New York Nationals (soccer)
Encyclopedia
New York Nationals were a New York
soccer
team which played in the American Soccer League
between 1927 and 1930. A New York Nationals
team also played in the United Soccer League
in 1984.
, owner of the New York Giants
baseball team took over the ASL Indiana Flooring
franchise. He wanted to rename the team the Giants. However as there was already a New York Giants
in the ASL, Stoneham had to settle for renaming his soccer team the New York Nationals.
Nationals won the 1928 National Challenge Cup
, beating Chicago's Bricklayers and Masons F.C.
4-1 on aggregate in the final.
Then in 1929 they won the Lewis Cup, the ASL league cup, defeating New Bedford Whalers
over three games.
On May 25, 1930 at the Polo Grounds
, the Nationals played a friendly against Rangers
, the reigning Scottish champions
. They lost this game 5-4.
The Nationals most prominent players included Jimmy Douglas
, Jimmy Gallagher
, Bart McGhee
and Robert Millar
. The former three all played for the United States
at the 1930 World Cup
while Millar was the team coach.
In 1930 the New York Giants
of the ASL decided to rename themselves the New York Soccer Club
. Seizing upon the opportunity, Stoneham relaunched the Nationals as the New York Giants.
One player Davey Brown
actually transferred from the original Giants to the Nationals, in effect moving from the Giants to the Giants!
Jimmy Douglas
Jimmy Gallagher
Bart McGhee
Robert Millar
Tewfik Abdullah
Harry Chatton
Hookey Leonard
see also
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team which played in 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...
between 1927 and 1930. A New York Nationals
New York Nationals (USL)
New York Nationals were a New York soccer team which played a single season in 1984 with the United Soccer League. An earlier team also called the New York Nationals played in the American Soccer League during the 1920s.-History:...
team also played in the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
in 1984.
History
In 1927, Charles StonehamCharles Stoneham
Charles A. Stoneham was the owner of the New York Giants baseball team, New York Giants soccer team, the center of numerous corruption scandals and the instigator of the "Soccer Wars" which destroyed the American Soccer League.-Business ventures:Stoneham began his career as a board boy, updating...
, owner of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
baseball team took over the ASL Indiana Flooring
Indiana Flooring
Indiana Flooring were a New York soccer team that played in the American Soccer League between 1924 and 1927. They replaced New York Field Club. Before joining the ASL, the team had played in various state leagues....
franchise. He wanted to rename the team the Giants. However as there was already a New York Giants
New York Giants (soccer)
New York Giants was a name used by three different New York soccer teams. Two of these teams were associated with the New York Giants baseball franchise. The first team that used the name played in the American League of Professional Football in 1894...
in the ASL, Stoneham had to settle for renaming his soccer team the New York Nationals.
Nationals won the 1928 National Challenge Cup
1928 National Challenge Cup
The 1928 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.-Eastern Division:-Western Division:-Final:...
, beating Chicago's Bricklayers and Masons F.C.
Bricklayers and Masons F.C.
Bricklayers and Masons F.C., also known as Chicago Bricklayers, was a U.S. soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois which joined that city's Association Football League in 1914. Over the next twenty years, Bricklayers won two Peel Cups and was the runner up in the 1928 and 1931 National Challenge...
4-1 on aggregate in the final.
Then in 1929 they won the Lewis Cup, the ASL league cup, defeating New Bedford Whalers
New Bedford Whalers
New Bedford Whalers was the name of three United States soccer teams based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The first Whalers played in the Southern New England Soccer League between 1914 and 1918. The second Whalers played in the American Soccer League between 1924 and 1931 before merging into Fall...
over three games.
On May 25, 1930 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, the Nationals played a friendly against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, the reigning Scottish champions
Scottish football champions
The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....
. They lost this game 5-4.
The Nationals most prominent players included Jimmy Douglas
Jimmy Douglas (American soccer)
Jimmy Douglas was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper who spent his career in the first American Soccer League . He earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, making his first appearance for the "Stars and Stripes" at the 1924 Summer Olympics...
, Jimmy Gallagher
Jimmy Gallagher
Jimmy Gallagher was a Scottish American soccer right wing midfielder who spent eleven seasons in the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and 1934 FIFA World Cup...
, Bart McGhee
Bart McGhee
Bartholomew “Bertie” or “Bart” McGhee was an American soccer forward who typically played left wing forward. He played for the United States men's national soccer team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and scored the second goal in World Cup history against Belgium. He was inducted into the U.S...
and Robert Millar
Robert Millar (soccer)
Robert "Bob" Millar was a Scottish American soccer forward and coach of the USA team at the first FIFA World Cup. During his at times tumultuous Hall of Fame career, Millar played with over a dozen teams in at least five U.S. leagues as well as two seasons in the Scottish Football League...
. The former three all played for the United States
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...
at the 1930 World Cup
1930 FIFA World Cup squads
-Argentina:Head coach: Francisco Olazar and Juan José Tramutola-Chile:Head coach: György Orth-France:Head coach: Raoul Caudron-Mexico:Head coach: Juan Luque de Serralonga...
while Millar was the team coach.
In 1930 the New York Giants
New York Giants (soccer)
New York Giants was a name used by three different New York soccer teams. Two of these teams were associated with the New York Giants baseball franchise. The first team that used the name played in the American League of Professional Football in 1894...
of the ASL decided to rename themselves the New York Soccer Club
New York Soccer Club
New York Soccer Club was the name of a New York soccer team that, in 1930, played briefly in the American Soccer League. Between 1923 and 1930 they had been known as the New York Giants. In 1930 they merged with the Fall River Marksmen to become the New York Yankees. Then in 1931 this club absorbed...
. Seizing upon the opportunity, Stoneham relaunched the Nationals as the New York Giants.
One player Davey Brown
Davey Brown
David “Davey” Brown is a former U.S. soccer forward. He spent most of his career playing for teams in New Jersey and New York, gaining his greatest fame with the New York Giants...
actually transferred from the original Giants to the Nationals, in effect moving from the Giants to the Giants!
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | National Challenge Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927/28 | 1 | ASL | 10th (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | Did not qualify | Champion |
| 1928/29 | N/A | ASL | 3rd (1st half); 4th (2nd half) | Did not qualify | Did not enter |
| Fall 1929 | 1 | ASL | 4th | No playoff | N/A |
| 1929/30 | 1 | ACL/ASL | 5th (Spring); 8th (Fall) | No playoff | Second round |
Honors
- National Challenge Cup
- Winners 19281928 National Challenge CupThe 1928 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.-Eastern Division:-Western Division:-Final:...
: 1
- Winners 1928
- Lewis Cup
- Winners 1929: 1
- American Soccer Association CupAmerican Soccer Association CupThe American Soccer Association Cup was an open cup-tie competition that took place in 1929. The entires for this tournament were the ASL teams and amateur clubs from the Southern New York State Association. The amateur clubs played the early rounds to earn the right to play off against the ASL...
- Runners Up 1929: 1
Notable players
Davey BrownDavey Brown
David “Davey” Brown is a former U.S. soccer forward. He spent most of his career playing for teams in New Jersey and New York, gaining his greatest fame with the New York Giants...
Jimmy Douglas
Jimmy Douglas (American soccer)
Jimmy Douglas was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper who spent his career in the first American Soccer League . He earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, making his first appearance for the "Stars and Stripes" at the 1924 Summer Olympics...
Jimmy GallagherJimmy Gallagher
Jimmy Gallagher was a Scottish American soccer right wing midfielder who spent eleven seasons in the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and 1934 FIFA World Cup...
Bart McGheeBart McGhee
Bartholomew “Bertie” or “Bart” McGhee was an American soccer forward who typically played left wing forward. He played for the United States men's national soccer team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and scored the second goal in World Cup history against Belgium. He was inducted into the U.S...
Robert MillarRobert Millar (soccer)
Robert "Bob" Millar was a Scottish American soccer forward and coach of the USA team at the first FIFA World Cup. During his at times tumultuous Hall of Fame career, Millar played with over a dozen teams in at least five U.S. leagues as well as two seasons in the Scottish Football League...
Tewfik Abdullah
Tewfik Abdullah
Tewfik Abdullah was an Egyptian football player who was the second Egyptian to appear in the English Football League. He later played four seasons in the American Soccer League before finishing his career in Canada....
Harry ChattonHarry Chatton
James Harold "Harry" Chatton , commonly referred to as Harry Chatton, was an Irish footballer who played for several clubs in the Scottish League, the American Soccer League and the League of Ireland. Chatton was a dual internationalist and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI and the FAI XI...
Hookey Leonard
Hookey Leonard
James "Hookey" or "Hooky" Leonard was a Scottish professional footballer.Leonard signed with Cowdenbeath in 1923. He quickly became a club favorite with brilliant performances. However, during the 1924-1925 game, he was suspended after missing several training sessions...
see also