1924–25 National Challenge Cup

The 1924–25 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

History

Teams from the American Soccer League and St. Louis Soccer League had won the previous several Challenge Cups, but dissatisfaction with the financial arrangements led the two leagues to boycott this year’s cup. While the United States Football Association gained its operating income from annual dues by member teams, most of its income came from its annual challenge cup.[1] On the other hand, the owner’s of the top professional teams saw the challenge cup as a money losing competition as they were forced to play obscure amateur teams which tended to have smaller crowds and therefore gate receipts. After USFA took its cut, the amount distributed to the teams frequently did not cover the travel expenses. Therefore, the SLSL proposed, and the ASL agreed to, the creation of an American Professional Soccer Championship.[2] That game series took place in April 1925 at University Field in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the three games, the Boston Soccer Club defeated the Ben Millers in front of an average crowd of over 10,000 spectators per game.[3] In contrast, the National Challenge Cup final between the Shawsheen Indians and Chicago Canadian Club, played at the usually high drawing Mark's Stadium, saw only 2,500 spectators, down from the 18,000 who watched the 1924 final. At a May 1925 meeting, USFA agreed to reduce their percentage of the gate receipts from 33.3% to 15%. This diffused the ASL and SLSL hostility to the challenge cup leading to their re-entering the competition for 1926.[1]

Eastern Division

First round Second round Semi-finals Final
                           
           
 Shawsheen Indians  w/o
February 28 - Andover
 Arlington Mills    
 Shawsheen Indians  4
February 22 - Rochester
   Whittal F.C.  1  
 Moose F.C.  2
March 21 - Boston
 Whittal F.C.  5  
 Shawsheen Indians  2
February 14 - Philadelphia
   Bayonne F.C.  0  
 Lighthouse Blue Sox  2
March 1 - Jersey City
 Bayonne F.C.  3  
 Bayonne F.C.  1
February 22 - Bridgeport
   Lexington F.C.  0  
 Clan Campbell  1
April 4 - Andover
 Lexington F.C.  3  
 Shawsheen Indians  2
February 14 - Quincy
   Abbot Worsted  1
 Fore River F.C.  0
 Abbot Worsted  2  
 Abbot Worsted  w/o
   Waypoyset F.C.    
 Waypoyset F.C.  w/o
March 21 - New Bedford
 Boston United    
 Abbot Worsted  3
February 22 - Ansonia
   Sayles Finishing Plant  2  
 Ansonia F.C.  4
March 1,14
 Manchester  1  
 Ansonia F.C.  0-2
February 14 - Pawtucket
   Sayles Finishing Plant  3-9  
 Sayles Finishing Plant  3
 Lorraine Manufacturing Co  2  

Western Division

First round Second round Semi-finals Final
                           
January 25 - Chicago            
 Chicago Canadian Club  3
February 15 - Chicago
 Gillespie S.C.  0  
 Canadian Club  2
February 8 - Chicago
   Pullman F.C.  1  
 Pullman F.C.  4
Mar 1,8,15 - Chicago
 Sparta ABA  1  
 Canadian Club  3a
February 8 - Chicago
   Harvey F.C.  2  
 Bricklayers and Masons  0
February 15 - Chicago
 Olympia F.C.  2  
 Olympia F.C.  0
January 18 - Chicago
   Harvey F.C.  2  
 Harvey F.C.  3
March 22 - Chicago
 North Shore F.C.  0  
 Canadian Club  2
January 25 - Cleveland
   Cleveland Thistles  1
 Cleveland Thistles  5
February 8 - Cleveland
 British War Veterans  0  
 Cleveland Thistles  2
January 18 - Akron
   Goodyear F.C.  0  
 Goodyear F.C.  5
March 1 - Cleveland
 Mahoning Valley  1  
 Cleveland Thistles  3
January 17 - Vestaburg
   Vestaburg SC  2  
 Vestaburg SC  6
February 15 - Charleroi
 Jeannette F.C.  2  
 Vestaburg SC  2
February 8 - Toledo
   Toledo S.C.  1  
 Toledo S.C.  2
 Gar Wood SC  1  

a) aggregate after 3 games

Final

April 19, 1925
Shawsheen Indians (MA) 3–0 Chicago Canadian Club (IL)
20' Eddie Smith
35' Peter Purden(pk)
60' Alex Carrie		 (Report)
Mark's Stadium, North Tiverton, Rhode Island
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: William Norse (USA)

References

  1. 1 2 "May 14, 1925 The Globe". Archived from the original on 2009-10-20.
  2. ↑ "November 7, 1924 The Globe". Archived from the original on 2009-10-20.
  3. ↑ The Year in American Soccer – 1925
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