Fall River Hops to the Front
While the Bethlehem Steel soccer team was battling in the third round of the American Cup competition at Brooklyn Sunday, Fall River, rival contenders for the flock of honors was engaged in a league tilt and by virtue of having played two league games and won both over the weekend while Bethlehem played but one league game, assumed the lead in the American League race. Fall River now has Bethlehem spotted by two points. However, the New Englanders have played one more game than Bethlehem, so that in all likelihood the deadlock for first place will again be resumed when Bethlehem catches up in the league tilt. Bethlehem won the third round in the American Cup competition and by doing so probably advance to the semi-final in this important soccer classic. There are not as many teams entered in the American Cup so that a fourth round will not be found necessary. The Steel Workers sure are stepping out these days for they hold the whip handle with Fall River in the American League race and are now semi-finalists in the National and American Cup competitions. Surely honors in one of this trio of soccer competitions will be forthcoming to Bethlehem, if not all three.
Ban Referee to Act as Linemen
Spectators at the Bethlehem-Brooklyn field on Saturday afternoon were somewhat surprised to see a pair of Lehigh University soccer players contribute their services as linesmen. They were Frank Walters, captain elect of the Lehigh team for the season 1924 and Fritz Mercur, tennis player par excellence and star soccer performer. Both handled their bit of the game in capable manner. But to get back to what we intended saying it will be received with more surprise when it is known that such expert authorities in the sport as Horace Williams, J. Harry Carpenter, Bobby Morrison and others who in their daily toil are associated with the local plant of the Bethlehem Steel Co., are tabooed from officiating in league games. The league had a meeting recently and unfortunately Bethlehem, it is understood, was not represented. In the absence of a local delegate it is said that Brooklyn and Fall River objected strenuously to having linesmen officiate who are employees of the plant which name the team sports. As a result the Lehigh players officiated. The officials concerned are not taking kindly to the action and indicates are that the matter will again be brought to the attention of the league. And they are justified for the ruling is nothing more than a reflection on their integrity and impartiality in performing the duties of a linesman. This is especially so with J. Harry Carpenter, a delegate of the National Cup competition, coach at Lehigh University and a member of the Referees' Association. Harry is real peeved and has a perfect right to be. He threatens to take up the matter with the Referees' Association and feels that if he is not qualified to make an impartial decision as a linesman he has no business to be a referee. The action in brining the matter before the league seems nothing more than petty jealousy over the successful campaign of the Steel Workers and it is surprising that the league executives took cognizance of what seems such a trifling matter.
Baiting Players Aim of Rival Opponents
With the Steel Workers well started in cleaning up all the soccer campaigns it might not be amiss to call the attention of the players to be on their guard against any violations that might automatically suspend themselves. Baiting players of a winning team when the laurels have already been lost by rival contenders, seems to be the hobby of some players and it looked dangerously close to a little mix-up on the Bethlehem Steel field on Saturday afternoon. Bill Carnihan, the Bethlehem center halfback was the target of this baiting and once or twice it seemed as though Bill might retaliate. Possibly that was the purpose of baiting. Had Carnihan been ordered out of the game he would have been automatically suspended for two games and chances are that it would have thrown him out of the semi-final in the National Cup. As for the other players such suspension could mean little harm for no cup honors were at stake. Can't be too careful in this stage of the race.