A look at the winners of the United States' National Challenge Cup in the early 1930s reveals the following interesting sequence:
1930
The Fall River Marksmen of the Atlantic Coast League defeated Bruell Insurance of Cleveland over 2 legs. At New York Polo Grounds (30.03.30) Marksmen won 7-2. Jimmy McAuley (3),Werner Nilsen (3) and Alex McNab were the scorers. Luna Park, Cleveland hosted the second leg on 06.04.30- , Marksmen winning 2-1, with goals by McNab and Bob McAuley.
Fall River Marksmen don't appear in the league tables for the 1931 season, as the club had relocated to New York and had become the New York Yankees. However, for the National Challenge Cup they played under the name of Fall River Marksmen, having entered the tournament before the move to New York.
In the final the Marksmen/Yankees faced Chicago Bricklayers.
The 1st leg at the Polo Grounds (05.04.31) finished 6-2, Bert Patenaude scoring 5 goals and Bill McPherson 1.
Bizarrely the rules of the contest meant that a 1-1 draw in the 2nd match (played at Chicago's Mills Stadium 12.04.31) meant that a 3rd match was required. (Billy Gonsalves scored the Fall River goal).
The deciding game at Sparta Stadium ,Chicago, was played on 19.04.31. Alex McNab had broken his arm in a midweek friendly and Fall River played the entire match with 10 men , winning 2-0 with goals from Patenaude and Gordon Burness.
1932
The New York Yankees relocated after just one season, becoming The New Bedford Whalers. Under their new guise they again reached the final of the National Challenge Cup, where they defeated Stix, Baer & Fuller of St. Louis.
Both games were played at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis. On 26.03.32 the result was a 3-3 draw (some discrepancies exist over the identities of the scorers). The following week Whalers won 5-2.White, Nilsen, Gonsalves, McPherson and Florie scored the goals.
Marksmen 1930 | |
1st leg | 2nd leg |
Johnny Reder | Johnny Reder |
Bob McAuley | Charlie McGill |
McArthur | Bob McAuley |
Bill McPherson | Bill McPherson |
Priestley | Priestley |
Bobby Ballantyne | Bobby Ballantyne |
Alex McNab | Alex McNab |
Billy Gonsalves | Billy Gonsalves |
Werner Nilsen (Gavin) | Werner Nilsen |
Jimmy McAuley | Bert Patenaude |
James Tec White | James Tec White |
Marksmen (New York Yankees) 1931 | ||
1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
Johnny Reder | unchanged | Johnny Reder |
Charlie McGill | Charlie McGill | |
Augusto John Rebello | Augusto John Rebello | |
Bill McPherson | Bill McPherson | |
Johnny Caldwell | Johnny Caldwell | |
Bobby Ballantyne | Bobby Ballantyne | |
Alex McNab | ||
Werner Nilsen | James Tec White | |
Bert Patenaude | Bert Patenaude | |
Billy Gonsalves | Billy Gonsalves | |
James Tec White | Gordon Burness | |
New Bedford Whalers 1932 | |
1st leg | 2nd leg |
Watson | unchanged |
Augusto John Rebello | |
McMillen | |
Johnny Caldwell | |
Montgomerie | |
Bill McPherson | |
Tom Florie | |
Billy Gonsalves | |
Werner Nilsen | |
James Tec White | |
Alex McNab | |
Some players of note:-
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Johnny Reder
Born in Poland, Reder also played baseball for Boston Red Sox.
Bob McAuley
Born in Glasgow, raised in Montreal. McAuley later played for Glasgow rangers, Chelsea and Cardiff City and won 2 caps for Scotland in 1931.
Bill McPherson
Began his career with his hometown club Greenock Morton and joined Beith before emigrating to the USA,
Bobby Ballantyne
Another Glasweigian , he later returned to Scotland and played for Aberdeen and St Johnstone.
Alex McNab
Another nastive of Greenock who played for Greenock Morton. Represented scotland twice in 1921. Went to the states in 1924
Werner “Scotty” Nilsen
In a team of many Scots it was Norweigian Nilsen who was known as Scotty. He moved to the USA as a 19 year old. Represented the USA at the 1934 World Cup. Was also a male model!
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Billy Gonsalves
Adelino Gonçalves was born in Rhode Island, his parents were from Madeira . Played for the USA in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups. His professional career spanned 25 years.
Jimmy McAuley
An Irishman who had played for Ards before moving to the USA where he first played for Philedelphia Celtic.
James Tec White
Another Scotsman, White played for Albion Rovers, Maidstone united and motherwell before Sam Mark persuaded him to join Fall River Marksmaen.
Charlie McGill
McGill had previously played for Third Lanark.
Bert Patenaude
A native of Fall River, he played for the USA at the 1930 World Cup.
Tom Florie
Played for the USA in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups.
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Born in Poland, Reder also played baseball for Boston Red Sox.
Bob McAuley
Born in Glasgow, raised in Montreal. McAuley later played for Glasgow rangers, Chelsea and Cardiff City and won 2 caps for Scotland in 1931.
Bill McPherson
Began his career with his hometown club Greenock Morton and joined Beith before emigrating to the USA,
Bobby Ballantyne
Another Glasweigian , he later returned to Scotland and played for Aberdeen and St Johnstone.
Alex McNab
Another nastive of Greenock who played for Greenock Morton. Represented scotland twice in 1921. Went to the states in 1924
Werner “Scotty” Nilsen
In a team of many Scots it was Norweigian Nilsen who was known as Scotty. He moved to the USA as a 19 year old. Represented the USA at the 1934 World Cup. Was also a male model!
Billy Gonsalves
Adelino Gonçalves was born in Rhode Island, his parents were from Madeira . Played for the USA in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups. His professional career spanned 25 years.
Jimmy McAuley
An Irishman who had played for Ards before moving to the USA where he first played for Philedelphia Celtic.
James Tec White
Another Scotsman, White played for Albion Rovers, Maidstone united and motherwell before Sam Mark persuaded him to join Fall River Marksmaen.
Charlie McGill
McGill had previously played for Third Lanark.
Bert Patenaude
A native of Fall River, he played for the USA at the 1930 World Cup.
Tom Florie
Played for the USA in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups.
