Dick Spalding
Encyclopedia
Charles Harry “Dick" Spalding (October 13, 1893 — February 3, 1950) was an American
soccer and baseball
player. He played the first two games in the history of the U.S. national soccer team
, as well as professional soccer for nearly fifteen years, primarily with teams in Pennsylvania. Spalding also spent two seasons in Major League baseball and was later a first base coach. The lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
in 1951.
where he was a multi-sport athlete. He then went on to play soccer with the Lighthouse Boys Club
as well as several other local Philadelphia clubs. In 1916, when called into the U.S. national team, he was with the Disston A.A.
In the fall of 1916, he signed with Bethlehem Steel F.C.
of the National Association Football League (NAFBL). However, he injured his knee and did not play consistently until January 1917. In November 1919, he signed with Philadelphia Merchant Ship
of the NAFBL. In 1921, he joined the Harrison Soccer Club
of the American Soccer League
(ASL). He then spent the 1924-1925 ASL season with Fleisher Yarn
.
(USFA) recruited a team, called the All-American Soccer Football Team, to represent the U.S. on a tour of Scandinavian countries. At the time, these countries and the U.S. were all neutral during the on-going World War I
. During the six game tour, the U.S. played two recognized international games, one on August 21, 1916 against Sweden
and another on September 3, 1916 against Norway
. There are disagreements about who scored the first national team goals. While the National Soccer Hall of Fame
lists Spalding, other sources state that Thomas Swords
scored an unassisted goal against Sweden.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1916.html After this tour, Spalding never played for the U.S. again.
He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
in 1950.
. In 1927, he signed as an outfielder the National League
Philadelphia Phillies
. In 1928, he moved to the Washington Senators
of the American League
. Spalding also spent time in the International League
where he played for the Rochester Red Wings
and the Buffalo Bisons
.
led to two stints as a first base coach. In 1934, Wilson hired Spalding as the first base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies
. In 1941, he was brought into the Chicago Cubs
, again by Wilson, to become the Cubs’ first base coach.
Spalding died after a long illness in Philadelphia at the age of 56.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played the first two games in the history of the U.S. national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, as well as professional soccer for nearly fifteen years, primarily with teams in Pennsylvania. Spalding also spent two seasons in Major League baseball and was later a first base coach. The lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
in 1951.
Club career
Spalding attended the Northeast Manual Training School in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
where he was a multi-sport athlete. He then went on to play soccer with the Lighthouse Boys Club
Lighthouse Boys Club
The Lighthouse Boys Club is an American soccer established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1897. The team was the dominant U.S. youth soccer club of the early twentieth century. While other youth teams grew in prominence by mid-century, The Lighthouse was still winning national championships in...
as well as several other local Philadelphia clubs. In 1916, when called into the U.S. national team, he was with the Disston A.A.
Disston A.A.
Philadelphia Tacony Disston Athletic Association Football Club, better known as Disston A.A. and nicknamed The Sawmakers was a U.S. soccer team sponsored by the Disston Saw Works company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The team played for several years in local Philadelphia leagues before joining...
In the fall of 1916, he signed with Bethlehem Steel F.C.
Bethlehem Steel F.C.
Bethlehem Steel Football Club was one of the most successful early American soccer clubs. Known as the Bethlehem Football Club from 1911 until 1915 when it became the Bethlehem Steel Football Club, the team was sponsored by the Bethlehem Steel corporation and played their home games first at East...
of the National Association Football League (NAFBL). However, he injured his knee and did not play consistently until January 1917. In November 1919, he signed with Philadelphia Merchant Ship
Philadelphia Merchant Ship
Philadelphia Merchant Ship F.C. was a short-lived U.S. soccer team of the early twentieth century. It spent two seasons in the National Association Football League and went to the semifinals of the 1919 American Cup.-History:...
of the NAFBL. In 1921, he joined the Harrison Soccer Club
Harrison F.C.
Harrison F.C. was an American soccer club based in Harrison, New Jersey that began as the amateur Harrison Erie S.C. who played in the National Association Foot Ball League....
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
(ASL). He then spent the 1924-1925 ASL season with Fleisher Yarn
Fleisher Yarn
Fleisher Yarn began as an amateur company soccer club of the SB & BW Fleisher Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia and quickly became a national amateur soccer power...
.
National team
In 1916, the United States Football AssociationUnited States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
(USFA) recruited a team, called the All-American Soccer Football Team, to represent the U.S. on a tour of Scandinavian countries. At the time, these countries and the U.S. were all neutral during the on-going World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During the six game tour, the U.S. played two recognized international games, one on August 21, 1916 against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and another on September 3, 1916 against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
. There are disagreements about who scored the first national team goals. While the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
lists Spalding, other sources state that Thomas Swords
Thomas Swords
Thomas "Tommy" Swords is a deceased U.S. soccer forward who was the captain of the U.S. national team in its first two games. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame-Club career:Swords was born and grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA, an early hot bed of U.S. soccer...
scored an unassisted goal against Sweden.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1916.html After this tour, Spalding never played for the U.S. again.
He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
in 1950.
Player
In addition to his soccer career, Spalding was also a successful baseball player. In 1916, while a member of the U.S. national soccer team, he played in a baseball game against a Swedish baseball team from VästeråsVästerås
Västerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm...
. In 1927, he signed as an outfielder the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. In 1928, he moved to the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. Spalding also spent time in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
where he played for the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
.
First Base Coach
Spalding’s friendship with Jimmie WilsonJimmie Wilson
James Wilson , nicknamed "Ace," was an American professional athlete in soccer and baseball.He began his professional sports career as a soccer outside right in the National Association Football League and American Soccer League before becoming a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball...
led to two stints as a first base coach. In 1934, Wilson hired Spalding as the first base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. In 1941, he was brought into the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, again by Wilson, to become the Cubs’ first base coach.
Spalding died after a long illness in Philadelphia at the age of 56.