The Globe -- Bethlehem
Thursday, July 14, 1921
SOCCER TEAMS GIVEN BANQUET
Splendid Time for Visiting and Local Elevens at Lehigh Country Club
H. E. LEWIS IS HOST

by Fred S. Nonnemacher
Despite the gloom cast over the Bethlehem F. C. players, occasioned by the overwhelming reverse suffered at the hands of the Third Lanarks, the crack aggregation of Scottish selected players, the sting of defeat [...] vanished when the players of the two teams gathered in the big banquet hall at the Lehigh Country Club last night where, after partaking of a sumptuous feast, made merry for the balance of the evening as the guests of H. E. Lewis, an ardent devotee of the booting game.

There were no alibis to offer and every one of the home players was ready to concede the superiority of the foreign visitors. This was apparent by the remarks made during the speechmaking following the banquet.

Immediately after the game the members of both teams and the few invited guests were conveyed to scenes of festivities in automobiles and when all had arrived proceeded to the banquet room.

The jazziest of jazz programs was dispensed by a five-piece orchestra and the stains of this foot shuffling inspiring music probably had the effect of transforming the gloomy attitude of the conquered players to a more jovial disposition.

Mr. Lewis, the host of the gathering, acted as toastmaster, and during his brief remarks compared the rout of the Bethlehem team with an experience he had when abroad and defeated on St. Andrews' links in Scotland by a caddy after he had giv- [ERROR] golf player. He recalled games he had witnessed when abroad, of which he said he made a careful study of the various types of play, but had seen none to compare with the exhibition of t he Third Lanarks. He further expressed regret at the misunderstanding delaying the arrival of the Third Lanarks after the Rotarians did so much in preparing the elaborate welcome at the luncheon, of which the Scottish players were to be their guests.

Charles Brown, president of the Rotary Club, was next called and after referring to his ancestors, descendant of his family coming from Scotland more than two hundred years ago, he also expressed regret at the absence of the visitors at the Rotary Club luncheon. "We thought we had a nice entertainment planned," he said. Then he refereed to the election of a Canadian with a Scottish name, a Mr. McCollough, as the head of the Rotarians at the international convention recently held in Scotland. "I am sorry to see the cup presented by the Rotarians leave Bethlehem, but am well satisfied that it is going to the class of people it is. Since the defeat of Bethlehem I hope you can clean up all the other American teams," he concluded.

Rev. Dr. James Robinson, quite often referred to as the "marrying soccer parson," addressed the assemblage as "Brother Scotchmen," and then contributed glowing epithets to the exhibition given by the visitors, which he referred to as playing the game the way it should be played. He was convinced after the game that the Americans have not yet arrived at the state of perfection, but said he had hopes that some day the Scotchmen could again be invited to American and then they would see a different brand of football. He told of the first game he had witnessed in this vicinity, played at Rittersville a number of years ago, and described it as a rough milling on a rough field. In drawing comparison with the brand of football at that time and the present, he said "we have certainly increased in proficiency." Speaking of the many people who had never witnessed a game, he said it would be a long time before they would again be favored with an opportunity of seeing such an exhibition as took place yesterday afternoon. He concluded by saying he was very glad that Bethlehem lost to a good Scotch team and extended best wishes for success in all their home games.

The remarks of Dan O'Neill, president of the Dominion Association conveyed many pertinent intimations relative to the attitude between the two countries and which will go a long way in cementing more harmonious relations in the development football in the United States and Canada. He recalled the differences entertained when negotiations were first opened for an American tour when for a time it was feared that the Scots would not be given the privilege of invading this country. He said he encountered many obstacles and recalled the final meeting of the Dominion Association as a heated discussion at which permission was granted. "I have been in this country only a short time but feel a lot more at home here than in Canada." He then spoke of a clause in the constitution of the Dominion Association as being the source of all differences in soccer association between the two countries. With the hope that his colleagues would vote with him, he said that one of the first efforts on his return will be to eradicate that clause. "The only line between the two countries is an imaginary one and I believe that in the future we can get along more friendly again." He spoke in glowing terms of the courteous reception he received in this country and then referred to the tourists who had traveled from Halifax to Bethlehem and mowed down everything in their path.

Thomas W. Cahill, former secretary of the U. S. F. A., and now interested in the newly organized American League, referred to the game as a revelation. Not in the thirty or thirty-five years that he had been actively associated with soccer, he said, had he witnessed a display to equal that seen against Bethlehem. He told the players that even though they had defeated the best in Canada, he was sincere when he told them they would get a game and a real game when they reached Bethlehem. However, he acknowledged that as a prophet he was a failure. He predicted that the Americans were quick to learn and that the trip would do a lot of good in developing the sport in this country. Mr. Cahill was profuse in his thanks to the Dominion Association in making the American tour possible; to the officials and players for visiting this country and expressed a wish that when they returned they would have many nice things to say of the United States as well as Canada.

"the visit of the Third Lanark was of considerable interest to me," were the opening remarks of Douglas Stewart, president of the Eastern District Pennsylvania Football Association, who has been foremost in development of the sport in this country, directing his attention mostly to collegiate ranks in which as coach of the University of Pennsylvania soccer team he developed a championship aggregation last season. He told the players and guests that he had played one or two games in London and that he was trying to develop the collegians on the style of the Corinthians. He expressed regret at the colleges being closed, otherwise he would have ordered out his squad to see the game. He expressed the belief that when the Third Lanarks meet the team in Philadelphia the score would not be as lopsided as it was and then in behalf of the Eastern District, welcomed the tourists in playing in the United States and also thanked the Dominion Association.

In introducing Col. J. B. Wilson, accompanying the tourists, Mr. Lewis referred to him as a true and always a sportsman and a devout devotee of boxing, golf, soccer and other branches of sport. Col. Wilson first entered an apology to the members of the Rotary Club over the misfortune of not arriving in time to indulge in the festivities they had arranged and assured them that it was not due to any lack of appreciation. The cup, presented to acting Capt. Brownlie immediately after the game, he said, he would take back home with great pleasure. The Canadians and Americans, he said, labored under a great misapprehension relative to the personnel of the team which is not an individual organization but a selection of what he believed were the best Scotch players with the bulk of the members of the Third Lanark.

He heartily thanked for the reception shown them here which was in with what they received over the entire tour and then presented W. L. Lewis, chairman, and William Sheridan, secretary, with a medal as a memento of their visit. This, the colonel said, had been their custom in other places and that similar mementos would be forthcoming for each of the eleven players.

Captain Gordon, who did not appear in the lineup, but when called upon to speak complimented the Bethlehem players on their display in the first half. This condition, he said, was the same experienced over the entire trip. He said his impression of the United States was the same as that experienced in Canada, and hoped to come back.

J. E. Schoefield, the national secretary of the U. S. F. A., who recently was elected to succeed Mr. Cahill, expressed himself as being frankly surprised at the result and that he thought Bethlehem really had a chance to win. He spoke of the development of soccer in this country and said he entertained a hope that in another five years the American team could equally compete with the Scotchmen.

Mr. Connell, sports editor of the Glasgow News, spoke of the excellent conduct and good friendship of the players on the trip and attributed their success to the comradeship among themselves. The guests present were:

Colonel J. R. Wilson, in charge of the tour; C. W. Brown, president of the Bethlehem Rotary; Douglas Stewart, president of the Eastern District Pennsylvania Football Association; Thomas Cahill, J. E. Schoefield, national secretary of the United States Football Association; Rev. James Robinson, Dan McNeill, president of the Dominion Association; Dave Roy, secretary and treasurer of the Canadian Association; H. E. Lewis, W. L. Lewis, George T. Fonda, J. H. Carpenter, J. Furry, T. P. Sloan, of Glasgow, managing director of the tour; Horace Williams.

Third Lanarks -- J. Brownlie, R. Orr, W. Bulloch, C. McCormack, J. E. Gordon, C. Brown, W. McAndrews, G. Scott, N. McBain, A. Bennett, J. McMenemy, A. Wilson, W. Rankine, G. Low, Y. Maxwell, and W. Bigger, trainer.

Bethlehem players -- W. Duncan, Sam Fletcher, Jock Ferguson, James Campbell, Henry Porter, Jack Rutherford, James Murphy, Fred Morley, Harold Brittan, W. Forrest, Tom Fleming, F. Kerr, James Wilson, W. Collier, R. Bethune, T. Murray, J. Easton, J. Morrison, R. Morrison, F. Pepper, W. Stark, Trainer; W. Sheridan, secretary.


1920-1921
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club