The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-01-19

EOOlU1lt5 kSSUCldIAOt1p Which catt-
braces Is State associations and
major cup competitions to conduct
the business of the parent body
as 4 whole.
In 1913 the Amateur Cup Assoc
citation of New York handed over
to the u. s.. F. A. a handsome
trophy that had been donated for
competition in this country by Sir
Thomas Dewar, of Scotland. This
cup was put into competition and
became known as the national
challenge cup. and for the past II
years has been competed for an
nually, being open to any affiliated
club.
With 30 entries in the first sea-
son of competition, the cup was
won by the Brooklyn Field Club.
of Brooklyn, N. Y. a. games BENG
played in the tournament during
I913-1914. Interest has grown t1
such an extent that it is necessary
for the committee in charge to
limit the entry list to around 40
clubs. The trophy Is competed for
on the knockout system, similar to
q tennis tournament, and is played
In geographical sections, attracting
clubs from New York and New
England in the East, to as Tar
West at st. Louis, Detroit, and
Chicago. The winner of the West
ern section meets the winner OF
the Eastern section in the grand
final, the winner Of which Is de-
clared the champion team OF the
United States.
As showing the growth in the
attendance Of the games, one big
match nowadays win almost equal
the combined attendance at the
whole Of the national cup games
I'm the first season Of cOmpetl.
ton. One Of the biggest draw
backs to the Increase In attend
a1ce at the soccer games has
been the lack Of suitable grounds
to house the fans and assure
them of the same comfort they
enjoy at baseball games.
This drawback is being overcome
with the advent Of the American
Soccer League, q recognized pro-
fessional league with thirteen clubs
this season, embracing the. leading
teams of the East. This league
was organized five years ago in
New York city with eight teams,
and in its first season was won by
Philadelphia. The J. and p. Coats
of Pawtucket, r. l., won the ilonors
the second year, Fall River, Mass,
winning it the two following sea-
sons and being present champions.
The national challenge cup COM
petition provides most Of the reve-
nue. necessary to conduct the bust
ness Of the u. s. r. A.. a slight
percentage Of the gate receipts
In the season of 1923-1924, the
u. S. F. AS share of the receipts
was $15,873.95, but last season,
when the professional clubs Of the
country refrained from entering
the competition, the receipts for
the parent body dwindled to
$3.514.69. The total attendance at
the games two seasons ago was
172,650 but last season this fell
away to 55,976.
Slight differences between the
American Soccer League and the
u. s. r. A. on the question of
direct affiliation have now been
adjusted. and the professional clubs
will be back in the competition
this year.
with the passing to a large ex.
tent Of personal aims that affected
progress during the first few years,
soccer in this country is being
more and more Americanized. One
of the first persons in the United
States to see the possibilities of
the game was H. Edgar Lewis
T1raSi6Qnf fho RathIahaF11
Steel Corporation, and himself a
former exponent Of the dribblins
code. The Bethlehem. F. c. Beth.
lehen1, Pennsylvania, built up a
combination of players imported
from the British Isles, and for sew
eraI years was the outstanding
team Of the country, winning the
national challenge cup four times
and the American cup six times
from 1914 to 1924.
With the organization Of the
American Soccer League and the
st. Louis Professional League,
within the past five years, other
clubs have increased the standard
Of play by importing star play
ers from the other side, the
most important of these, in ad-
dition to Bethlehem, being Coats
and Providence, Rhode Island,
Boston, Fall River and New
Bedford, Mass, and Brooklyn.
Boston, in it's first year, built ur
it's team with a galaxy of inter
national stars, from Scotland ant
made an impressive showing in
the American Soccer League, anC