The Globe -- Bethlehem
Tuesday, April 3, 1923
PATERSON ARE SOCCER CHAMPS
Honors in American Cup Tie are Awarded when Scullin Refuses to Play
OFF TIE NEXT SUNDAY

America's annual soccer classic is over and the national challenge trophy which for the last twelve months has been in the custody of the Scullin Steel Football Club, of St. Louis, Mo., will rest in the East. The holders are the Paterson F. C., of Paterson, N. J. While the preliminary final between these two clubs was deadlocked at two goals each an was played last Sunday, the real final was staged in the office of Thomas Cahill, secretary of the U. S. F. A. Monday afternoon and consisted of consultations and exchanges of many telegrams before a definite conclusion was reached. That conclusion was arrived at late in the afternoon when the announcement went forth that Scullins, champions for 1922, forfeited their right to the title and yielded the palm of victory to their recent opponents of the Paterson Football Club. This announcement followed the decision reached by the National Challenge Cup Competition Emergency Committee.

When the committee reached the decision that the replay must be in the East the men from Missouri threw up the sponge. In a statement given out by Manager Brayd, of St. Louis, he puts the case of his team as follows:

The Scullin Steel management is unable to put a fit team on the field in the East next Sunday, when under the rules, the repay would have to be played. Unfortunately, four of the Scullin players are professional baseball players. Because the baseball training season is at hand, one of the Scullin regulars was unavailable for the game on Sunday. Four of the regulars of the national champions would not be available for a replay in the East next Sunday. Three others of the Scullin players are injured.

Quite a few local fans witnessed the Sunday game, included among which was "Billy" Sheridan, manager of the Bethlehem F. C. and all interviewed were of the unanimous opinion that the Paterson Club was the best team and had it all over the defending champion. "I don't see how it was possible for Scullins to hold Paterson to an even break," said Sheridan, "for the Jersey delegation were the aggressor practically throughout with Scullins breaking their defensive tactics only occasionally with a short lived rally, twice in which they succeeded penetrating the net."


1922-1923
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club