The Globe -- Bethlehem
Saturday, December 22, 1923
A Swing Along Athletic Row

Christmas Day Card Next Big Soccer Attraction
Here's hoping that weather conditions are more favorable on Christmas Day when the Bethlehem F. C., campaign the fourth round of the National Cup soccer competition with the New York F. C.., as their opponents. It is unfortunate that with a fast team like Coats, depending much for its scoring effectiveness on the speed of its forwards, and with conditions similar insofar as the Bethlehems are concerned, that the game could not be played on a dry and fast field. Certainly with weather favorable fans would have witnessed another game to rank with the excellent soccer contest witnessed last week when Bethlehem defeated Fall River. While the league game this afternoon is all important to the teams involved, nevertheless, the National Cup competition on Christmas Day carries with it the greatest laurels that can be obtained in soccer in this country. And, furthermore, in this game Bethlehem is going to meet a team one notch higher than Coats in the league standing and the only club which this season was successful in handing the Steel Workers their lone attack.

Popularity of Players Success of a Team
That the popularity of players is really the success of a team in most any branch of sport, has recently been noted in soccer tilts where it seems the spectators single out two or three favorites to root for them. One player who threatens to break in with the fans with a crash is this fellow Oellermann, a former St. Louis player, who made a big hit in his debut on last Saturday afternoon. Although scarcely acquainted with the players, Oellermann was shouting words of encouragement throughout the battle and was addressing his teammates by their first names as though he had known them for years. Oellermann also introduced something in local soccer when he coached the players from between the uprights, a feature that promises to go big with the fans and probably heard on the Steel Field last Saturday for the first time. Fearless in the performance of his duty with an apparently keen eye in locating the range of a drive and powerful in his arms to bat away the ball in clearing, Oellermann really sizes up as the goal find in the American Soccer League this season.

Rather Belated But Worthy of Comment
It must be a feeling of pride to return to the town in which you once were located with an alien delegation and be accorded a most welcome reception. That was the experience of "Dugie" Campbell, who last week came on with Fall River to battle Bethlehem in one of the most important games of the season. "Dougie" by the way sported the colors of the Bethlehem F. C., the year previous and incidentally was some of the younger blood on the team. For some reason or other he chose Fall River as the haven for this season's playing. When in Bethlehem he associated with the younger soccer enthusiasts and they were out en masse last Saturday afternoon to cheer on the speeding visiting forward. But the cheering during the game was not alone their expression of esteem for between the halves of the game, Campbell's former friends, counting many, who are affiliated with the amateur teams of the North Ends and Wanderers, presented him with a beautiful little gift. And Campbell will cherish this gift for all time to come.


1923-1924
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club