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William Jeffrey (soccer)
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Jeffrey was the head coach of the 1950
United States
World Cup
team that famously beat England
1-0
in one of the greatest upsets in the history of soccer. He was the coach of Penn State for 26 seasons, winning ten national college championships. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
.
of the Pennsylvania Railroad
. He eventually came to manage the company team. In 1925, his team played an exhibition game with Penn State University. This resulted in an offer to coach the men's soccer team, a position he held for 27 years. Beginning in 1932, the Nittany Lions would go 65 unbeaten streak, a streak which ended in November 1941. In 1953, he retired from Penn State and moved to Puerto Rico where he taught and coached for several years. On September 29, 1972, the Penn State soccer stadium was named after Jeffrey. A founding member of the NSCAA
, he served as president of the association in 1948. The NSCAA awards the annual Bill Jeffrey Award to college coaches. The United States Soccer Football Federation selected Jeffrey to coach the United States men's national soccer team
at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
just two weeks before the competition after Erno Schwarz
declined the position. He died of a heart attack while attending the NCAA soccer meetings in New York.
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
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...
World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
team that famously beat England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
1-0
England v United States (1950)
On 29 June 1950, at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the United States defeated England 1–0 in a group match. This unexpected result has led to the match being described as the "Miracle on Grass", in reference to the 1980 Miracle on Ice, in which the US ice hockey team beat the Soviet Union. The...
in one of the greatest upsets in the history of soccer. He was the coach of Penn State for 26 seasons, winning ten national college championships. He 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:...
.
Career
Jeffrey began playing at an early age, but suffered a career ending injury. His mother sent him to live with an uncle in the United States. He began working as a mechanic with the Altoona Railroad ShopAltoona Works
Altoona Works is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to supply the railroad with locomotives, railroad cars and related equipment. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.-History:In 1849, PRR...
of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. He eventually came to manage the company team. In 1925, his team played an exhibition game with Penn State University. This resulted in an offer to coach the men's soccer team, a position he held for 27 years. Beginning in 1932, the Nittany Lions would go 65 unbeaten streak, a streak which ended in November 1941. In 1953, he retired from Penn State and moved to Puerto Rico where he taught and coached for several years. On September 29, 1972, the Penn State soccer stadium was named after Jeffrey. A founding member of the NSCAA
NSCAA
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. The NSCAA has grown from a handful of college soccer coaches to more than 22,000 members, making it the largest coaching organization in the world. Its members coach at all levels of...
, he served as president of the association in 1948. The NSCAA awards the annual Bill Jeffrey Award to college coaches. The United States Soccer Football Federation selected Jeffrey to coach the United States men'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...
at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
just two weeks before the competition after Erno Schwarz
Erno Schwarz
Ernö Schwarz or Schwarcz was a Hungarian American soccer player, coach and promoter who served as head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. He played professionally in Hungary, Czeckoslavakia, Austria and the United States, earning two caps, scoring two goals, with the Hungarian...
declined the position. He died of a heart attack while attending the NCAA soccer meetings in New York.
External links
- Profile at the National Soccer Hall of Fame
- Cirino Antonio (Tony): US Soccer Vs The World, 1983 - ISBN 0-910641-00-5