The Golden Era of Soccer - Literature review Example

s Soccer, "The Golden Era" 1921-1933 “The Golden Era” in American soccer was between 1920- 1933 (United States 37). The initial America league was in 1921. The league attracted enough prestige which necessitated concrete competition among European players into the American league. During the 1920/1921 season, the two American leagues (National Association Football League and South New England Football League) faced exceptionally severe financial crises. This led to the split of the teams participating in both leagues. The separation was on wealth bases where richer teams joined together and formed a new league (ASL). The ASL was the most complex professional league in United States of America at that time (United States 37). ASL emerged as a very sturdy league with incredibly loyal management and very substantial sponsors. The main sponsors of the league at that time were J&P Coates Robins shipyards, and the Bethlehem Steel. The sponsors’ contribution enabled the league teams to bid eminent players into the league. The inauguration of ASL league attracted substantial number of crowd in the stadium. The average fans in the stadium during the time of inauguration were roughly 10,000 (Duarte 45). In 1925, the league extended to include New Bedford Whalers and the Boston Wonders Workers. The Boston Wonders Workers signed extensive number of eminent player to fit the standard of the league although some of its signing caused controversies in the American soccer. Their signing led to the emergence of exceptionally talented players in the team. The goal scoring record which standards to date was attained during the “Golden Era” by Archie stark team which scored 67 goals in just 42 games. This was brought about by the fact that, the soccer at that particular football time in United States of America was nastier and open than in modern days (Duarte 45). In mid 1920’s, ASL was very famous to draw major international teams to compete with the league teams. In 1926, core Jewish team (Vienna Hakoah and Spartas Prague) toured United States of American to play with three big top teams in the ASL leagues. Their visit in United States of America attracted extremely vast crowd in the stadiums. The multitude which was attracted by Hakoah maintained it record until 1977. Still in 1926, the league success led to the establishment of the first international soccer league (ISL). The league included the five popular Canadian soccer clubs and the first three ASL teams. Although the league did not continue for long because of critique from many participants that it was an off-season exercise, it portrayed the United States of America team as very outstanding in international soccer (Duarte 45). In 1927, Davie Brown registered a record of the America top scorer. He scored 52 goals a record which stands up to date. The 1926, ASL league led to some changes in soccer rules. The substitution rule was established at “Golden Era” where a player was to be replaced with another player. The league also used the hockey rule to judge a score which was not the case before the inauguration of ASL league. The penalty box was also introduced after the experience of ASL league. However, these rules were later abandoned after the ban of the ASL league. (Duarte 45). The adoption of a split season was experienced in 1927-1928. One of the biggest team in the league (the Philadelphia) was dropped out of the league due to internal problems. To ensure there was balance in the teams playing in the league, the league official decided to drop Hartford soccer team which was also struggling in the league. The owners of the dropped teams were not satisfied with the decision of dropping their teams from the league (United States 37). According to the owners of the dropped clubs, there was very severe management problem in the league. The high competition in the league increased its fame inside and outside America. There were several playoffs in the league among the popular teams in United States of America which attracted very huge crowd to the playing pitch. The 1927-1928 seasons ended after nine months. It attracted the high admission price at that time with the New York City demanding $1.10 for the cheapest seat and Boston requesting for $0.75 for the cheapest seat (United States 37). The 1928 soccer league experienced a severe “soccer war” despite the popularity of soccer in United States of America. There was a bitter confrontation between some very influential ASL clubs and the USFA. The ASL teams were against playing the national Open Challenge Cup games during the usual time of the season (United States 37). They Clamed it interfered with their league game. During the 1924/1925 season, the ASL warned its teams from participating in the competition. This caused it suspension in 1925. In 1928, the ASL demanded the extension of the Open Challenge Cup competition up to the end of their season or the elimination of their teams from the competition until the end of the season. The USFA rejected the request. To reciprocate, the ASL ordered their team to decline to participate in the Open Challenge Cup (United States 37). Some team which desired to participate in the Open Challenges Cup rejected the command. The New York Giants, Bethlehem Steels and Skeeters participate alongside their league games (Sarda 6). The ASL president ordered their suspension which forced them to appeal to the USFA. The USFA ordered the reverse of the action an order which was rejected by ASL. After frequent conflict over the issue, the USFA suspended the ASL league. The ASL continued to operate as unlawful league. On the other hand, the USFA worked with three teams and formed another league (The Eastern Soccer League). The new league constituted some teams from the Southern New York State Association and the three ASL teams (Sarda 6). This brought a new dispute between the USFA and the Southern New York State Association. The dispute led to the establishment of an alliance between the Southern New York State Association and the ASL against the USFA and the Eastern Soccer League. At this time of conflict, the New Bedford changed its camp from ESL to ASL blaming the poor quality of ESL (Sarda 6). After a costly long battle with no victor, the ASL and USFA arrived at a compromise. The ASL agreed to merge with better teams of ESL to form Atlantic Coast League (Sarda 6). The new league stated in November 1929. Although the league was successful, it did not enjoy the financial privileges and stability it used to enjoy before. There was financial crisis throughout the season. The stock market problem which faced the United States of America in 1929 affected the financial sponsors of the league hence reducing the league financial base. It leads to failure of several prominent league teams like Fall River Marksmen and Bethlehem Steel Folding (Sarda 6). The United States of America participation in the First World War with Uruguay brought the Atlantic team in the roster. Other included in the roster were Billy Gonsalves and Bert Patenaude who portrayed outrageous performance in the world cup and in the entire 1930 season. The fail of Fall River Marksmen was brought about by one of the biggest franchise transaction in the soccer of the United States of America (Sarda 6). In 1930, the official sponsor of Fall River Marksmen (Sam Mark) suffered a serious shortage of revenues. The reduction of revenue forced the company to move the soccer club to New York City where they combined with New York Soccer Club (Sarda 6). The merger took place on 16th February 1931. The amalgamation of the two teams led to the formation of one strong team which was branded the name New York Yankees. After merging the teams, Sam Mark opened the marks stadium to other teams. This attracted other prominent investors to buy providence gold bug and invested them in Mark’s stadium. The mid 1931 also saw new merger of the New Bedford Whalers and Fall River after a financial loss of the New Bedford Whalers. New York Yankees was not performing as expected. The team also continued using the Fall River name in the Open Cup Challenge competition because it started the competition with the old name. However, the team used the New York Yankees brand in the ASL league (Fox Soccer 17). After the end of the 1930 season, the newly formed Fall River Club failed. Having failed in New York, Sam Mark changes his destiny to New Bedford. He obtained the Fall River players rights as he planned to move to the New Bedford. This led to the emergence of a new club known by the name New Bedford Whalers which was a merger of New Bedford team, Fall River, and the old New York. The new combination won the National Challenge Cup and the 1931 fall season although they lost in the playoffs (Fox Soccer 17). Although the league continued during the spring of 1933, there was very many reorganization of the teams which were participating in the league. Different team merged together to form new teams while other diminished completely (Fox Soccer 17). The league diminishes in summer in 1933. This was because of poor management, financial crises, and various quarrel within and outside the team. The league ended in a very miserable way having not attained its desired objective. Instead, the league ended up in a battle of war among the involved shareholders, systematic depression, and immense loss for the companies which sponsored the participating teams (Fox Soccer 17). Work cited Duarte, Joseph. Four Rice Players Earn Conference USA Soccer Honors. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, 23, (2010), 45-50. "Fox Soccer. USA to Highlight the Illustrious Career of Soccer Hall of Fame Inductee John Harkes. Business Wire, 12, (2005), 17-20 Sarda, Ryan. Area Soccer Fans See a Lot to Like in Team USA. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, 56, (2010), 3-9. United States: The Becks Effect; American Soccer." The Economist (2011): 37, 35-40. Read More