Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-11
SOCCER MAKES
RAPID STRIDES
AS !. s. SPORT
Many Believe Americans Will
Soon Hold Their Own Against
EngIand's Best,

NEW YORK, Jan l0.-Soccer
v football has made such rapid

NEW YORK, Jan. lo.-soccer
~ football has made such rapid
strides within tbs past year as
an American sport that It's adherents
believe within a short time this coun-
try will he able TO hold its own
! against the BrItons
Indeed, plans have been laid toward
shaping some strong elevens for the
Olympic games OF 1916 in Berlin. AS
\ preliminary try-out the best aggre-
cations OF the country will take part
In a gigantic tournament at the ex-
position in San Francisco next year
While soccer has been known to
this country for the past % years, it
has gained prominence only within
the past decade. Naturally enough,
being at first a strictly English game,
1t made Its appearance around the
seaport towns 1t was introduced by
the English and Scotch immigrants,
both here and In Canada Naturally
the Canadians Interested q number of
American border towns.
Detroit was one of the very first
American cities to take to the sport.
Away back in the early nineties a
team from Detroit entered the PENN
sular League, the first international
circuit, and in 1898 won the cham
pionship. Buffalo followed suit a few
years later, but as an institution the
game did not make an appearance in
Chicago-but a few hundred miles
west of Detroit-until ten years after
ward
Play In Border Towns
In the early days, soccer football in
the United States was confined al
most exclusively to the border towns
OF the Canadian frontier, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and vari-
Gus spots of New England. Around
1900 st. Louis became Interested and
promoted a four club league In the
Mound City the English game made
rapid strides and soon the teams of
that locality were able to hold their
own against all sorts OF opposition.
More than ten years ago the soccer
game in the East and Middle West
had taken such hold that two cele-
brated amateur English teams-the
Corinthians and Observation-Disclosures to
take a swing through the United
States after subduing the best Cana :
dian teams. In 1908, at the Polo
Grounds, crowd Of more than 5000
witnessed one of these international
combats.
The English tours were more or
less triumphal, but 81 several Ameri-
can cities the "bloomin' Yankees"
made the Britishers hustle at top
speed A couple OF years ago the
| Pilgrims paid second visit 10 this
country and at Fall Rivera town
which plays amateurs and profes.
SIGNALS mixed-was actually beaten.
II is true that the Britons had a
very fine influence on association. or
soccer football, In this country. They
let the more or less crude Americans.
who learn very fast, in on many
| tricks and the finer points OF the
| game. But even more good resulted
| from the reform wave that swept the
| country shortly afterward against the
old style Of mass play in American
| college football.
Substitute Soccer Game.
II will be remembered in those pre-
carious DAYS OF our autumn college
game large percentage Of American
| olleges-Columbia among them.
actually prohibited football as we
knew It. Many OF the prepsra tory
and public schools followed the Lead
| While the rules committees were
trantically endeavortns to hit upon
some effective means OF openinE the
play. valuable time was lost. Soccer
then got its real opportunity, MANY
Of the colleges and lesser school,
seized upon It as q substitute