Bethlehem Globe
Monday, July 12, 1920
NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE AHS BEEN REORGANIZED
Merchants and Disston Teams Dropped Because of Violating Rules
8 CLUBS TO PLAY NEXT YEAR
Meeting Held Saturday at Newark and Important Questions Settled

The dissatisfaction in the ranks of the National Soccer League was somewhat smoothed over at a meeting of the circuit held in Newark on Saturday night and after lengthy discussions, reorganization was effected for the campaign next year.

Before the session convened there were many who somewhat feared that the league would go into the discard, several of the clubs expressing a desire to drop out, while others were averse to continue if one or two of the clubs that violated the rules during the campaigning last season continued.

All discussion was, however, straightened out after lengthy squabbling and the league officials will go ahead minus two of the teams, together with the assurance that the rules would be more stringently enforced next year.

The award of the honors to the Bethlehem Club was undisputed. The two teams dropped were Merchants and Disstons, these two teams behaving as they liked last year and frequently failed to honor scheduled engagements. In this Bethlehem was quite frequently the goat, one occasion being when Merchants refused to come here for a game and on the same day played an exhibition contest in Philadelphia.

The officials apparently realized that the actions of these two clubs were a severe hold-back and detriment to the game and it was deemed advisable to reorganize the league without including the two teams.

The league organized with eight teams, as follows: Bethlehem, New York F. C., Paterson F. C., Federal Ship, Robins Dry Dock and Morse Dry Docks. In granting permission to Federals to continue, they were warned that this would be their last chance in the event of again violating the rules.

William Sheridan, manager of athletics at the local plant of the Bethlehem Steel Co., was the representative of the Bethlehem F. C. Mr. Sheridan gained the league's permission for a trip to Brazil with the understanding that upon the return of the team the players were to be allowed seven days' grace before starting their league schedule.


1920-1921
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club