Harry Ratican

Infobox Football biography
playername= Harry Ratican


fullname = Harry Jay Ratican
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1894|1|20
cityofbirth = St. Louis, Missouri
countryofbirth = United States
dateofdeath = death date and age|1964|8|22|1894|1|20
cityofdeath = St. Louis, Missouri
countryofdeath = United States
height =
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs = St. Louis University
years = 1911-1916
1916-1919
1920-1921
1921
1921
1922
1922
1923
1923
1925-1927
1927-1928
clubs = Ben Millers
Bethlehem Steel
Robins Dry Dock
→ Todd Shipyards
Fall River United
Harrison
Fall River Marksmen
Ben Millers
New York Giants
Ratican’s
→ Tablers
caps(goals) =
7 0(2)
3 0(1)
0 0(0)
1 0(0)
? (10)
? 0(5)
manageryears = 1922-1927
1923
1925-1926
managerclubs = West Point
Scullin Steel "(assistant)"
St. Louis Pants Store
Ratican’s
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Harry Jay Ratican (January 20, 1894 in St. Louis, Missouri – August 22, 1964 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a U.S. soccer forward, coach and team owner. He began and ended his career in the St. Louis Soccer League with several years in both the National Association Football League and American Soccer League. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

occer

Playing

Ratican, the younger brother of Peter Ratican, grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, attending the Christian Brothers College High School and St. Louis University. In 1911, Ratican began his career with Ben Millers in the St. Louis Soccer League. In 1916, he left St. Louis to sign with Bethlehem Steel F.C. in the National Association Football League (NAFBL). In December, he returned to St. Louis when Bethlehem played two games, one against a St. Louis All Star team, the second against Ratican’s old team, Ben Millers. Bethlehem lost 3-1 to the All Star team, with Ratican scoring the lone Bethlehem goal. They then tied Ben Millers 2-2 with Ratican again scoring Bethlehem’s first goal of the game. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl122616.html December 16, 1916 Bethlehem Globe] ] During the 1917-1918 season, he and team mate Tommy Fleming led the league in scoring. In April, they both had twenty goals each, but records do not show how many they had at the end of the season. [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl041818.html April 18, 1918 Bethlehem Globe] ] In 1918, Bethlehem won the National Challenge Cup, Ratican scoring in the final, and again in 1919 with Ratican again scoring in the final. However, Ratican was out much of the 1918-1919 season will an unknown illness. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl071519.html July 15, 1919 Bethlehem Globe] ] In July, Ratican signed with Robins Dry Dock. However, he still traveled with Bethlehem, serving as team captain, on its tour of Scandinavia that summer. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl072119.html July 21, 1919 Bethlehem Globe] ] In 1920, the St. Louis Soccer League sent an All Star team on a tour of Scandinavia. Despite playing in the ASL, Ratican was still invited and went on the tour. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9B0DE5DA1E31E433A25750C1A96E9C946195D6CF&oref=slogin August 13, 1920 New York Times] ] Ratican won another National Challenge Cup in 1921 with Robins. In 1921, the NAFBL folded when several teams left to form the American Soccer League. Robins Dry Dock merged with Tebo Yacht Basin F.C. to become Toddy Shipyards, which was the parent corporation for both Robins Dry Dock and Tebo Yacht Basin. Todd Shipyards lost the 1922 National Challenge Cup to St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C. Ratican did not finish the 1921-1922 season with Todd, but moved to Harrison F.C.. He began the 1922-1923 season with the Fall River Marksmen, but a torn ligament in his leg prevented him from playing any games with the team. He left Fall River in September 1922 to coach the West Point soccer team. He was not released from his playing contract with Fall River until December 1922 at which time he began seeking playing opportunities with other ASL teams. When those did not materialize, he left the northeast on the completion of the collegiate season to return to St. Louis to rejoin Ben Millers, scoring two goals in his debut. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl012223.html January 22, 1923 Bethlehem Globe] ] He then returned to the ASL later that year to play one game with the New York Giants. He then gave up playing for several years, except for guest appearances with various St. Louis teams. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl011524.html January 15, 1924 Bethlehem Globe article] ] In 1925, Ratican began playing regularily with his team Ratican’s in the SLSL. He remained with Ratican’s until it changed sponsorship in 1927. He then continued playing with the renamed team, now known as Tablers for the 1927-1928 season. Tablers won the SLSL title that season. [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1928.html 1928 in U.S. soccer history.] ]

Coaching

In September 1922, Ratican was hired by the U.S. Military Academy, better known as West Point, to coach the school’s soccer team. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl090622.html September 16, 1922 Bethlehem Globe] ] Following the completion of the collegiate season, he returned to St. Louis, playing for Ben Millers then serving as an assistant coach with St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C.. This pattern continued for several years as Ratican coached West Point then returned to St. Louis during the off season to play or coach local teams.

Team ownership

In 1924, Ratican formed a team, known appropriately as Ratican’s, which he entered in the St. Louis Soccer League. The team performed poorly, finishing fourth out of four teams with a 2-12-4 record. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1925.html 1925 in U.S. soccer history] ] They improved the next season, finishing third with a 4-6-4 record. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1926.html 1926 in U.S. soccer history] ] In 1927, Ratican’s again finished last, with a 1-8-3 record. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1927.html 1927 in U.S. soccer history] ] In 1927, Tabler’s took over sponsorship of Ratican’s team, renaming the squad, Tablers.

Baseball

In addition to soccer, Ratican also played minor league baseball. He spent some time with the Quincy Gems of the Three-I League. Then played outfield for the Bethlehem Steel company team.

Ratican was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950. [ [http://eteamz.active.com/stlsoccerhalloffame/ St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame] ]

External links

* [http://www.soccerhall.org/famers/harry_ratican.htm National Soccer Hall of Fame profile]

References