The Globe-Times – Bethlehem
May 4, 1926
A Swing Along Athletic Row

Home-and-Home Game Plan
Soccer fans will hardly object to the home-and-home system of deciding the winner in the semi-final and final rounds of the American Soccer League cup competition, but they will take exception to the ruling of the league moguls in giving league games preference over cup tilts. Originally, the dates for the semi-final round of the league cup affairs were set as the weekend of May 8. However, pressure brought by some of the better drawing New England clubs forced a change and as a result the coming weekend will see a brace of league games instead of the cup affairs. It is probably establishing a precedent in giving league tilts preference over cup arguments. In the past it has just been the opposite.

Clubs Clamoring For Bethlehem
Clubs that have the Steel Workers listed for home games are clamoring to have the American League schedule completed. They make no bones of the fact that with Bethlehem listed they have one of the best drawing cards in the circuit, and in spite of the conflict with baseball, these games would be paying propositions. New Bedford is one of these league teams and New Bedford won its point on the floor at the meeting of the league executives in New York on Saturday. The Bethlehem management is willing to complete the league schedule. In fact, the club cherishes such a plan. However, with a good grasp on the American cup the players would much rather get the cup competition out of their system and then go back to the league arguments. In league games there is always an element of chance in losing a player because of injury, and with the club at present intact, with every regular ready for a grueling game, it is no more than fair that the cup competition should be speedily disposed of.


Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club