# 1888–89 American Cup

The 1889 American Cup was the fifth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Fall River Rovers won their second consecutive title by defeating the Newark Caledonians in the final.

## Participants

Newcomers to the tournament were the Paterson Rangers and Trenton Rovers. Absent was the Ansonia team while New York was defunct and the Kearny Rangers had amalgamated with ONT.
| State | City | Team |
| Massachusetts | Fall River | East Ends |
| Massachusetts | Fall River | Olympics |
| Massachusetts | Fall River | Rover F.C. |
| New Jersey | Paterson | Paterson F.B.C. |
| New Jersey | Paterson | Paterson Rangers |
| New Jersey | Newark | Almas |
| New Jersey | Newark | Clark O.N.T. |
| New Jersey | Newark | Caledonian Club |
| New Jersey | Newark | Tiffany Rovers |
| New Jersey | Trenton | Trenton F.B.C. |
| New Jersey | Trenton | Trenton Rovers |
| New York | New York | Amateur League |
| New York | New York | Thistles |
| Rhode Island | Pawtucket | Free Wanderers |
| Rhode Island | Providence | Providence Athletics |

## First round

The Fall River Olympics drew a first round bye. The first game between the Almas and Paterson was not completed due to the ball bursting early in the second half. Paterson refused to continue so Alma claimed the contest. However, after a meeting of the delegates it was decided that the game should be replayed because the game had started without a referee in the first place. Clark ONT was awarded their replay match as a result of Trenton Rovers failure to appear.

### replays
## Second round

Pawtucket and Thistles drew a second round bye.

## Third round

ONT drew a bye.

## Semifinal

Caledonians drew a bye.

## Final

| Caledonian | Rovers |
| GK | J. Thompson |
| FB | J. Brown |
| FB | D. Gloak |
| HB | W. Barr |
| HB | R. McDonald |
| HB | William Head |
| LW | T. Hendry |
| LW | R. McWilliams |
| C | J. McCormack |
| RW | J. Williamson |
| RW | T. Morgan |
| GK | Dennis Shay |
| FB | Richard Harwood |
| FB | Bernard Fagan (c) |
| HB | Frank Bradley |
| HB | Henry Waring |
| HB | Richard Lonsdale |
| LW | Joseph Buckley |
| LW | Charles Duff |
| C | Frank Cornell |
| RW | Robert Bell |
| RW | Thomas Bruckshaw |
| Manager: ||
| Frank Miller ||
* Match rules
* 90 minutes
* Replay if game ends in a draw

## American Cup bracket

| First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Third Round | Third Round | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Newark Almas | 2-3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Paterson | 1-0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Paterson | 1-0 | Newark Almas | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Caldonians | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| Newark Caldonians | 4–4 | Caldonians | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| Tiffany Rovers | 4–1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tiffany Rovers | 4–1 | | | Newark Caldonians | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | | Thistles | 4 | | | | | | |
| Trenton | 1 | | | | | Thistles | 4 | | | | | | |
| Thistles | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Thistles | 3 | Thistles | | | | | | | | | |
| | | bye | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Newark Caldonians | | | | |
| | | | | | | | bye | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Newark Caldonians | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Fall River Rovers | 4 |
| Povidence Athletics | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | Fall River Rovers | 4 |
| Pawtucket Free Wanderers | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pawtucket Free Wanderers | 5 | Pawtucket Free Wanderers | | | | | | | | | |
| | | bye | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Pawtucket Free Wanders | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | | Fall River Rovers | 2 | | | | | | |
| Fall River Rovers | 7 | | | | | Fall River Rovers | 2 | | | | | | |
| Fall River East Ends | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fall River East Ends | 0 | Fall River Rovers | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Fall River Olympics | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Fall River Olympics | | Fall River Olympics | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| bye | | | | | | | | | | | |
| bye | | | | | | | Fall River Rovers | 7 | | | |
| | | | | | | | Clark ONT | 0 | | | |
| Paterson Rangers | w/o | | | | | | | | Clark ONT | 0 | | | |
| Amateur League | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Amateur League | | Paterson Rangers | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | Clark ONT | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Clark ONT | w/o | Clark ONT | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Trenton Rovers | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Trenton Rovers | | | | Clark ONT | | | | | | | |
| | | | | bye | | | | | | | |
Notes;
* ↑ First game not completed due to ball bursting
* ↑ First game ended 0–0, Trenton Rovers did not show up for Replay

## Champions

* American Football Association Challenge Cup
* Rover F.C.
* Second Title