The Globe -- Bethlehem
Saturday, February 23, 1924
A Swing Along Athletic Row

Persistent in Delaying Postponement
Because the Fall River management was persistent in delaying and definite in decision relative to the postponement of the Eastern final in the National Cup scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the announcement of what seemed inevitable after the heavy fall of snow was made only yesterday afternoon. Efforts to clear the playing pitch of the snow were futile and even had it been successful the field would have been covered with a heavy coating of ice which not only would have marred the game but also greatly jeopardized the players with injury. With the national final to be played probably the week following the Eastern final, injury to any player would have severely handicapped whatever club qualifies in the final round. After all the decision of the cup competition committee was wisely made. In presenting the official notice of postponements until Sunday, March 2, the following statement was sent out by Thomas W. Cahill, secretary of the committee and which should relieve any doubt that might exist that the action was influenced by either of the teams:

"The Eastern Final, National Challenge Cup Competition of the United States Football Association to decide the eastern soccer football championship, which had been scheduled for Sunday, February 24th, has had to be postponed until the succeeding Sunday, March 2nd. The decision of the Cup Committee was put off to the last moment in the hope that some change in the weather would make it possible for the game to be played as scheduled, but after a second inspection of Dexter Park by the committee, accompanied by Mr. Sam Mark, owner of the Fall River team, it was decided that a game was impossible.

"The first inspection of the field was made Thursday. It had been hoped that the thaw and rain which set in early Wednesday morning at the tail end of the heaviest snow storm which has visited New York this winter, would continue and the weather remain mild, but Wednesday night the temperature fell rapidly and there was a hard freeze. The melting snow which had been running off the fie3ld in fine shape all day Wednesday, was converted into a mass of rough ice and ice-glazed snow. Mr. Marks of the Fall River team was insistent that a definite decision be postponed to the last possible moment, and the arrangement was made for him to come to New York and visit the Park with Chairman Andrew M. Brown and Secretary T. W. Cahill of the Committee. The visit was made, the situation found to be hopeless and the postponement ordered.

Excursionists Not to be Disappointed
While the soccer game was the chief attraction to the host of Lehigh Valley fans who had planned to make the trip to New York, many other excursionists planned to avail themselves of the special fare rate to spend the day in the metropolis. The excursion is one of the regular affairs conducted by the railroad company and will go through as planned. While extra coaches would have been attached for the soccer fans, the latter was merely a concession of courtesy on the part of the railroad. Whether or not a similar excursion rate will prevail on March 2, or whenever the game will be played will possibly be determined some time next week.


1923-1924
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club