Fall River Rovers

Fall River Rovers were a United States soccer club, based in Fall River, Massachusetts. They won the 1888 and 1889 American Cups as well as the 1917 National Challenge Cup. In 1922 Rovers and Fall River United attempted to share rent on venue due to increasing costs.^[1] Subsequently their joint bid for an ASL slot in the 1922–23 season was rejected.^[2] They later disbanded with their players signing with other teams.

Fall River Rovers

Full name	Fall River Rovers
Founded	1884; 140 years ago (1884)
Dissolved	1922; 102 years ago (1922)
League	New England League: 1891–1909 Eastern Soccer League: 1909–1910 SNESL: 1915–1922
Home colors

The name was revived during the 1933–34 season by a team that played in the New England Division of the American Soccer League. Other teams in the division included another Fall River United.^[3]

History

Early years

In the late 19th century Fall River, Massachusetts, together with Kearny, New Jersey and St. Louis, Missouri, emerged as a stronghold for soccer in the United States.^[4] In the late 1870s Fall River experienced a period of economic growth, driven by the demand for cotton print cloth. Southeastern New England was the birthplace of the United States textile industry and Fall River became known as Spindle City. By 1876 the city was home to 43 factories, more than 30,000 looms and more than one million spindles. Keeping them all working required immigrant labor and, while some of the new arrivals were French Canadian and Irish, many also came from Lancashire and Glasgow, two of the earliest strongholds of soccer in the United Kingdom.^[5] As a result, several soccer clubs, including Rovers, emerged within the city. In February 1884, the team was founded at a meeting held on County Street, Fall River. The team joined the Bristol County Football Association in 1885. Other clubs from the city included Fall River Olympics, Fall River Pan Americans and Fall River East Ends. Rovers, along with these clubs became affiliated with the American Football Association and entered the American Cup. Between 1888 and 1892 teams from Fall River won the cup five times in succession.^[6] Fall River Rovers won it in both 1888 and 1889.^[7][8] In 1891, Rovers, along with the Fall River Olympics, East Enders and Pawtucket Free Wanderers, formed the New England League. In 1903, Rovers won the Interstate League championship. In 1907, they reentered the AFA. The Rovers were the New England League champions in 1909^[9] before joining the first Eastern Soccer League in 1910. When this league was abandoned during its only season, Rovers were in the lead.^[10] Between 1915 and 1921 they played in the Southern New England Soccer League, twice finishing as runners-up in 1917 and 1921.^[11] In 1917 they also won the Times Cup, the league cup of the SNESL, defeating J&P Coats 3–0 in the final.^[12]

Rivalry with Bethlehem Steel

The 1917 Fall River Rovers team, winners of the National Challenge Cup

During the late 1910s a strong inter-regional rivalry developed between Rovers and Bethlehem Steel. The teams played against each other in three consecutive National Challenge Cup finals. Rovers were defeated in both the 1916 and the 1918 finals but won the competition in 1917.^[13] The rivalry was intensified by the fact that, at the time, Rovers featured mainly United States-born players while Steel relied heavily on players imported from both the Scottish Football League^[14] and the English Football League. In addition neither club was immune from fan violence. The 1916 final, hosted by J&P Coats in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, attracted a crowd of 10,000, almost all backing Rovers. With the score 0–0 after 80 minutes, Steel were awarded a penalty, triggering protests from both Rovers players and fans alike. Steel subsequently converted the penalty, which was enough to win the trophy. However, with seconds remaining Rovers were denied a penalty, sparking both a riot and a pitch invasion.^[15] The 1917 final saw Steel and Rovers return to Pawtucket to play in front of a crowd of 5,000. Rovers avenged their 1916 defeat with a goal scored in the first minute giving them a hard fought 1–0 win.^[16] The 1918 final saw the two teams return to Pawtucket for a third time, this time playing out a 2–2 extra-time draw in front of 10,000. However Rovers lost the replay 3–0 in Harrison, New Jersey.^[17] The star of the Rovers team during this era was Thomas Swords, who in 1916 captained the United States in their first official international. Other notable players included John Sullivan, who scored in both the 1917 and 1918 finals, and Chick Albion.^[18]

Year-by-year

Year	League	Reg. Season	American Cup	National Challenge Cup
1885–86	Bristol County Association	2nd[19]	N/A	N/A
1886–87	Bristol County Association	1st[20]	N/A	N/A
1887–88	Bristol County Association	2nd[21]	Champion	N/A
1888–89	Bristol County Association	1st[22]	Champion	N/A
1889–90	Bristol County Association	1st[23]	First Round[a]	N/A
1890–91	Bristol County Association	1st[25]	Third Round	N/A
1891–92	Bristol County Association NEL	2nd 2nd[26]	2nd Round	N/A
1892–93	NEL	3rd	Semifinals	N/A
1893–94	NEL	1st[27]	Second Round	N/A
1894–95	NEL	No playoff	First Round	N/A
1895–96	NEL	Abandoned[28]	Semifinals	N/A
1896–1903	Did not field a team
1903–04	NEL	?	N/A	N/A
1904–05	NEL	?	N/A	N/A
1905–06	NEL	?	Second Round	N/A
1906–07	NEL	2nd[29]	DNP	N/A
1907–08	NEL	2nd[30]	Semifinals	?
1908–09	NEL	1st[31]	Semifinals	?
1909–10	ESL	1st[b]	Semifinals	N/A
1910-11	?	?	DNP	N/A
1911-12	NEL	?	Second Round[32]	N/A
1912–13	?	?	Semifinals	N/A
1913–14	?	?	First Round[c]	Suspended[34]
1914–15	?	?	First Round	2nd Round[35]
1915–16	SNESL	?[d]	Semifinals	Runners Up
1916–17	SNESL	2nd	Did not Enter[e]	Champion
1917–18	SNESL	2nd[f]	Quarterfinals	Runners Up
1918–19	Did not field team due to World War I[39]
1919–20	SNESL	1st[40]	Quarterfinals	Fourth round
1920–21	SNESL	2nd	Semifinals[41]	Fourth round

1. Rovers withdrew from 1890 American Cup due to dispute with Pawtucket Free Wanderers and AFA^[24]
2. 1909-10 League abandoned with Rovers in lead with two games remaining
3. The Rovers won their first round match, but refused to play a rematch after Paterson True Blues protest^[33]
4. League concluded with un-played games because For River had enough of lead.^[36]
5. Rovers were prevented from entering based on New Jersey State Association limiting teams to two cup events, one being the state cup^[37]
6. League schedule not complted due to cup-tie game interference^[38]

Honors

• American Cup:
  • Winners (2): 1888, 1889
• National Challenge Cup
  • Winners (1): 1917
  • Runners Up (2): 1916, 1918
• Times Cup
  • Winners (1): 1917
• Bristol County Association
  • Winners (4): 1887, 1889, 1890, 1891
  • Runners Up (3): 1886, 1888, 1892
• New England League
  • Winners (2): 1894, 1909
  • Runners Up (3): 1892, 1907, 1908
• Eastern Profession Soccer League I
  • Winners (1): 1910
• Southern New England Soccer League
  • Winners (1): 1920
  • Runners Up (2): 1916–17, 1920–21

References

1. "May Result In Soccer Combine". (June 24, 1922). The Evening Herald, p.8 col.6–8
2. "United-Rovers F.C. Is Refused A Franchise". (September 11, 1922). Daily Evening News, p.8 col.1-2
3. "The Year in American Soccer – 1934". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
4. Wangerin, David (2008). Soccer in a football world : the story of America's forgotten game. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. 27–28. ISBN 9781592138852.
5. Wangerin 2008, p. 28.
6. "Championship Glory". (May 16, 1892). Daily Evening News, p.1 col.4
7. "Notes About Sports" (PDF). Newark Evening News. April 16, 1888. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
8. "Football Champions". (April 14, 1889). The Sunday Call, p.1 col.8
9. "Football League Standing". Fall River Evening News. June 7, 1909. p.3 col.2. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "East End Echoes". Fall River Globe. June 8, 1910. p.11 col.1. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "www.sover.net". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
12. "Rovers Shut Out Coats In Times Cup Final". (May 14, 1917). Evening Times, p.6 col.6
13. "Fall River Team U.S. Champions". Fall River Evening News. May 7, 1917. p.5 col.1-4. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Wangerin, David (2011). Distant corners : American soccer's history of missed opportunities and lost causes. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 66. ISBN 9781439906309.
15. "Soccer Fans Mob Referee". (May 8, 1916). Evening Times, p.6 col.2-4
16. Wangerin 2008, p. 40.
17. "Rovers No Longer Soccer Champions". The Evening Herald. Fall River, Massachusetts. May 20, 1918. p.6 col.1-2. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Soccer Team Will Sail On Wednesday". Hartford Daily Courant. July 21, 1916. p.17 col.6. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "The Marsh Cup". The Herald News. May 25, 1886. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Football". Fall River Daily Evening News. March 24, 1887. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Bristol County Football Association". Fall Rivers Daily Herald. May 15, 1888. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Championship Badges". Fall River Globe. May 23, 1889. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Championship Badges". Fall River Globe. August 20, 1890. Retrieved July 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Rover Bolt". Fall River Globe. October 23, 1889. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Bristol County Football". Fall River Globe. July 1, 1891. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Local Sporting Matters". Fall River Daily Herald. May 19, 1892. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "N.E. Football League". Fall River Globe. May 2, 1894. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "Out for the Cup". Fall River Daily Herald. March 31, 1896. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Cup and Medals for Pans and Rovers". The Evening Herald. Falls River, Massachusetts. June 24, 1907. Retrieved July 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
30. "Coats win Championship". Fall River Daily Evening News. May 11, 1908. Retrieved July 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "East End Echos". Fall River Globe. June 7, 1909. Retrieved July 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Brooklyn 7, Fall River Rovers 0". The Boston Globe. December 3, 1911. p.18 col.3. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "Fall river Rover refuse to replay American soccer game here with Blues". The News. Paterson, New Jersey. P. 6 col.4-5. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
34. "Soccer Players Suspended". Boston Evening Transcript. January 26, 1914. p.8 col.6. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
35. "New Bedford 4, Fall River Rovers 2". The Boston Globe. December 13, 1914. p.17 col.8. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
36. "Meeting of Southern N.E. Football Assn". Fall River Daily Evening News. June 12, 1916. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
37. "Local Clubs can't play for Am. Cup". The Evening Herald. Fall River, Massachusetts. October 24, 1916. p.7 col.4–5. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
38. "S.N.E.F. League not to operate this coming year". Fall River Globe. August 26, 1918. p.6 col.7. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
39. "Fall River not entered in National Soccer competition". Fall River Globe. October 2, 1918. p.6 col1–2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
40. "Rovers Capture League Pennant". Fall River Globe. May 3, 1920. p.6 col.1–2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
41. Walsh, Ed (March 21, 1921). "Roers beaten by Fore River". The Evening Herald. Fall River, Massachusetts. p.8 col.1–2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.