The San Francisco call., 1908-08-02
Clubs Hunting for New
Soccer Material
Eight or Nine Teams Will Be In
League and Interest Is
Awakening
By Bob Shand

The soccer clubs are beginning to
show signs of life and the secretaries
have started out on the annual hunt
for new material with which 20 build
up championship teams. Every club is
sanguine OF having the best team this
season, and there is going to be a
pretty struggle for the star players.
There has been no signing up so far,
as the rules of the Essociat ton do not
permit this until September, but there
are ways known to the artful secre-
taries of flirting with players so as to
have them on hand when the time
comes for registration Many OF the
men who played in the local league
last season will not be seen here again,
as great many returned to Scotland
after having done their share In re-
building San Francisco. but there has
been an influx of talent from other
sources which will more than make up
for the loss of the players who have
gone.
From present Indications there will
be. eight or nine clubs in the league
Eets, Independents. Vampires, scotias
Burns. Thistles and San Franciscos
are certain starters and there is a
part in the major league. Last season
the Wanderers played in the Saturday
league. but the officials of the club are
The club is affiliated with the Building
Trades athletic association and is the
first organization to jotn that body. As
the Building Trades association .is Is
park, the Wanderers will make their
home there. and 1t is said that no ex-
pense will be spared on the construc-
expected to be a model OF their kind
Some of the other Saturday teams ex-
pressed Willingness at the close OF
heard Of their ambitions now that the
time for action has come. So far. three
grounds have been obtained-Free-
mans park, Oakland; cricket neld,
at Seventh avenue and California street
also may be utilized. but at this writ
ing nothing has been done In the way
There Will be a general stunning up
OF copartnerships on the. grounds this
year. but the teams which had the
home grounds. The Albion Rovers have
secured Freeman's park and the San
Franciscos, Independents and Hornets
are all anxious to share the patch with
the champions. 1t is rumored in Ala
media that the Hornets have made ar
rangements to go in with the YAM
pires on the lot back of Johnny Crolps,
but the yamps state that they have not
yet decided which club will share the
grounds with them. The Scotias and
Burns will have their home grounds at
IL.
has kept in the limelight during the
closed season for football by compet-
ing at the various athletic meetings at
Shell Mound park, and the Scotch lad
dies have acquitted themselves with
credit. At the Thistle meet on the
fourth the relay team Of the Burns
captured the cup, winning easily from
the Albion Rovers, and at the Original
Gaelic clubs picnic July 10 Doig sur
yards dash from classy field,
The annual general meeting of the
association will be held at the end of
next month and promises to be prolific
of fireworks. There has been a grow
ing feeling that there were too many
ruling bodies in the soccer game on
the coast. and considerable friction re-
suited last year through the conflicting
authority of the league and the asso-
citation. There is a sentiment to- do
away with one OF the bodies and put
the game in entire charge of one set
of officials. BY so doing it is pointed
any friction and that the game would
prsper much better than when in the
hands of two bodies made up OF dele
gates who wanted to be the whole
thing. The football politicians are al
ready throwing out lines and feeling
the pulse Of the football public, and
when the meeting takes place there
will, at least, be lively war of words.
The annual general meeting OF the
Julian hotel, Fifty.ninth street and
San Pablo avenue, Oakland. on the
evening of August 6. Ofhcers for the
year will be elected and preparations
made to commence practice for the
coming seasons campaign.