Rudy Kuntner
Encyclopedia
Rudy Kuntner was a U.S.-Austrian soccer forward
who was a member of the U.S. team at the 1928 Summer Olympics
. He is also known as a long time stage manager for the Metropolitan Opera
and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
, football
, basketball
and tennis
at Gorton High School in Yonkers, New York
.
of the American Soccer League
during the 1927-1928 season. He played five games, all in the second half of the season, scoring three goals. In 1928, he moved to the New York Hungaria
in the short lived Eastern Soccer League. After the collapse of the ESL in 1929, Kuntner moved to First Vienna (also known as Wiener Sports Club and New York Vienna F.C.) of the German American Soccer League
. In 1930, he was back in the ASL with Bridgeport Hungaria
, but the team moved to Newark after ten games, then folded. He then moved to the New York Giants
of the American Soccer League
(ASL). The Giants folded in 1932 and Kuntner moved to New York Americans
of the second ASL. In 1937, the Americans fell in the U.S. Open Cup final to St. Louis Shamrocks
. In 1939, he was playing with Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic
when it won the Open Cup final over Chicago Manhattan Beer. Kuntner was still going strong in the 1942-1943 season when he scored nine goals in seventeen games with Brookhattan
. In 1945, he was still active with Brookhattan when it won the triple, the league title, Lewis Cup (league cup) and U.S. Open Cup
.
in 1928. At the time, the Olympic soccer games counted as full internationals and his first cap with the national team came in the 1928 Summer Olympics
. That game, an 11-2 loss to Argentina saw Kuntner score in his debut with the national team. Following the tournament, the team traveled to Poland where it tied the Polish national team
3-3. Kuntner again scored, joining a handful of U.S. players who scored in their first two international games. Despite his scoring success, Kuntner was never again called into the national team.
. He began as an electrician, but over the years moved into areas of greater responsibility including lighting and stage management. According to the Soccer Hall of Fame profile, he “received wide acclaim for his role in the staging of Tristan and Isolde in 1971.”
In 1963, Kuntner was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who was a member of the U.S. team at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. He is also known as a long time stage manager for the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
and is a member of 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:...
Youth
Kuntner immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was seven. His family settled in the New York City area where he began playing soccer. However, he was an all around athlete and played baseballBaseball
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...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
at Gorton High School in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
.
Professional soccer
Kuntner signed with the New York GiantsNew 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 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...
during the 1927-1928 season. He played five games, all in the second half of the season, scoring three goals. In 1928, he moved to the New York Hungaria
New York Hungaria
New York Hungaria was an American soccer team which won the National Challenge Cup in 1962....
in the short lived Eastern Soccer League. After the collapse of the ESL in 1929, Kuntner moved to First Vienna (also known as Wiener Sports Club and New York Vienna F.C.) of the German American Soccer League
German American Soccer League
The German American Soccer League is the previous name of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, a semi-professional and amateur soccer league which was founded in 1923. The league competes primarily in the New York metropolitan area and northern New Jersey.-History:In 1923, five teams, S.C. New York,...
. In 1930, he was back in the ASL with Bridgeport Hungaria
Bridgeport Hungaria
Bridgeport Hungaria was an American soccer club based in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Soccer League.The team was formed to replace the Newark Skeeters who had folded before the merger of the ASL and the Eastern Soccer League. After 10 games, the club moved to Newark,...
, but the team moved to Newark after ten games, then folded. He then moved to 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 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). The Giants folded in 1932 and Kuntner moved to New York Americans
New York Americans (soccer)
The New York Americans were an American soccer club founded in 1931. Based in New York, New York, it played in both the first and second American Soccer Leagues.-History:...
of the second ASL. In 1937, the Americans fell in the U.S. Open Cup final to St. Louis Shamrocks
St. Louis Shamrocks (1935-1938)
St. Louis Shamrocks was an American soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They competed in the St. Louis Association Football League, winning two championships....
. In 1939, he was playing with Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic
Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic
Brooklyn Celtic was a name used by at least two U.S. soccer teams. The first was an early twentieth century amateur team which was formed in August 1910 and dominated the New York Amateur Association Football League from 1912 to 1917. The second was a member of the professional American Soccer...
when it won the Open Cup final over Chicago Manhattan Beer. Kuntner was still going strong in the 1942-1943 season when he scored nine goals in seventeen games with Brookhattan
Brookhattan
New York Brookhattan was an American soccer club based in New York, New York that was a member of the professional American Soccer League. The club joined the ASL for its final season....
. In 1945, he was still active with Brookhattan when it won the triple, the league title, Lewis Cup (league cup) and U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
.
National and Olympic teams
Kuntner earned two caps with the U.S. national teamUnited 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...
in 1928. At the time, the Olympic soccer games counted as full internationals and his first cap with the national team came in the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. That game, an 11-2 loss to Argentina saw Kuntner score in his debut with the national team. Following the tournament, the team traveled to Poland where it tied the Polish national team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
3-3. Kuntner again scored, joining a handful of U.S. players who scored in their first two international games. Despite his scoring success, Kuntner was never again called into the national team.
Metropolitan Opera
In addition to his success on the soccer field, Kuntner found great success as a stage hand at the Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
. He began as an electrician, but over the years moved into areas of greater responsibility including lighting and stage management. According to the Soccer Hall of Fame profile, he “received wide acclaim for his role in the staging of Tristan and Isolde in 1971.”
In 1963, Kuntner 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:...
.