time period in Cleveland and Akron. It would be brilliantly wonderful to recapture that kind of soccer community in NE Ohio. We have UofA soccer, which drew 3,500 on average in 2011 during the regular season. (BTW would of ranked 3rd in NASL, 4th in USLPRO, & 2nd in PDL in 2011. Well done, Akron!) The match against Ohio State drew over 5,800 alone. There's another club you could go out of your way to support this summer just a 30+ minute drive north to Parma where AFC Cleveland is located. If you have the opportunity, get out and support the local soccer clubs. Next match is against FC Buffalo this Friday, May 18th, 7pm at Byers Field. Soccer is nothing without the support of the community. Here's an article out of New York from a 1920 second round match between the Cleveland Greyhounds and Akron Goodyear FC in the National Challenge Cup, which is the US Open Cup today. It's a little tough to read, so I copied the text below. Thanks for reading. "Probably the hardest-fought and certainly the most prolonged match in the history of the early rounds of the National Challenge Cup competition in any season, came to a close at Luna Park, Cleveland, when the Goodyear Football Club of Akron defeated the Cleveland Greyhounds by 3 goals to 1. It was the third game of the pairing of these two teams in the second round of the current National Soccer Championships, both earlier games, one at Luna Park and one in Wooster Stadium, Akron, resulting in 1-to-1 tie scores. The deadlock should be broken by the visiting team on the home field of the Greyhounds was as big a surprise as the decisiveness of the victory for the Akron eleven. The game was played under ideal conditions before a record crowd, and the play sparkled at all stages. Another tied game was in prospect at the end of the first half, each team having scored in the first 45 minutes of play and the performance of the teams being on an even plane. However, the Goodyear forward line showed new power after the restart, and with its defense for two goals and the decision, to arrive at which had required 5 1/2 hours of sterling football. Thwaites, taking a penalty kick, gave the Clevelanders their goal. Ferguson, from a perfect centering, equalized for Goodyear before the half-time. McDonald and Ferguson shot the goals in the second half for the Akron aggregation. In a second-round tied game replay at Riverview Park, Chicago, the Harvey Soccer Club defeated the Swedish-American team of Chicago 1 goal to 0, Barbour, inside right of the suburban combination, kicking the goal in the first half. The second half was a nip-and-tuck affair with neither side counting. The Harvey defenders broke up several well-organized attacks of the Swedish-American forwards. In a delayed second-round game at Sherrill, New York, the Kodak Park eleven of Rochester eliminated the Oneida Community, Ltd. Soccer Club from the the national title play by scoring a 1-to-0 victory through the medium of a penalty kick late in the second half, when it had seemed probable extra time would have to be played." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 That is GREAT stuff! I love it! This confirms what I have been blathering about for a long time now. NEO, Akron in particular, is a hotbed of organically grown American soccer. This is not a result of the Zips' success. Rather, the Zips' success is an extension of the overall community. We love soccer around here, and we have done so for many generations. Here exists a quiet tradition; the roots run deep. THAT is the primary reason the Zips’ success is so very precious to us. It IS us! I think I need a tissue. Yours is the best posting I have read in quite some time! Keep it coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crew8 Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 That is GREAT stuff! I love it! Thanks! Here's some more great history. 3rd Round National Challenge Cup from 1920. It was a little difficult to read a few of the names. Goodyear Football Club Still Winning Cleveland, OH – The Goodyear Football Club was the winner of its third-round National Challenge Cup soccer football contest at Luna Park by a score of 3 to 1, the Cleveland Bricklayers’ Football Club being the loser. Conditions were not of the best. The first half was quite even, each team scoring a goal, Ainscough scored for the Bricklayers, while Walker evened on a fine pass from Valentine. In the second half Goodyear did most of the pressing. Grant scoring soon after the half opened and Walker making the last goal on a long kick at a sharp angle. This leaves Goodyear as the only Ohio team left in the competition. The summary: GOODYEAR-----------BRICKLAYERS Grant, OL-------------?????, OS Valentine, IL---------Speed, IR MacCullay, C---------Ainscough, C Walker, IR-----------?????, IL McDonald, OR-------?????, OL Simpson, LHB-------?????, RHB Davidson, CHB------McNichols, CHB Garvey, RHB--------Robertson, LHB Moywee, LB---------Wilson, RB Poynton, RB---------Poughton, LB Jones, G-------------Aldridge, G Score – Goodyear Football Football Club 3; Bricklayers Football Club 1. Goals – Walker 2, Grant for Goodyear : Ainscough for Bricklayers. Referee – J.B. Sterrie, Cleveland. Lineman – J. Craig and F. Prnthero. Time – Two 45-m. periods. Looks like both squads were running a 2-3-5 Pyramid which most clubs ran during that time period. OL - Outside Left, IL - Inside Left, IR - Inside Right, OR - Outside Right, OS- ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippyfan34 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Speaking of Goodyear. Larry Brown turned down the NBA to play with the Goodyear Wingfoot's out of college back in the day. Larry Brown Bio The 5’9” guard was named to the 1963 All-Atlantic Coast Conference team and drafted in the 7th round by NBA’s Baltimore Bullets. But Brown opted to play for Goodyear's (Akron, Ohio) Amateur Athletic Union team, winning the Most Valuable Player Award in the 1964 AAU Tournament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyake Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 a USLPro or NASL team could do well in Akron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Reminds me of this article from a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Nice find, Mike. I read Slate regularly, but I somehow missed this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Nice find, Mike. I read Slate regularly, but I somehow missed this one. +1 I had no idea of this high point in US soccer history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyake Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 I believe a NASL or USLPro team could average above 2,000 people per game in Akron. Give me 5-10 years and I'll hopefully be in a position to fund one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted May 18, 2012 Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Is it too soon to submit my resume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crew8 Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 I believe a NASL or USLPro team could average above 2,000 people per game in Akron. Give me 5-10 years and I'll hopefully be in a position to fund one. Sign me up. Here are two more articles out of Rochester, NY and Milwaukee, WI after Akron Goodyear won the National Amateur Cup on June 7th, 1931 in Akron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 http://www.bigsoccer.com/soccer/roger-alla...-football-club/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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