This silent home movie from 1931 shows the championship soccer match held at Seiberling Field in Akron, Ohio between Akron’s own Goodyear Wingfoots team and the famed Black Cats. The Wingfoots won 2-0, and the trophy presentation is shown at the 3:24 mark.(N.B. the “Wingfoots” name was later used by a basketball team as well.)
Soccer in Ohio has a glorious past, as documented at this site: http://www.ohiosoccernorth.org/untitled
Cleveland’s first soccer league was organized in 1906 and when the American Amateur Football Association was formed in1912, it became an affiliate. The United States Football Association was formed in 1913 and was admitted into FIFA the same year. The Cleveland League, immediately joined the United States Football Association and was responsible for promoting intercity play and organizing Ohio competitions pursuant to accepted rules and procedures. In January, 1915 the Cleveland League was superseded by the Ohio State Football Association as an affiliate of the United States Football Association. This new organization collected together all the teams and leagues in Ohio and plans were announced to hold a state championship.
By 1930 Cleveland had become one of the strongest soccer centers in the United States and 1931 was the year in which Northeastern Ohio crowned its first National Champion, Goodyear of Akron. The Wingfoots defeated the Black Cats of New Bedford, Massachusetts 2-0 at Seiberling field in Akron in the National Amateur Cup final. A Northeastern Ohio team repeated as National Amateur Cup Champion in 1932 when the Shamrocks of Cleveland defeated Santo Christo of New Bedford Massachusetts 2-1 on May 1 at Slavia field in Cleveland. The accomplishments of Northeastern Ohio’s teams during the Golden Age of Cleveland Soccer would not have been possible without the efforts of dedicated men who gave unselfishly their time during an era when Cleveland was a bustling industrial center. Two of these men were Robert Butland and William Angus.
Butland, who came to Cleveland from England, helped start soccer as a member of the Sons of St. George and became the first president of the Britannia Soccer Club in 1908. In 1917 he became the president of the Ohio State Football Association. William Angus, who learned his soccer in Aberdeen, Scotland, became a member of the Ohio State Football Association when it was founded in 1915. His first position was Secretary of the Cleveland League which he assumed in 1912. He was Chairman of the National Amateur Cup competition for USFA in 1932 when the Shamrocks became National Champion.
Soccer in Cleveland experienced a period of decline from 1933 until 1945 but Bill Angus served on the Board of the United States Soccer Football Association as Treasurer and John MacEwen was Third Vice President and also Secretary of the Ohio State Soccer Association. It was symbolic of soccer’s decline in Cleveland that MacEwen moved to Detroit in May, 1940 and was replaced by Emil Klaas.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
