- IRT Rangers
The Interborough Rapid Transit Rangers, better known as the IRT Rangers, was an early twentieth century U.S.
soccer team sponsored by the New York CityInterborough Rapid Transit Company .History
The origins of the IRT Rangers is unknown, but in the mid-1920s it was an amateur team in the Southern New York Soccer Association (SNYSA). In 1928, the professional
American Soccer League boycotted theNational Challenge Cup . Three teams defied the boycott and were suspended by the league. This led theUnited States Soccer Federation (USFA) to declare the ASL an “outlaw league”. The USFA also bankrolled the creation of a league to rival the ASL. Named theEastern Professional Soccer League , or Eastern Soccer League for short, the ESL was formed around the three suspended ASL teams and several teams, including the IRT Rangers, pulled from the SNYSSA. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1929.html The Year in American Soccer – 1929] ] The ESL existed for one and a half seasons, beginning in the fall of 1928. Building on the core of several ex-ASL players [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl110828.html November 8, 1928 The Globe] ] , Rangers placed fourth the first season but was at the bottom of the standings after the first half of the 1929-1930 season. During the mid-season break, the ASL capitulated to USFA and the ESL and ASL merged to created the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Rangers did not make the move to the new league. However, they did go to the third round of the1930 National Challenge Cup .Homefield
During their short existence as a professional team, the Rangers held their home games at several fields, including Dyckman Oval, New York [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl120328.html December 3, 1928 The Globe] ] and McGoldrick Field, Greenpoint. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl083029.html August 30, 1929 The Globe] ]
Year-by-year
Notable players
*
Willie Crilley
*Dave McEachran External links
* [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/esl2.html Eastern Soccer League]
References
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