1925 National Challenge Cup

The 1925 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

History

Teams from the American Soccer League and St. Louis Soccer League had won the previous several Challenge Cups, but dissatisfaction with the financial arrangements led the two leagues to boycott this year’s cup. While the United States Football Association gained its operating income from annual dues by member teams, most of its income came from its annual challenge cup. [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl051425.html May 14, 1925 The Globe] ] On the other hand, the owner’s of the top professional teams saw the challenge cup as a money losing competition as they were forced to play obscure amateur teams which tended to have smaller crowds and therefore gate receipts. After USFA took its cut, the amount distributed to the teams frequently did not cover the travel expenses. Therefore, the SLSL proposed, and the ASL agreed to, the creation of an American Professional Soccer Championship. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl110724c.html November 7, 1924 The Globe] ] That game series took place in April 1925 at University Field in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the three games, the Boston Wonder Workers defeated the Ben Millers in front of an average crowd of over 10,000 spectators per game. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1925.html The Year in American Soccer – 1925] ] In contrast, the National Challenge Cup final between the Shawsheen Indians and Chicago Canadian Club, played at the usually high drawing Mark's Stadium, saw only 2,500 spectators, down from the 18,000 who watched the 1924 final. At a May 1925 meeting, USFA agreed to reduce their percentage of the gate receipts from 33.3% to 15%. This diffused the ASL and SLSL hostility to the challenge cup leading to their re-entering the competition for 1926.

Open Cup Bracket

"Home teams listed on top of bracket"32TeamBracket | RD1=First Round
Jan 18-Feb 22
RD2=Second Round
Feb 8-Mar 14
RD3=Quarterfinals
March 1-21
RD4=Semifinals
Mar 22, Apr 5
RD5=Final
April 19

RD1-seed01=MA
RD1-team01=Shawsheen Indians
RD1-score01=w/o
RD1-seed02=MA
RD1-team02=Arlington Mills
RD1-score02=

RD1-seed03=MA
RD1-team03=Whittal F.C.
RD1-score03=5
RD1-seed04=NY
RD1-team04=Moose F.C.
RD1-score04=2

RD1-seed05=NJ
RD1-team05=Bayonne F.C.
RD1-score05=3
RD1-seed06=PA
RD1-team06=Lighthouse Blue Sox
RD1-score06=2

RD1-seed07=CT
RD1-team07=Clan Campbell
RD1-score07=1
RD1-seed08=NY
RD1-team08=Lexington F.C.
RD1-score08=3

RD1-seed09=MA
RD1-team09=Abbot Worsted
RD1-score09=2
RD1-seed10=MA
RD1-team10=Fore River F.C.
RD1-score10=0

RD1-seed11=RI
RD1-team11=Waypoyset F.C.
RD1-score11=w/o
RD1-seed12=MA
RD1-team12=Boston SC
RD1-score12=

RD1-seed13=RI
RD1-team13=Sayles Finishing Plant
RD1-score13=3
RD1-seed14=RI
RD1-team14=Lorraine Manufacturing Co
RD1-score14=2

RD1-seed15=CT
RD1-team15=Ansonia F.C.
RD1-score15=4
RD1-seed16=CT
RD1-team16=Manchester
RD1-score16=1

RD1-seed17=IL
RD1-team17=Canadian Club
RD1-score17=3
RD1-seed18=MO
RD1-team18=Gillespie S.C.
RD1-score18=0

RD1-seed19=IL
RD1-team19=Pullman F.C.
RD1-score19=4
RD1-seed20=IL
RD1-team20=Chicago Sparta
RD1-score20=1

RD1-seed21=IL
RD1-team21=Harvey F.C.
RD1-score21=3
RD1-seed22=IL
RD1-team22=North Shore F.C.
RD1-score22=0

RD1-seed23=IL
RD1-team23= Bricklayers and Masons
RD1-score23=0
RD1-seed24=IL
RD1-team24=Olympia F.C.
RD1-score24=2

RD1-seed25=OH
RD1-team25=Cleveland Thistles
RD1-score25=5
RD1-seed26=OH
RD1-team26=British War Veterans
RD1-score26=0

RD1-seed27=OH
RD1-team27=Goodyear F.C.
RD1-score27=2
RD1-seed28=OH
RD1-team28=Mahoning Valley
RD1-score28=1

RD1-seed29=PA
RD1-team29=Vestaburg SC
RD1-score29=6
RD1-seed30=PA
RD1-team30=Jeannette F.C.
RD1-score30=2

RD1-seed31=MI
RD1-team31=Toledo S.C.
RD1-score31=2
RD1-seed32=MI
RD1-team32=Gar Wood SC
RD1-score32=1

RD2-seed01=MA
RD2-team01=Shawsheen Indians
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=MA
RD2-team02=Whittal F.C.
RD2-score02=1

RD2-seed03=NJ
RD2-team03=Bayonne F.C.
RD2-score03=1
RD2-seed04=NY
RD2-team04=Lexington F.C.
RD2-score04=0

RD2-seed05=MA
RD2-team05=Abbot Worsted
RD2-score05=w/o
RD2-seed06=RI
RD2-team06=Waypoyset F.C.
RD2-score06=

RD2-seed07=RI
RD2-team07=Sayles Finishing Plant
RD2-score07=9
RD2-seed08=CT
RD2-team08=Ansonia F.C.
RD2-score08=2

RD2-seed09=IL
RD2-team09=Canadian Club
RD2-score09=2
RD2-seed10=IL
RD2-team10=Pullman F.C.
RD2-score10=1

RD2-seed11=IL
RD2-team11=Harvey F.C.
RD2-score11=2
RD2-seed12=IL
RD2-team12= Olympia F.C.
RD2-score12=0

RD2-seed13=OH
RD2-team13=Cleveland Thistles
RD2-score13=2
RD2-seed14=OH
RD2-team14=Goodyear F.C.
RD2-score14=0

RD2-seed15=PA
RD2-team15=Vestaburg SC
RD2-score15=2
RD2-seed16=MI
RD2-team16=Toledo S.C.
RD2-score16=1

RD3-seed01=MA
RD3-team01=Shawsheen Indians
RD3-score01=2
RD3-seed02=NJ
RD3-team02= Bayonne F.C.
RD3-score02=0

RD3-seed03=MA
RD3-team03=Abbot Worsted
RD3-score03=3
RD3-seed04=RI
RD3-team04=Sayles Finishing Plant
RD3-score04=2

RD3-seed05=IL
RD3-team05=Canadian Club
RD3-score05=1-1-3
RD3-seed06=IL
RD3-team06=Harvey F.C.
RD3-score06=1-1-1

RD3-seed07=OH
RD3-team07=Cleveland Thistles
RD3-score07=3
RD3-seed08=PA
RD3-team08=Vestaburg SC
RD3-score08=2

RD4-seed01=MA
RD4-team01=Shawsheen Indians
RD4-score01=2
RD4-seed02=MA
RD4-team02=Abbot Worsted
RD4-score02=1

RD4-seed03=IL
RD4-team03=Canadian Club
RD4-score03=2
RD4-seed04=OH
RD4-team04=Cleveland Thistles
RD4-score04=1

RD5-seed01=MA
RD5-team01=Shawsheen Indians
RD5-score01=3
RD5-seed02=IL
RD5-team02=Canadian Club
RD5-score02=0

(*): replay after tied match
w/o: walkover/forfeit victory awarded

Final

footballbox
date = April 19, 1925
team1 = Shawsheen Indians (MA)
goals1 = Eddie Smith
Alex Carrie
Peter Purden
goals2 =
score = 3–0
report = [http://books.google.dj/books?id=dQWzRxP-a7sC&pg=PA168&lpg=PA168&dq=+%22national+cup%22+%22shawsheen+indians+%22&source=web&ots=LYHjJ2a3O0&sig=04xUYsviyx5sdcRrZI_MZCFKrwE&hl=fr (Report)]
team2 = Canadian Club (IL)
stadium = Mark's Stadium, North Tiverton, Rhode Island
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: (USA)

References