The Globe -- Bethlehem
Friday, February 20, 1920
PRIVATE VIEW OF SOCCER PICTURE
"Movie" of First Game Played in Sweden Last Summer Show Here for
FIRST TIME IN AMERICA

A replay of one of the games played in Sweden during the tour of the Bethlehem F. C., or rather a portion of one of the games, was staged in this city this morning. The LoRenz theater offered the scene of conflict where pictures of the game between Bethlehem and the All-Sweden eleven were reproduced on the screen.

The audience comprised H. E. Lewis, vice president of the Bethlehem Steel Co., W. Luther Lewis, one of the foremost boosters of soccer, and George T. Fonda, director of safety and welfare of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, together with several players and newspaper men. The movies were shown for the first time in this country and will be again presented on Monday night at the meeting of the Bethlehem Steel foremen and probably later as an added feature at the LoRenz, open to the general public.

Those who were fortunate in witnessing the pictures were really amazed at the interest apparently prevalent in this sport in Sweden. The stadium in which the game was played is probably one of the finest in the world and showed the large stands almost completely surrounding the field. Another featured noted was that during the game no one was on the field with the exception of the players and officials.

The portion of the game shown is the contest between All-Sweden and Bethlehem, played in Stockholm on Aug. 10 before a crowd of 23,000 people, including King Gustave and other members of the royal family. Bethlehem won 2 goals to 1. The picture shows the parade of the players of both teams headed by the delegation in charge of arranging the tour of the Americans and the king. They pass the sands amid a great outburst of apparent applause, the applause being judged from the excitement, waving of hats and hand-clapping plainly visible on the screen. The two teams are then shown in action, the film picturing one of the crucial moments of the game. Bethlehem is direction an attack on the Swedes' goal, a clever save being made by the goal keeper. However, he is so hard pressed that he is somewhat thrown off balance in a collision with Ratican and within the next second is dumped heavily to the turf by coming in contact with McKelvey. He is assisted to his feet by fellow players and resumes playing.

The picture is working up to a point where the audience becomes real excited and then unfortunately the film ends.


1919-1920
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club