The Bethlehem F. C. is involved in a protest brought by the Paterson F. C. that will be thrashed out at a meeting of the National League to be held in Newark, N. J., on Saturday night. If the protest is sustained, the Jerseyites will be given a point in the league race.
The protest is made over a game scheduled in the National League for November 11, which the Bethlehem F. C. called off because of a cup game with the New York Ship played on the day prior. It will also be remembered that the latter game was the first contest staged here following the lifting of the influenza quarantine in the state.
In speaking of the protest, Manager Sheridan is confident that the league officers will not uphold the Paterson club and that the charges brought were unwarranted. The contention is that cup games are to be given preference and when these contest are staged and league contests are to be played the following day, it is the privilege of the manager of any team to postpone the league game till a later date. It was also understood by Manager Sheridan that following the four weeks' postponement on account of influenza, no league games were to be played till notice had been served by the league secretary on all the clubs to resume playing.
The Bethlehem club received no such notice and in addition to the other privilege of postponing games, are not worried over the Paterson protest.
The New Jersey State Football Association closes entries for the cup competition on Saturday and it is expected that at least 21 clubs ill be in the running.
With Aitken again at halfback the Babs believed that the club will be greatly strengthened and the playing of this star will be the means of registering the first defeat of the season against Bethlehem. The absence of Aitken they attribute as the reason for the defeat at the hands of the New York Ship last Sunday.
The Steel Workers' soccer team will be able to present a strong lineup against the Babs at Bayonne, N. J., on Sunday. Probably the only position that will be minus a regular will be the center halfback position so ably taken care of by Campbell in every game this season. Campbell is still suffering from the injuries sustained in the automobile accident last Saturday when he and McKelvey were struck by a machine. McKelvey is fully recovered and will most likely play. Just who will be selected to fill Campbell's position has not been determined, and it is likely that the players will not be chosen until the last minute. The Babs have a strong team to present and will be sure to make the Steel Workers "step" for victory.
"Jimmy" Easton is slowly recovering from the injury he received in the game with Merchant A team and will soon be able to resume hard training.
Tommy Murray, the former Bethlehem halfback, writes from France that he is enjoying life there and gets into a soccer game once in a while. He says that the American boys are enthusiastic about the game and expects soccer to take a big boost when the boys return.