1887–88 American Cup

The 1888 American Cup was the fourth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. Having expanded into the New England district the first new champions came from Fall River, Massachusetts after Clark O.N.T. of Newark had won the previous three editions.^[1] The Fall River Rovers defeated the Newark Almas in the final.

1888 American Cup

Tournament details
Country	United States
Dates	October 22, 1887 – April 14, 1888
Teams	15
Final positions
Champions	Fall River Rovers (1st title)
Runner-up	Newark Almas
Tournament statistics
Matches played	15
Goals scored	58 (3.87 per match)
← 1887 1889 →

Participants

Previously only the New York and New Jersey districts were represented. With the addition of the New England district, the tournament now included five new teams from three different states. Ansonia cricket and football club, organized in 1885, played out of Derby Driving Park wore navy blue jerseys and white knickerbockers. The East End football club, organized in 1882, played out of the County Street grounds and wore navy shirts and white shorts. The Fall River Rovers, organized in 1884, playing at Oak Grove Avenue wore gold jerseys, blue knickerbockers and red socks. The Pawtucket Free Wanderers were organized in 1885 and wore navy jerseys with white knickerbockers. Newark Caledonian football club was organized in 1885 and wore royal blue jerseys with white knickerbockers. The Providence cricket and football club, organized in 1886, wore light and dark blue jerseys, white knickerbockers and blue socks. The fifteen entrants were as follows:

Ad for Providence vs. Pawtucket match

State	City	Team
Connecticut	Ansonia	Ansonia
Massachusetts	Fall River	Fall River Rovers
		Fall River East Ends
New Jersey	Paterson	Paterson F.B.C.
	Newark	Almas
		Clark O.N.T.
		Newark Caledonian
		Tiffany Rovers
	Kearny	Kearny Rangers
	Trenton	Trenton F.B.C.
New York	New York	New York F.B.C.
		Riverside
		Thistle
Rhode Island	Pawtucket	Pawtucket Free Wanderers
	Providence	Providence Athletics

First round

The draw was held on September 17, 1887. In order to reduce travel the teams were drawn in two sections with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts teams in the first section and the remaining teams in the second section. Riversides drew a bye. The second round was drawn on October 29, 1887.

Tiffany Rovers v Paterson

October 22, 1887	Tiffany Rovers	0–4	Paterson	Newark, New Jersey
3:45 PM		[2][3]	60' Wyatt 80' W.Bissland	Stadium: Wright Street grounds Referee: J.Howarth
Note: Rovers: GK J.Clancy, DF T.Crann, W.Flanning, MF M.O'Hara, J.Selby, D.Dwyer, FW C.Gray, A.Hinckley, W.Hinckley, J.Morton, M.Down. Paterson: GK W.Doney, DF J.Smallwood, B.Henshall, MF J.Henshall, G.Henshall, FW T.Bisland, T.Evans, H.Curry, W.Warburton, W.Wyatt, J.Sutton

Kearny Rangers v New York

October 22, 1887

Kearny Rangers

–

New York

Trenton v O.N.T.

October 24, 1887	Trenton	2–3	O.N.T.	Trenton, NJ
	Openshaw 60'	[4][5]	60' Connelly 70'	Stadium: East State grounds Attendance: 300 Referee: Spencer (Kearny Rangers)
Note: Trenton: GK Mart, FB Allman, Rhodes, HB James, Baddely, McNichol, FW Openshaw(c), Cooper, Byatt, Bagley, Ward. O.N.T.: GK Hughes, FB Holden, Pollister, HB Howarth, Joseph Swithemby, Dockery, FW John Swithemby(c), Swarbrick, Fisher, Connolly, McGurck.

Alma v Caledonian

October 29, 1887	Alma	5–1	Caledonian	New Jersey
3:40 PM	Gray 8' Gray 23' Cornall 50', Brennan	[6]	Hearn	Stadium: Wright Street grounds Newark Referee: T.Smith (O.N.T.)
Note: Alma: GK Frank Farrow, DF George Wright, F.McDonald, MF E.Morton, F.Britchford, R.Pattison, FW Joseph Lucas, F.Cornall, Thomas Bright, John Gray, P.Brennan. Caledonian: GK H.Eddis, DF W.McCormick, John Hood, MF J.Lindsay, John Hearne, W.McNeil, FW J.McWilliams, J.Low, S.Hood, R.Barr, James Hearne.

Fall River Rovers v East Ends

October 29, 1887	Fall River Rovers	3–1	East Ends	Fall River, MA
	60' 120', 120'	[7]	60'	Stadium: County Street grounds Attendance: 1300
Note: Rovers: G Long, FB Lonsdale, Bradley, HB Thomas, Waring, Adams, RW Bed, Blakely, LW Wild, Duff, C Buckley. East Ends: G Bracknell, FB Whittle, Karzenski, HB Coupe, Shoarocks, Lord, RW Wild, Whittle, LW King, Darlington, C Foley.

Providence v Pawtucket

October 29, 1887	Providence	1–4	Pawtucket	Olneyville, RI
3:15 PM	Tomlinson 19'	[8]	J.Stewart Lennox H.Stewart Hardy	Stadium: Eagle street grounds Referee: Thomas Bell
Note: Providence: GK Crone, DF Jack North, Osborne, MF Jerome, Morgan, Tomlinson, FW Such, Start, Axon, Ambler, Heliborne. Pawtucket: GK Bosch, DF Smith, Reye, MF Conley, Pilling, Jack McGuire, FW Hardy, Harry Stewart, John Stewart, Sunderland, Lennox.

Thistles v Ansonia

October 29, 1887	Thistles	T–T	Ansonia	Metropolitan Park
		[9]
Note: Article does not state score of drawn game.

replays

Ansonia v Thistle

November 12, 1887	Ansonia	1–0	Thistle	Driving Park
		[10]

Second round

Clark ONT had experienced their first cup-tie loss at the hands of the Almas. ONT lodged a protest on two counts. The first goal obtained by the Almas was awarded by the referee when a shot at goal was struck by Holden with his arm. ONT alleged that the foul was not properly done. The second issue concerned a goal by ONT that was disallowed since it was from a free kick. ONT claimed that the ball was touched by Jack Swithemby before Howarth scored. At a meeting the following week, the AFA did not sustain the referee's decisions and called for a replay.

Alma v O.N.T.

December 3, 1887	Alma	2–1	O.N.T.	Frelinghuysen avenue grounds
	55' Lucas 75'	[11]	15'	Attendance: 200 Referee: J.Grant
Note: Alma: GK Frank Farrow, DF F.McDonald, B.Fagan, MF E.Morton, F.Britchford, George Wright, FW F.Cornall, Joseph Lucas, Thomas Bright, A.Mountford, John Gray. O.N.T.: GK Patrick Hughes, DF Harry Holden, A.Pallister, MF James Howarth, Joe Swithemby, P.Flynn, FW Joseph Swarbrick, J.Connolly, Jack Swithemby, James McGurck, Harry Fisher.

Fall River Rovers v Pawtucket Free Wanderers

December 3, 1887	Fall River Rovers	3–0	Pawtucket Free Wanderers	Fall River, MA
	Brookshaw Bell	[12]		Stadium: Rover grounds Attendance: 1000 Referee: Mr. Spencer (Newark)
Note: Rovers: GK Lang, DF Lonsdale, Bradley, MF Waring, Buckley, Adams, FW Bell, Brookshaw, Wilde, Duff, Blakely. Pawtucket: GK Booth, DF Smith, J.Stewart, MF Pilling, Love, Conley, FW Harding, H.Stewart, Sandilands, McGuire, Lennox.

Kearny Rangers v Ansonia

December 10, 1887	Kearny Rangers	6–1	Ansonia	ONT grounds
	Walter Taylor 10' W.Turner 20' Campbell Sergeant , Campbell	[13][14]	Wherle 60'	Attendance: 150 Referee: J.Howarth
Note: Rangers: GK J.Smith, DF E.Walker, William Lines, MF Roderick McDonald, T.Spencer, William Allsopp, FW Walter Taylor, George Sargeant, J.Campbell, W.Turner, E.Stark. Ansonia: GK W.Winfield, DF C.Williams(c), J.Williams, MF E.Wood, J.Lewis, J.Davidson, FW C.Williams, G.Bell, C.Wood, A.Wherle, M.McHale.

Riverside v Paterson

December 18, 1887	Riverside	0–5	Paterson
		[15]

replay

Alma v O.N.T.

February 22, 1888	Alma	5–1	O.N.T.	Wright street grounds
		[16]

Semifinals

Fall River Rovers v Kearney Rangers

March 3, 1888	Fall River Rovers	6–1	Kearney Rangers	Fall River, MA
	Blakeley 3' Bell Duff 60' Bruckshaw , 85'	[17]	Stark	Stadium: Bedford Street grounds Attendance: 2000 Referee: Eli Morton (Almas)
Note: Rovers: GK Mullen, DF Bradley, Lonsdale, MF Buckley, Waring, Adams, FW Bell, Bruckshaw, Blakeley, Wilde, Duff. Rangers: GK J.H.Smith, DF W.Lines, L.Walker, MF Roderick McDonald, H.Bennett, William Allsop, FW W.Taylor, George Sargent, T.Spencer, A.Campbell, E.Stark.

Almas v Paterson

March 10, 1888	Almas	5–1	Paterson	Frelinghuysen Avenue grounds
		[18]		Referee: H.Holden
Note: Alma: GK H.Farron, DF E.Morton, F.McDonald, MF P.Fagin, F.Britchford, R.Patterson, FW P.Brennan, Joseph Lucas, Thomas Bright, H.Maxfield, John Gray.

Final

Almas v Rovers

April 14, 1888	Almas	1–5	Rovers	East Newark, NJ
3:00 PM	Gray 40'	[19][20]	Bell 3' Bruckshaw Blakely Wilde Duff	Stadium: O.N.T. grounds Attendance: 400 Referee: B. Craig (New York)

Alma

Rovers

GK Frank Farrow FB F. McDonald FB W. Fagin HB E. Morton HB R. Patterson HB F. Britchford LW John Gray LW H. Maxfield C Thomas Bright RW P. Garron RW F. Cornall

GK J. Mullen FB R. Lonsdale FB F. Bradley HB J. Buckley HB H. Waring HB H. Adams LW H. Wilde LW C. Duff C J. Blakeley RW R. Bell RW T. Bruckshaw

Umpires: P. O'Toole William Allsop

Match rules 90 minutes Replay if game ends in a draw

American Cup bracket

	First Round					Second Round					Semifinal					Final
		Almas	5
		Caledonian	1
							Almas	2-5
							Clark O.N.T.	1-1
		Trenton	2
		Clark O.N.T.	3
												Almas	5
												Paterson	1
		Riverside
		bye
							Riverside	0
							Paterson	5
		Tiffany Rovers	0
		Paterson	4
																	Almas	1
																	Rovers	5
		Rovers	3
		East Ends	1
							Rovers	3
							Free Wanderers	0
		Athletics	1
		Free Wanderers	4
												Rovers	6
												Kearny Rangers	1
		Kearny Rangers
		New York
							Kearny Rangers	6
							Ansonia	1
		Thistles	0
		Ansonia	1

Champions

American Football Association Challenge Cup
Rover F.C.
First Title

References

1. "Results Of Cup Competitions". Constitution, By-laws And Laws Of The Game Of The American Football Association. New York: Peck & Snyder. 1888. pp. 17–18.
2. "Paterson Wins". The Morning Call. October 24, 1887. p.2 col.2. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Paterson Victorious". Paterson Daily Press. October 24, 1887. p.3 col.5. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
4. "Notes About Sports" (PDF). Newark Evening News. October 25, 1887. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
5. "Begun And Ended With Kicking". (October 25, 1887). Daily True American, p.5 col.4
6. "Work Of The Kickers" (PDF). Newark Evening News. October 31, 1887. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
7. "Sporting Events". Fall River Daily Herald. October 31, 1887. p.4 col.2. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Local News". The Olneyville Times. November 5, 1887. p.3 col.2 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "No Title". (November 16, 1887). Derby Transcript, p.1 col.4
10. "Football Roughly Played". (November 13, 1887). New York Herald, p.14 col.2
11. "Foot Ball Contests" (PDF). Newark Evening News. December 5, 1887. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
12. "Football Games". Fall River Daily Herald. December 5, 1887. p.4 col.2. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Kearny Rangers Win" (PDF). Newark Evening News. December 12, 1887. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
14. "Football In The Rain". Newark Sunday Call. December 11, 1887. p.1 col.6. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
15. "Football". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. December 19, 1887. p.7 col.3. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Won By The Almas" (PDF). Newark Evening News. February 23, 1888. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
17. "The Rovers Win". Daily Evening News. Fall River, Massachusetts. March 5, 1888. p.2 col.3. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "The Alma's Win At Football". Newark Sunday Call. March 11, 1888. p.1 col.8. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
19. "Notes About Sports" (PDF). Newark Evening News. April 16, 1888. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
20. "Newark Loses The Cup". Newark Sunday Call. April 15, 1888. p.1 col.5. Retrieved August 20, 2024.

Sources

• Outing
• National Police Gazette
• New York Herald
• New York Times
• Spirit of the Times
• Trenton Times
• Fall River Herald
• Daily Advertiser
• Evening News
• Sunday Call