1935-36 St. Louis Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 1935-1936 St. Louis Soccer League
season saw multiple attempts by league officials to find a stable line up of teams. Throughout the season, the number of teams varied with the league resuming play several times. This led to several different standings.
, and Hellrung Grimms would be combined with four 'graduates' in the German Sport Club, George McGann's Schumachers, Ed Delaney's Hermanns, and Sociedad Espanola (Spanish Sport Club). The two fields used were Sportsman's Park
and South Side Park aka National Softball Park. The referees enlisted were Oscar Mossman, Jimmy Dunn
, Ribby Murphy, and Charley LaBarge. The league played three rounds beginning on October 6 before problems arose in the fourth week. The standings for the first three weeks are below.
Beginning with the fourth week (October 27) admission was reduced to 25 cents with ladies free. Two of the games were called off at South Side field because of weather conditions. The games at the other field were played after a delay due to the assumption that the games would also be called off for the same reason. The delay caused the games to be shortened and were played without a break with some players having left as well. It was decided that these games would be considered exhibitions and not count in the standings and the entire round replayed. This never happened because by the next week the Schumachers, Hermanns, and German Sport Club withdrew from the league.
, Hellrung & Grimm
, Spanish Sport Club, and St. Louis Soccer club (formerly Democratic Country Club). In the first round St. Louis Soccer Club toppled Ben Millers 6-1 while Spanish Sport Club shutout Hellrungs 4-0, Marre's had a bye.
Champion: Burke's Undertakers
St. Louis Soccer League
The St. Louis Soccer League was a soccer league based in St. Louis, Missouri, that existed from 1907 to 1938. At its founding, it was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States.-History:...
season saw multiple attempts by league officials to find a stable line up of teams. Throughout the season, the number of teams varied with the league resuming play several times. This led to several different standings.
History
This season the St. Louis Soccer League, headed by president Phil A. Riley, decided to try a new format. The idea was to make an eight team league instead of the usual four with 50 cent admission playing out of two fields. Four 'old pros' comprising the national champion Centrals, (Johnny) Marre's, Ben MillersBen Millers
Ben Millers was a U.S. soccer club sponsored by the Ben W. Miller Hat Company of St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1913, it entered the St. Louis Soccer League two years later, winning seven league titles and one National Challenge Cup before its disbandment in 1935.-History:In 1913, Ben Millers...
, and Hellrung Grimms would be combined with four 'graduates' in the German Sport Club, George McGann's Schumachers, Ed Delaney's Hermanns, and Sociedad Espanola (Spanish Sport Club). The two fields used were Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
and South Side Park aka National Softball Park. The referees enlisted were Oscar Mossman, Jimmy Dunn
Jimmy Dunn (soccer)
James “Jimmy” or “Ebbie” Dunn was a U.S. soccer forward. He spent nine seasons with Ben Millers in the St. Louis Soccer League and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1974.-Biography:Dunn began his career with Christian Brothers College of the St...
, Ribby Murphy, and Charley LaBarge. The league played three rounds beginning on October 6 before problems arose in the fourth week. The standings for the first three weeks are below.
| St. Louis 8 | Pts | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Dif | Perc | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Democrats | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | .833 | |
| 2 | Spanish Sports Club | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | .833 | |
| 3 | H&G | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | .667 | |
| 4 | Marres | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | .500 | |
| 5 | Ben Miller Ben Miller Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television... |
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 |
| 6 | German | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 11 | ||
| .333 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Hermanns | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||
| .167 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Schumachers | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | ||
| .167 | ||||||||||
Beginning with the fourth week (October 27) admission was reduced to 25 cents with ladies free. Two of the games were called off at South Side field because of weather conditions. The games at the other field were played after a delay due to the assumption that the games would also be called off for the same reason. The delay caused the games to be shortened and were played without a break with some players having left as well. It was decided that these games would be considered exhibitions and not count in the standings and the entire round replayed. This never happened because by the next week the Schumachers, Hermanns, and German Sport Club withdrew from the league.
St. Louis 5
On November 3, prior games were scratched from the record and the league restarted with five teams: Ben MillersBen Millers
Ben Millers was a U.S. soccer club sponsored by the Ben W. Miller Hat Company of St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1913, it entered the St. Louis Soccer League two years later, winning seven league titles and one National Challenge Cup before its disbandment in 1935.-History:In 1913, Ben Millers...
, Hellrung & Grimm
Hellrung & Grimm
Hellrung & Grimm was a U.S. soccer team in St. Louis, Missouri which was sponsored by the Hellrung & Grimm Furniture Company. It spent the 1935-1936 season in the St. Louis Soccer League.-History:...
, Spanish Sport Club, and St. Louis Soccer club (formerly Democratic Country Club). In the first round St. Louis Soccer Club toppled Ben Millers 6-1 while Spanish Sport Club shutout Hellrungs 4-0, Marre's had a bye.
St. Louis 4
The following week (November 10) the league restarted a third time having returned to four teams and one field. The league would play at National Softball Park while the 'St. Louis 1' soon to be Father Dempsey's Shamrocks would be a league of their own at Sportsman's Park to entertain intercity competition. The next week (November 17) the St. Louis Soccer Club played their first games as the Shamrocks against the Maccabees of Chicago, winning 4-2. The Spanish Club also played their first game as Burke's and went on to win the first half with a perfect record. First half season standings below.| St. Louis 4 | Pts | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Dif | Perc | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burke's | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 1.00 | |
| 2 | H&G | 6 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 13 | ||
| .375 | ||||||||||
| 3 | Marres | 6 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 14 | ||
| .375 | ||||||||||
| 4 | Ben Miller | 4 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 18 | ||
| .250 | ||||||||||
Champion: Burke's Undertakers
Burke's Undertakers
Burke’s Undertakers was an American soccer team which competed in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally established as the Spanish Sports Club, it played in the St. Louis Municipal League for several years under the name of Spanish Sports Club. In 1935, the team moved up to the St. Louis Soccer League...
Shamrocks
Last season's 'double winners' as the Centrals began the current season under the sponsorship of the Democratic Country Club only to lose it a month later to become simply the St. Louis soccer club. They may have been able to repeat the double but did not participate in the remainder of the league season and finished runner up in the National competition. When they were competing in the league they were undefeated but found stiff competition from the also undefeated Burke's, the Shamrocks had the edge only in goal differential. Their toughest intercity opponent proved to be Heidelberg. They commenced independent play on November 17 as Father Dempsey's Shamrocks. Their games were played at Sportman's Park with an admission fee of 55 cents which was more than twice than what the St. Louis league was charging yet they drew many more fans. Below are their results including goal scorers.- November 17 Shamrocks 4-2 Chicago Maccabee (Patenaude (3), Gonsalves)
- November 24 Shamrocks 2-2 Slavia-Bartunek (Gonsalves)
- December 1 Shamrocks 3-2 Chicago Sparta (Watson, Patenaude, Roe)
- December 8 Shamrocks 2-4 Heidelberg (Gonsalves(2))
- December 15 Shamrocks 7-0 Milwaukee Deutscher SC (Patenaude(3), Gonsalves(3), Watson)
- December 22 Shamrocks 5-1 Cleveland Graphite-Bronze (Patenaude(4), Gonsalves)
- December 29 Shamrocks 4-1 Cleveland Slavia (Garcia, Patenaude(2), Gonsalves)
- January 1 Shamrocks 2-2 Heidelberg (Patenaude, Gonsalves, Lehman(og))
- January 5 Shamrocks 2-0 Heidelberg (Nilsen, Gonsalves)
- January 12 Shamrocks 10-2 Chicago Olympia (Gonsalves(3), Patenaude(2), Roe(2), Nilsen(2), Egan) -game postponed from December 25
- February 23 Shamrocks 3-0 Burke (Patenaude(2), Roe)
- March 8 Shamrocks 3-0 Pittsburgh Avella