History of soccer in AmericaThe Working-Class and Immigrant Eras, 1875-1894

After the demise of college soccer, the game lay primarily in the hands of working-class
communities, who were rapidly adopting the game, as the upper classes increasingly
looked to rugby/gridiron. This was a trend in Europe as well as the US. As immigration
increased, the new arrivals brought soccer traditions with them, and the game grew
rapidly in the Northeastern industrial cities. The growth first took place in the West
Hudson region of New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York City, soon spreading by the
late 1870's to Fall River, and New Bedford, MA. Pick-up games and loose informal teams
soon grew into established clubs and led to corporate sponsorship finally the
development of local and even regional leagues. The game spread to other parts of
New England including Boston and Rhode Island, and into Baltimore, and in the 1880's,
into Chicago, Cleveland and St. Louis, and finally Pittsburgh. The game was continually
hampered by sociological forces-- Baseball was seen as the American past-time, and
many immigrants would attempt to Americanize themselves to assimilate, often
switching to baseball from soccer which was seen increasingly as a sport only played by
foreigners.

In 1884, a group of ex-British enthusiasts met in Newark and formed the American
Football Association, the fourth national association to be formed. Besides attempting to
coordinate the proliferating local and regional amateur leagues, the AFA established the
first National Championship competition, the American Cup, which was first won by ONT
("Our New Thread", brand name for the sponsoring sewing manufacturer in Kearny, NJ)
in 1885. Before the cup's suspension in 1898, the bulk of the champions were primarily
from Southeastern New England, which had turned into the first true soccer hotbed in
the country, with its "golden triangle" of Fall River, Pawtucket and New Bedford. The AFA
also organized the first national team, which played two games against Canada (a 0-1
loss on 11/28/1885, and a 3-2 win in 1886).

Soccer grew at a moderate pace during the early 1890's, spreading to Denver,
Cincinnati, Cleveland and even San Francisco and Los Angeles by the end of the
century. Corporate sponsorship had led to some leagues attaining semi-pro stats, and
more and more teams were based on cultural and ethnic organizations rather than
factories and corporations. The AFA favored the semi-pro clubs in its American Cup
scheduling, and the New York clubs withdrew in protest to form the American Amateur
Football Association in 1893. The game was slowly being reintroduced on a low-level
basis in colleges. Finally, in 1894, the first attempt was made to establish a fully
professional soccer league. Interestingly, this league was not promoted by any of the
existing soccer associations, but was formed by a group of professional baseball owners
from the National league, and was intended to fill the baseball stadiums during down
time. The league even used The American League of Professional Football had six teams
from major Northeastern cities, and made its 1894 debut with much fanfare, but
attendance was low after the first week, partially to the scheduling of too many
weekday games, and some managers used less than ethical measures to procure
overseas players. The league collapsed among heavy financial losses during its first
season.

Darrell Stuart . com
Development for Soccer Players and Coaches

History of soccer in America
The Working-Class and Immigrant Eras, 1875-1894

Support DarrellStuart.com
..........................................................................................
Donate

Best of DarrellStuart.com
.........................................................................................
Soccer History
Soccer Field Dimensions
Soccer Rules
Coaches Corner
Soccer Equipments
Soccer Camps

Recommended Products
..........................................................................................
Books
Gears

Recommended Links
..........................................................................................
Total Soccer Fitness
Soccer Tutor
Soccer Practice Plans
Fundamental Soccer