Will the soccer game scheduled for next Saturday at the Bethlehem Steel Co. athletic field be canceled by virtue of the quarantine? Is a question soccer fans are asking. Since Bethlehem has established a quarantine as rigid if not more so than any other city in Pennsylvania, it's a foregone conclusion that unless conditions change quickly, the soccer contest will surely be barred, the same as all other public meetings.
Manager Sheridan of the Bethlehem F. C. announced that there will not be the least attempt to infringe on the regulations prescribed by the health authorities and if deemed advisable the National League contest with the Bristol Shipbuilders will have to be called off. The heavy frost this morning, together with the clearing of the weather and an added cold snap it is hoped will serve as a tonic and that the ravages of the disease will not only be checked, but that it will be sufficiently stamped out by the end of the week to ease up the quarantine restrictions. Hoping to realize this condition, the game will not be canceled until later in the week if it is then found necessary.
After the showing of the Bethlehem F. C. in New York on Sunday, local fans are more than anxious to see the Steel Workers in action on the home field. For the Sunday contest the players were in such physical condition that in the second half they played all round the New Yorkers. Every position on the team was strong and the Gotham fans were provided with a rare treat. New York always turns out strong to see the champions play, and they are probably the most impartial crowd the Steel Workers play before.
Campbell was a doubtful star in Sunday's game, but he finally decided to play and then proceeded to give the greatest exhibition of halfback play ever seen in New York. Wherever the ball was Campbell's head seemed to be there also.
The McKelvey-Pepper combination was one of the features of the game and the outside right gave the best display he has ever given in that position.
The one mistake Bethlehem made was playing too much on the right wing where there were opposed to the best man on the New York team in Kelly, the left fullback, whereas Vandeweghe, at right fullback was the weakest man on the Gotham side, and the left wing had a comparatively easy time getting around him.
The Bethlehem defense was in great form, and no matter who the opposition may be they will find goals very hard to get, if the same understanding is show in future games.
Ratican took a lot of rough work without a whimper, paying strict attention to the ball when the opposition seemed bent on upsetting him, a task they found anything but easy.
Bethlehem now leads the National League being the only club undefeated so far, and the players are determined that they will add the National League pennant to their already long list of soccer honors.