The Bethlehems soccer team of 1913-1914, champions of America, without doubt one of the greatest soccer aggregation in history, an amateur team that has defeated the best amateur and professional teams in the country as its record for the past season shows, and who has fought its way to the pinnacle of fame and placed the banner of Bethlehems victoriously in many states and cities. All credit should be given to the men who managed this wonderful team who by their aggressiveness and determination got together the greatest soccer team in the country and infused into it that same determination and spirit that carried it through a long and strenuous season to victory. Bethlehems has during the last season played thirty games losing only one - and that to Brooklyn on a penalty. It won the Allied Philadelphia championship without a defeat also the American championship and it is also in the final for the Allied Amateur championship with prospects of winning a triple championship a feat no other team has ever done. Bethlehems opened its season on September 28, 1913, on East End field with Reading, this game was won by Bethlehems 3-0. October 11, Bethlehems was ordered to play Wissinoming F. C. in Philadelphia in the preliminary round of the American championship. This game Bethlehems won 5-1. October 18, saw Bethlehems at home playing All Easton which game the locals won easily 8-0. October 25, Trenton was ordered to play Bethlehems at Bethlehem, but forfeited to them. November 1, Bethlehems defeated Disston F. C. in the National cup 8-0. November 8, saw Bethlehems defeat the Irish Americans at Wilmington, Delaware, in a league game by the score of 10-1. November 15, Schuylkill Falls were defeated on the local grounds in a fast league game by the score of 4-2. November 22, Bethlehems was ordered to play the strong Farr Alpaca F. C. of Holyoke, Mass., three times champions of Mass. Bethlehems defeated them 3-1 at Holyoke. November 27, Peabody F. C. were Bethlehems' opponents in the Allied League game which Bethlehems won 5-1. November 29, two days after the Peabody game, Bethlehems played the strong West Philadelphia team, a league game and defeated it 8-1, this defeat was a severe shock to the West Philadelphia followers. December 6, Bethlehems was ordered to Pittsburgh to play the western championship, Braddock F. C. This team had not lost a game during the last three years and Forbes' million dollar baseball field was chosen to stage the contest. This was one of the hardest games the home team ever played and it defeated Braddock 3-2 after extra time had been played. This was a great victory for Bethlehems and from then on soccer critics began to watch the progress of the Bethlehems which up to that time was practically unknown. December 13, it defeated Kensington in a league game 8-0. December 27, Bethlehems and the famous West Hudson team of Newark N. J. battled to a 1-1 tie. January 1, Bethlehems traveled to Reading, defeating the Reading F. C. 1-0 in a league contest. January 11, Bethlehems and West Hudson again battled to a 1-1 tie and this after extra time had been played. The game as then ordered to be played in Philadelphia on neutral grounds, January 31. January 17, Bethlehems played Disston a league game and won 8-0. January 25, Bethlehems played Brooklyn at Brooklyn and was defeated by the Brooklyn club 1-0 on a penalty. This decision was very unfair and Bethlehems appealed but Chairman Brown of the appeals committee refused to entertain the appeal. This was the only game lost by Bethlehems during the entire season. January 31, saw Bethlehems and West Hudson again fighting it out with Bethlehems the victor by a core of 4-1. February 7, Peabody was again defeated in a league game 4-0. February 21, Bethlehems played the All Stars of the Allied League at Bethlehem and the game ended a tie 1-1. February 28 the Centenary F. C. winners of the Tird division of the Allied League was defeated by Bethlehems in the Allied Amateur competition between Jersey City and Bethlehems at Jersey City this game ended in a tie of 2-2. April 4 was the local club's greatest day, 3000 fans saw their champion defeat Jersey City 2-1 in a great battle. This earned the Bethlehems the right to meet the Tacony F. C. of Philadelphia in the final. April 8, Reading was easily defeated in a league game 8-1. Bethlehems was playing great football and being behind in its schedule decided to play three games in two days which it did winning all three as follows, April 11, Putnam F. C. won by Bethlehems 3-0, April 13, Smith F. C. in the morning won by Bethlehems 4-1. Schuylkill Falls F. C. in the afternoon won by Bethlehems 2-0. On April 19, the day set for the All-American final, Bethlehems traveled to Paterson, N. J. and battled Tacony F. C. of Philadelphia for two hours. The game ending 0-0. April 25 Bethlehems won the Allied League championship outright by defeating Smith F. C. 6-0. May 3, was Bethlehems' brightest day in soccer when it won the All-American championship by defeating the strong Tacony F. C., Philadelphia 1-0. This championship carries with it a handsome silver $500 trophy and gold medals for the players.
Fleming is top goal scorer with a total of 32 for the season. Lance being next with 29 goals and Lewis third with 18 goals and other players as follows: Donaghy, 17; Murray 7; Galbraith 7; Garvey 4; Harrison 4; Morrison 3; Leonard 3; Stewart 2; Lambert 1 and so on.
In reviewing the work of the team special credit must be given to such tireless workers as Peacock, capt.; Morrison, Lance, Fleming, Donaghy, Lewis, Lawler, Stewart, McKelvey and Scaife who were the mainstays of the team in the majority of its successes throughout the season. In such men as President J. M. Herbig, Dr. Babcock, H. E. Lewis, A. N. Roberts, R. A. Lewis, Wm. Shennan, W. H. Bischoff, H. Bennett and Secretary and Manager H. W. Trend is due all credit for it was through their help and advice that the team resembled to go through a most strenuous season and establish a record that everyone in the Bethlehems is proud of and one that will stand out in athletics for the Bethlehems and soccer circles of America for many ears to come.
Date - Opponent - Location - Score - Sanction
09/27/13 - Reading F. C. - Home - 3-0
10/11/13 - Wissinoming F. C. - Philadelphia - 5-1 - Preliminary round American championship
10/18/13 - All Easton - Home - 8-1 -
10/25/13 - Trenton - Home - Forfeit -
11/01/13 - Disston F. C. - - 8-0 - National cup
11/08/13 - Irish Americans - Wilmington, DE - 10-0 - Allied League
11/15/13 - Schuylkill Falls - Home - 4-2 - Allied League
11/22/13 - Farr Alpaca F. C. - Holyoke, MA - 3-1 -
11/27/13 - Peabody F. C. - - 5-1 - Allied League
11/29/13 - West Philadelphia - - 8-1 - Allied League
12/06/13 - Braddock, F. C. - Pittsburgh - 3-2 -
12/13/13 - Kensington - - 8-0 - Allied League
12/27/13 - West Hudson - - 1-1 -
01/01/14 - Reading F. C. - Reading - 1-0 - Allied League
01/11/14 - West Hudson - - 1-1 -
01/17/14 - Disston F. C. - - 8-0 - Allied League
01/25/14 - Brooklyn - Brooklyn - 0-1 -
01/31/14 - West Hudson - Philadelphia - 4-1 -
02/07/14 - Peabody F. C. - - 4-0 - Allied League
02/21/14 - Allied League All Stars - Home - 1-1 - Allied League