American Soccer League I (1921-1933)

            Final league standings and playoff results


The first American Soccer League was the first true viable professional soccer 
league in the United States.  It operated from 1921-1933, flourishing through 
the mid 1920s, then becoming involved in a disastrous “soccer war” with the 
USSFA and FIFA over commitments to the US Open Cup.  Eventually financial 
problems brought on by the Depression resulted in its untimely demise. 
The next season the ASL II  was formed.

The success of the ASL I is significant, as the NFL was in its infancy during
the 1920's, and until the late 1920's, the ASL's success equalled or even
surpassed the NFL  Crowds in excess of 10,000 were not uncommon, and if the
league had been able to overcome its problems and continue, then the 1990's may
well have seen soccer as the American national sport rather than gridiron
football.

Teams operated mainly in the northeastern United States, particulary the
Philadelphia-New Jersey-New York area.  

This information was mostly researched by Colin Jose, author of the
comprehensive history of the NASL, who is currently writing a book about the
history of the ASL I, and was made available by Mark Pollak
(mpollak@pipermar.com)

"The American Soccer League: The Golden Years of American Soccer 1921-1931",
by Colin Jose, is a 560 page comprehensive repository of ASL II info,
published July 1998 by Scarecrow Press.  (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4).  $70.00 
(+ 3.00 P&H;), order from Scarecrow press, 4720 Boston Way, Lanham, 
MD 20706 800/462-6420.

Many players from the ASL came over from Scotland.  Additional information
 about some of them may be accessed through the Scottish Football History" website.


Point scoring system:  2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.


                         1921/22

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
Philadelphia Field Club24  17   4   3  72  36   38
New York Field Club    24  14   5   5  59  33   33
Todd Shipyards (Bkln)  24  12   5   7  56  37   29
Harrison Soccer Club   24   8   7   8  45  44   23
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)23   9   5   9  34  40   23
Fall River United      24   5   1  18  28  57   11
Holyoke Falcos         22   2   3  17  17  64    7
Jersey City Celtics     5   0   0   5   5  24    0

CHAMPION:   Philadelphia Field Club

Harrison used to be known as Kearny Erie A. A (NAFBL).

Early in the season, Jersey City folded.  After the season, 
Holyoke, and Todd Shipyards withdrew.


                        1922/23

Before the season, Philadelphia changed their name to Bethlehem Steel.
A new Philadelphia, along with Paterson and Brooklyn were added.
Fall River changed their name to Marksmen.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)28  21   2   5  68  30   44
Bethlehem Steel        28  18   6   4  56  26   42
Fall River Marksmen    28  15   5   8  53  36   35
New York Field Club    23  10   4   9  53  42   24
Paterson Silk Sox      20   9   4   7  38  31   22
Brooklyn Wanderers     25   5   5  15  24  52   15
Harrison Field Club    21   4   2  17  26  56   10
Philadelphia Field Club25   3   2  20  24  72    8

CHAMPION:  J&P; Coats (Pawtucket)

After the season, Paterson and Harrison withdrew.



                       1923/24

Before the season, Newark and the New York Giants were added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
Fall River Marksmen    27  19   6   2  59  19   14
Bethlehem Steel        27  17   4   6  59  32   38
New York Field Club    26  15   7   4  66  35   37
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)24  10   5   9  54  53   25
Brooklyn Wanderers     27   9   5  13  47  57   23
New York Giants        25   6   6  13  35  59   18
Philadelphia Field Club25   5   2  18  30  62   12
Newark Skeeters        23   3   1  19  20  53    7

CHAMPION:  Fall River Marksmen

After the season, New York Field Club withdrew.


                       1924/25

Before the season, Boston, New Bedford, Providence, Indiana, 
and Fleisher were added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
Fall River Marksmen    44  27  12   5 113  38   66
Bethlehem Steel        44  29   5  10 127  53   63
Brooklyn Wanderers     44  22   8  14  68  56   52
Boston Wonder Workers  41  22   7  12  75  53   51
New Bedford Whalers    41  21   7  13  69  55   49
Providence Clamdiggers 42  18  11  13  85  59   47
J & P Coats            42  19   5  18  89  76   43
New York Giants        43  16   6  21  78  84   38
Indiana Flooring (N.Y.)43  16   6  21  68  69   38
Fleisher Yarn (Phil.)  39  11   6  22  68 114   28
Newark Skeeters        39   8   3  28  39 104   19
Philadelphia Field Club42   2   6  34  27 146    8

CHAMPION:  Fall River Marksmen
LEWIS CUP:  Boston Wonder Workers defeated Fall River Marksmen, 2-1

After the season, Fleisher Yarn withdrew.  They were the 
1924 US amateur champions, beating the Swedish-Americans in the final.


                       1925/26

Before the season, Shawsheen was added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    44  30  12   2 143  52   72  .819
New Bedford Whalers    44  28   5  11 119  70   61  .693
Boston Wonder Workers  43  23   7  13 100  65   53  .634
Bethlehem Steel        35  23   6  12 115  58   52  .616
Providence Clamdiggers 39  21   5  13  90  62   47  .602
Indiana Flooring (N.Y.)42  18   6  18  83  81   42  .500
Brooklyn Wanderers     40  16   7  17  76  71   39  .487
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)40  15   7  17  76  91   37  .474
New York Giants        37  13   6  18  76  90   32  .432
Shawsheen (Ma.)Indians 44  11   3  30  33  89   25  .284
Philadelphia Field Club44   8   3  33  41 150   19  .215
Newark Skeeters        38   5   6  27  30 124   15  .202

CHAMPION:  Fall River Marksmen
LEWIS CUP:  New Bedford Whalers defeated New York Giants, 5-1, 0-3

Shawsheen only played 29 games; balance were forfeits; last game was on 3/27/1926.


                        1926/27

Before the season, Springfield was added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Bethlehem Steel        44  29   8   7 114  52   66  .750
Boston Wonder Workers  44  25   7  12  90  59   55  .648
Fall River Marksmen    44  24   8  12  98  72   56  .636
New Bedford Whalers    44  24   6  14 124  72   54  .614
New York Giants        44  21   7  16 120 102   49  .557
Indiana Flooring       43  19   9  15  77  81   47  .547
Brooklyn Wanderers     44  18   6  20  83  96   42  .477
Providence Clamdiggers 43  15  10  18  73  96   40  .465
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)44  11  14  19  48  72   36  .409
Newark Skeeters        38  13   6  25  54  91   32  .363
Philadelphia Field Club44  11   4  29  64 123   26  .295
Springfield Babes      27   7   7  13  44  74   21  .239

CHAMPION:  Bethlehem Steel
LEWIS CUP:  Boston Wonder Workers defeated Brooklyn Wanderers, 2-0, 3-0

Springfield withdrew in late December - 17 forfeits.  Philadelphia withdrew 
at the end of the season.


                      1927/28

                        1st half

Before the season, New York Nationals, Philadelphia and Hartford were added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Boston Wonder Workers  29  18   7   4  65  36   43  .741
Bethlehem Steel        29  18   5   6  70  49   41  .706
New Bedford Whalers    29  17   7   5  68  45   41  .706
Brooklyn Wanderers     29  13   9   7  68  50   35  .603
Fall River Marksmen    31  14   6  11  75  58   34  .548
New York Giants        30  13   6  11  73  57   32  .533
Providence Clamdiggers 30   9   8  13  47  59   26  .433
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)32   6   7  19  39  66   19  .297
Newark Skeeters        30   7   3  20  46  77   17  .283
New York Nationals     30   7   3  20  41  77   17  .283
Hartford Americans     11   4   2   5  14  14   10  .454
Philadelphia Celtic    10   2   1   7  17  35    5  .222

Playoff:   New Bedford defeated Bethlehem, 2-0.

Philadelphia was suspended in October after 10 games.
Hartford was asked to resign in October to balance the league.

                        2nd half

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
New Bedford Whalers    25  13   8   4  52  31   34  .680
Fall River Marksmen    26  15   5   6  55  30   35  .673
New York Nationals     24  10   8   6  39  35   28  .583
Bethlehem Steel        23  10   6   7  43  31   26  .565
Boston Wonder Workers  22   9   6   7  41  34   27  .545
Providence Clamdiggers 26  11   5  10  41  46   27  .519
New York Giants        23  11   3  12  53  50   25  .481
Brooklyn Wanderers     25   9   3  13  39  52   21  .420
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)20   3   3  14  30  54    9  .225
Newark Skeeters        17   2   1  14  18  46    5  .147

Playoff:       Bethlehem Steel defeated New York Nationals 2-1, 4-0
Semifinals:    Boston defeated Bethlehem 3-1, 0-4 (on disqualification) 
               New Bedford defeated Fall River 3-1, 0-1
CHAMPIONSHIP:  Boston defeated New Bedford 4-2.
LEWIS CUP:     Bethlehem Steel defeated Boston Wonder Workers, 3-2, 2-2


                       1928/29

                       1st half

Before the season, Philadelphia was added.  Providence became the Gold Bugs.
Bethlehem Steel, New York Giants, and Newark withdrew 
to help form the EPSL II.


                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    31  17   9   5  64  36   43  .694
Brooklyn Wanderers     31  18   6   7  79  61   42  .677
New York Nationals     29  13   8   8  70  53   34  .586
Provdence Gold Bugs    24  13   5  11  53  44   31  .534
New Bedford Whalers    29  11   6  12  51  47   28  .483
Boston Wonder Workers  28   8   8  12  49  60   24  .429
Philadelphia Field Club18   3   6   9  27  40   12  .333
J & P Coats (Pawtucket)28   4   7  17  28  69   15  .268
New York Giants         8   3   2   3  15  17    8  .500
Bethlehem Steel         6   3   0   3  12   8    6  .500
Newark Skeeters         7   0   1   6   7  30    0  .000

League standings based on won/loss percentage.  

                         2nd half

Before the half, Jersey City was added.  J & P Coates became Pawtucket.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    22  11   6   5  38  24   28  .636
Providence Gold Bugs   22  12   3   7  46  37   27  .614
Pawtucket Rangers      25  13   2  10  42  39   28  .560
New York Nationals     21   8   7   6  68  55   23  .548
Brooklyn Wanderers     20   5   6   9  42  50   18  .536
Philadelphia Field Club18   6   3   9  36  54   15  .450
Boston Wonder Workers  25   7   4  14  45  55   18  .417
New Bedford Whalers    14   7   1   6  37  28   15  .360
Jersey City             7   2   0   5  11  23    4  .286

CHAMPION:  Fall River.
LEWIS CUP:  New York Nationals defeated New Bedford Whalers, 2-3, 2-1, 4-2

New Bedford withdrew in mid-march to join the EPSL II.


                        1929 (Fall)

Before the season, Brooklyn Hakoah and Bridgeport were added. Boston became the Bears.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    22  15   3   4  65  40   33  .750
Providence Gold Bugs   22  14   2   6  50  34   30  .682
Boston Bears           21  12   3   6  44  22   27  .643
New York Nationals     21  10   3   8  58  53   23  .548
Pawtucket Rangers      19   8   2   9  32  41   18  .474
New Bedford Whalers    21   7   2  12  38  47   16  .381
Brooklyn Wanderers     17   5   2  10  32  47   12  .353
Brooklyn Hakoah        17   4   1  12  41  55    9  .265
Philadelphia Field Club14   2   2  10  19  41    6  .214

CHAMPION:  Fall River.

Philadelphia played their first 6 games as the Bridgeport Bears.

The league suspended the season on 10/9/1929 when the soccer wars ended.
ASL merged with the EPSL II to form the Atlantic Coast League.  
Philadelphia did not join the merger.  Brooklyn Hakoah merged
with the New York Hakoah of the EPSL II to form the Hakoah All-Stars.

                                  1929/30

                           (Atlantic Coast League)

Before the season, the ASL and the EPSL II merged to form the Atlantic Coast League.
Fall River, New Bedford, Providence, Pawtucket, New York Nationals, Brooklyn 
Wanderers, and Boston (who dropped their nickname) joined the league from the ASL I,
and Bethlehem and the New York Giants joined from the EPSL II.
Brooklyn Hakoah (ASL I), and New York Hakoah (EPSL II) merged to become
the Hakoah All-Stars. 

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    26  18   7   1  80  38   43  .814
New Bedford Whalers    33  12  11  10  56  50   35  .530
Hakoah All Stars       33  14   7  12  65  61   35  .530
Providence Gold Bugs   25  12   4  11  53  56   28  .519
New York Nationals     33  14   5  14  88  89   33  .500
Pawtucket Rangers      28  10   7  11  52  57   27  .483
Bethlehem Steel        27  11   4  12  66  54   26  .481
New York Giants        30  11   6  13  67  77   28  .467
Brooklyn Wanderers     32   9  10  13  63  66   28  .438
Newark                 15   0   3  12  21  59    3  .100
Boston                  4   1   0   3   5   9    2  .250           
 
Newark played their first 10 games as Bridgeport Hungarian.
Boston withdrew after 4 games.  After the season, New York Nationals
and Bethlehem Steel withdrew.

CHAMPION:  Fall River.
LEWIS CUP:  Fall River Marksmen defeated New York Hakoah All-Stars 2-1, 3-0


                                1930 (Fall)

In fall 1930, the league changed its name back to the American Soccer League.
Before the season, Newark was added, and the New York Giants 
became the New York Soccer Club.  The New York Nationals were
renamed the New York Giants (both due to team sales).

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
Fall River Marksmen    27  13   8   6  54  43   34  .630
New Bedford Whalers    30  15   6   9  75  62   36  .600
Hakoah All Stars       27  10   8   9  40  42   28  .519
Newark Americans       28  11   6  11  62  55   28  .500
New York Soccer Club   27  12   3  12  51  55   27  .500
Providence Gold Bugs   29  12   3  14  46  29   27  .466
Brooklyn Wanderers     30  10   7  13  57  58   27  .450
New York Giants        31   9   7  15  64  86   27  .435
Pawtucket Rangers      31   0   8  14  54  26   26  .419

CHAMPION:  Fall River.


                              1931

                            1st Half (spring)

Before the season, New York Soccer Club and Fall River Marksmen were 
merged to form the New York Yankees.  Providence moved to Fall River 
and became Fall River Football Club.  

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
New York Giants        17  10   2   5  42  28   22  .647
Brooklyn Wanderers     16   9   2   5  32  27   20  .625
New York Yankees       17   9   3   5  40  27   21  .619
Pawtucket Rangers      18   9   3   6  47  33   21  .583
Fall River Football Club16  8   2   6  28  25   18  .558
Hakoah All-Stars       17   5   2  10  25  41   12  .353
Newark Americans       13   4   1   8  18  29    9  .346
New Bedford Whalers    11   3   2   6  18  22    8  .364
Boston Bears            7   1   0   6  10  30    2  .143

Boston suspended play early, but returned for second half of season.
New Bedford was absorbed by Fall River c. 4/19/1931.

                            2nd half (fall)

Before the half, New York Americans were added.  New York Yankees 
were absorbed by Fall River, and the team moved to New Bedford

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS  PCT
New Bedford Whalers    21  14   2   5  60  32   30  .714
New York Giants        20  11   4   5  54  38   26  .650
Pawtucket Rangers      20  13   0   7  58  42   26  .650
Hakoah All-Stars       21  11   4   6  44  34   26  .615
Boston Bears           19   4   3  12  34  50   11  .289
New York Americans     20   3   3  14  32  69    9  .225
Newark Americans       11   1   2   8  16  39    4  .183

CHAMPIONSHIP:  New York Giants defeated New Bedford on total goals 
in a 2-game series (8-3, 6-0).


                           1932 (spring)

(This may be an incomplete set of standings, or a season that was 
never completed.)
                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
New Bedford Whalers     6   3   2   1            8
Hakoah All-Stars        6   3   1   2            7
Boston Bears            6   1   4   1            5
Pawtucket Rangers       6   0   3   3            3
New York Americans      1   0   1   0            1
New York Giants         0   0   0   0            0
Newark Americans        0   0   0   0            0

New York Giants and Newark withdrew after the season.

                            1932-33

                            1st half (fall, 1932)

Before the season, New York Field Club, Queens, and Brooklyn were added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
Fall River Football Club19  10   7   2           27
Pawtucket Rangers      19  10   5   4           25
New York Americans     11   6   3   3           14
New York Field Club    11   5   1   5           11
Brooklyn Wanderers     15   5   2   8           12
Hakoah All-Stars       15   4   4   7           12
Queens Bohemians        9   2   3   4            5
New Bedford Whalers     6   2   0   4            4
Boston Bears           11   2   2   7            6

CHAMPION:  Fall River.

After the season, Fall River, Pawtucket, New York Field Club,
Hakoah, New Bedford and Boston withdrew.


                            2nd half (spring, 1933)

Before the season, Prague was added.

                       GP   W   D   L  GF  GA  PTS
Brookhattan             6   4   1   1  11   7    9
New York Americans      6   4   0   2  19  10    8
Brooklyn Wanderers      6   3   1   2   9  11    7
Prague Americans        5   0   0   5   3  13    0
Bohemian Queens         1   0   0   1   2   3    0

After the conclusion of the 1933 spring season, the league folded.  The league
was completely reorganized during the summer, being reborn in the fall of 1933
as the second American Soccer League.