Peel Cup

The Peter J. Peel Challenge Cup, better known as the Peel Cup, was the oldest open soccer competition in the United States until it was replaced by the Illinois Governor’s Cup in 1970.

History

Origins

Peter Peel was born in 1866 in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Chicago, Illinois when young. In 1909, he established a competition, named after himself, open to all soccer clubs in the state of Illinois. Proceeds from the competition went to a fund to benefit injured soccer players. Until the 1914 establishment of the U.S. Open Cup, the Peel Cup was among the most significant cup competition in the United States. While it was intended to crown the Illinois State Champions, it was a de facto Chicago championship due to the large number of talented teams in the city, especially those playing in the National Soccer League of Chicago. At the time, aside from Betheleham Steel, teams from Chicago, New York City and Saint Louis dominated U.S. soccer.

Name changes

In 1970 the cup awarded to the winner of the Peel Cup disappeared. The decision was made at that time to replace it with the Governor’s Cup. Since then, the cup has changed names multiple times based on a tradition that the first team to win it three times keeps the cup. It is currently named after George Chazaro who is the President of the Illinois State Soccer Association. ^{[http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/content/printer_friendly/y2007/m09/d10/c116494.html]} However, through all its name changes it continues to crown the annual Illinois State Champions.

Peel Shield

The Peel Cup should not be confused with the Peel Shield which was established by Peter Peel in 1912 and held until 1919 as a high school soccer competition.

2007 Final

On September 21, 2007, the cup final between RWB Adria and United Serbs was halted in the 40th minute after rival fans began rioting. ^{[http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=09&dd=23&nav_category=112&nav_id=43983]} The game was tied at 2-2 and will be replayed behind closed doors in early 2008. ^{[http://rwbadria.com/rwb/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=2]}

Champions

Peel Cup

* 1909 Campbell Rovers
* 1910 Hyde Park Blues
* 1911 Blue Island
* 1912 Pullman F.C.
* 1913 Pullman F.C.
* 1914 Pullman F.C.
* 1915 Pullman F.C.
* 1916 Chicago Americans
* 1917 Harvey F.C.
* 1918 Joliet F.C.
* 1919 Scottish-Americans
* 1920 Bricklayers and Masons F.C.
* 1921 Pullman F.C.
* 1922 Olympia
* 1923 Pullman F.C.
* 1924 Bricklayers and Masons F.C.
* 1925 Pullman F.C.
* 1926 Pullman F.C.
* 1927 Coal City
* 1928 Chicago Sparta
* 1929 Chicago Sparta
* 1930 Chicago Sparta
* 1931 Chicago Sparta
* 1932 Chicago Sparta
* 1933 Chicago Sparta
* 1934 Wieboldts
* 1935 Harvey United
* 1936 Maccabees A.C.
* 1937 Chicago Sparta
* 1938 Manhattans
* 1939 Chicago Sparta
* 1940 Vikings
* 1941 Vikings
* 1942 Slovaks
* 1943 Slovaks / Vikings
* 1944 Vikings
* 1945 Swedish-Americans
* 1946 Chicago Sparta
* 1947 Chicago Sparta
* 1948 Chicago Sparta
* 1949 Vikings
* 1950 Eagles
* 1951 Slovaks
* 1952 Falcons
* 1953 Falcons
* 1954 Eagles
* 1955 Eagles
* 1956 Lions
* 1957 Eagles
* 1958 Schwaben
* 1959 Kickers
* 1960 Kickers
* 1961 Kickers
* 1962 Kickers
* 1963 Eagles
* 1964 Kickers
* 1965 Olympics
* 1966 Hansa
* 1967 Kickers
* 1968 Olympic
* 1969 Chicago Sparta / Kickers
* 1970 Olympics

Illinois Governor’s Cup

* 1971 Schwaben
* 1972 Lions
* 1973 Croatans
* 1974 Lions
* 1975 Wisla
* 1976 Croatans
* 1977 Lions

Fred W. Netto Cup

* 1978 Croatan
* 1979 San Francisco
* 1980 Winged Bull
* 1981 Wisla
* 1982 Winged Bull
* 1983 Winged Bull

George E. Fishwick Cup

* 1984 Wisla
* 1985 Wisla
* 1986 Croatan
* 1987 Wisla

William P. Hemmings Cup

* 1988 RWB Adria
* 1989 RWB Adria
* 1990 Schwaben
* 1991 Schwaben
* 1992 Chicago Pegasus
* 1993 RWB Adria

Alfredo V. Arias Cup

* 1994 RWB Adria
* 1995 Chicago Pegasus
* 1996 United Romanians
* 1997 United Romanians
* 1998 Santos Degollado
* 1999 Eagles
* 2000 SC Eagles
* 2001 Morelia
* 2002 RWB Adria
* 2003 RWB Adria

George L. Chazaro Cup

* 2004 Vikings
* 2005 RWB Adria
* 2006 RWB Adria
* 2007 "Suspended" ^{[http://rwbadria.com/rwb/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=2]}

External links

* [http://www.illinoissoccer.org/cups.htm Illinois State Open Competitions]