Handing Out the Plums
Davy Scott, a soccer critic up Boston way, recently scribbled comments in which he alleged that Fall River's position at the top of the American Soccer League was partly due to the arrangement of the schedule, being handed all the plums. That seemed to be the opinion of quite a few followers of the American Soccer League, conceding, however, that the champions have a makeup better than the average team. Just what influence the Fall River aggregation has over the league magnates is not known. Perhaps it is because Fall River turns in the biggest gate. At any rate, Santa Claus could hardly be more liberal in distributing gifts to the champions than the league magnates have been.

A Big Luscious Plum
Several weeks ago Fall River was trailing in the short end of a 1 to 0 score in a game with Brooklyn on the latter's field. With two minutes more to play the Harold Brittan gang walked off the field, refusing to finish the game, and then protested on grounds of spectator encroachment on the field, etc. The protest was properly filed, and, of course, sustained. The attitude of the league in ordering the replay is explained in the following emanating from Boston:

"After a long discussion here today, the American Soccer League upheld the protest of the Fall River Football Club in connection with the game against the Brooklyn Wanderers in Brooklyn on December 27, and ordered a replay in Brooklyn on January 31. In the game of December 27, Brooklyn was leading by 1 to 0, when the Fall River players walked off the field two minutes from the close of the game, owing to the alleged dilatory actions of the home team."

Sustaining the protest is virtually establishing a new precedent in the league. Previous records of league doing will disclose very few if any protests sustained, and heretofore there have been some good substantial arguments warranting favorable actions. If remembering correctly, action against previous protests was influenced by a desire "to avoid establishing a precedent." But it matters little when the shoe fits the wrong foot.

Held the Champions to a Draw
Held to a draw in Philadelphia and then losing to Brooklyn the following day, was more than the Marksmen could stomach. At least so it seems by their actions in leaving the field with but two more minutes to play. Brooklyn's victory was hardly a fluke, for on Sunday afternoon the Greater New York dribblers playing on Fall River's home grounds held the champions to a two goal draw. And that is quite an accomplishment on the playing pitch up Fall River way. The replay engagement in Brooklyn the latter part of this month should prove quite an interesting clash. If anything, Brooklyn will be more determined now to conquer Fall River than ever.