A soccer victory garnered before a king was the fortune of the Bethlehem Steel soccer players, champions of the United States, in a contest staged in Stockholm yesterday afternoon. This pleasing information is conveyed in an Associated Press report stating that the American champions lowered the colors of the Stockholm Tigers before King Gustave and a crowd of enthusiasts that shattered all previous attendance records in that country. The final score was one goal to nothing.
Incidentally the victory was the first one since the Americans invaded foreign territory and gives rise to the feeling that the champions will return with international honors. While the result of the games partially relieves the suspense under which the local enthusiasts have labored since the trip abroad was started, the meager reports also serve to whet the appetites of these loyal followers for more detailed reports. It is probable that within a week or two detailed accounts of the games will be forwarded by Manager Billy Sheridan, who accompanied the squad as trainer.
The game yesterday marked the second contest since the visitors arrived in Sweden. The first contest staged at Stockholm the latter part of last week, resulted in a tie score, each side counting two goals. A cable report of that game received at the office of the Bethlehem Steel Co., states that while the U. S. champions were unable to annex the winning goal, the team had the edge in the play throughout. This statement of having an advantage in the play is now substantiated by the victory turned in yesterday afternoon.
With one victory and one tie game to their credit, the champions will no doubt enter the following contests chuck full of confidence which should prove a big asset in their playing. Forestalling defeat in the opening two contests is a wonderful achievement. Especially so when considering the inroads inflicted on the physical condition due to the strain of the long voyage. Then, again, the champions in combating the Scandinavians went against an aggregation of players engineering a system of play entirely different from that encountered in playing teams in this country. The excellent showing thus far of the Bethlehem Steel eleven fully verifies that their winning streak in the National and American Cups and the National League was by no means a fluke, but instead, that the management has gathered together one of the greatest clans of soccer players in the country and probably in the world.
The report on the game received here by Associated Press is as follows:
Stockholm, Thursday, Aug. 14. -- The Bethlehem Steel soccer football team defeated the Stockholm Tigers today by a score of one to nothing. King Gustave was among the large crowd in attendance.