Bus Parade

The civic parade for a victorious team is now one of the great traditions in world football, dating back to Blackburn Olympic's FA Cup winning celebrations in 1883.
In the 1915-16 season Bethlehem Steel became the first team to complete a National Challenge Cup and  American Cup double.

Archie Stark at Bethlehem Steel 1924-30

 Glasgow born Archie Stark played 22 seasons in professional football ( I seriously considered writing 'pro-soccer' there) in the USA. He began his professional career as a 14 year old with Kearny Scots in 1912.
The most remarkable years of his career though, came with Bethlehem Steel (1924-1930).

Bethlehem Football Club had been founded in 1907 and, under the sponsorship of the The Bethlehem Steel Corporation  opened the first purpose built 'soccer' stadium in the United States. The patronage of the mega rich steel company ownership enabled the team to turn professional  in 1914, attracting a number of  top players to the club.
Joining the in National Association Foot Ball League in1917, Steel became one of the consistently strongest teams in the States. In 1921 the  American Soccer League was formed. Steel moved the 110km  to Philadelphia for a  season (as Philadelphia Field Club)- they were successful on the pitch but poorly supported and thus financially weakened- prompting a return to Bethlehem.

In the 1920s Bethlehem (population 12,837 in 1910 and 50,358 in 1920) was the centre of the flourishing American steel industry- the 'I beam' that appeared on the clubs badge being indispensable in the construction of steel framed buildings.

Let's have a look at  Stark's goalscoring stats during his years with Bethlehem Steel.

1924-25 

Stark joined Steel from New York (Field Club) who were selling off their players in the face of mounting debt. Stark had been the previous season's  American Soccer League top scorer with 21 goals. At Steel Stark switched from outside right to centre forward and found himself playing alongside several players imported from Scotland.
 Bethlehem Steel:

 American Soccer League- 2nd

National Challenge Cup- semi finals

American Cup- winners.

Stark's record:

League - 67 goals in 44 games, 1.52 goals per game, 52.75 % of his team's goals.

American Cup- 3 goals in 2 games.

Total-70 goals in 46 games.

1925–26

 Bethlehem Steel:
American Soccer League- 4th
National Challenge Cup- winners.
Lewis Cup Cup- winners.

Stark's record:
League - 43 goals in 37 games, 1.16 goals per game, 37.3 % of his team's goals.
National Challenge Cup- 7 goals in 5 games.
Lewis Cup -  5 goals in 3 games
Internationals-08/11/1925- 5 goals in a match v Canada.
Stark only played 2 internationals for the USA and these were his only goals.
Total- 59 goals in 47 games.

1926-27

 Bethlehem Steel:
American Soccer League- winners.
National Challenge Cup- winners.

Stark's record:
League - 23 goals in 29 games, 0.79 goals per game, 20.1 % of his team's goals.
Lewis Cup - 2 goals in 1 game
Total- 25 goals in 33 games.

1927-28

 Bethlehem Steel:
American Soccer League - playoff semi finals (a new format was tried with two halves to the season and a playoff to decide the overall championship).


Stark's record:
League - 27 goals in 46 matches, 0.58 goals per game, 21.7  % of his team's goals.
National Challenge Cup- 1 goal in 2 games.
Lewis Cup - 6 goals in 4 games.
Total- 34 goals in 52 games.

1928–29 

 Bethlehem Steel:
American Soccer League - withdrew after 6 matches to join the... 
Eastern Professional Soccer League-winners.
Stark's record: American Soccer League- 2 goals in 6 games
Eastern Professional Soccer League- 41 goals in 32 games
National Challenge Cup- 6 goals in 4 games.
Total- 49 goals in 42 games.

In the autumn of 1929 a new Eastern Professional Soccer League season began, but due to financial crisis and the re organization of the leagues this season was terminated, Bethlehem Steel were in top spot at the time with 11 wins from 13 games.

Stark's record:  9 goals in 7 games.

1930

Bethlehem Steel rejoined the reformed American Soccer League. The first half of the season was played as The Atlantic Coast Soccer League. Bethlehem Steel were in 7th spot (out of 11) at the mid season break. The team were then disbanded. Stark went on a tour of Europe with Fall River Marksmen before joining  Newark Americans. He was invited to be in he USA squad for the 1930 World Cup but declined due to business commitments.

Stark's record: 
American Soccer League- 28 goals in 19 games. 1.47 goals per game, 42.4 % of his team's goals.
National Challenge Cup- 6 goals in 5 games.
Total- 34 goals in 24 games.

Bethlehem Steel career record:
275 goals in 252 games.

Football in the USA

The wealth and complexity of the history of the Association game in the United States of America is often overlooked.
Claims for the earliest 'soccer' team in the United States actually pre date Association Football, and seem to refer to a rather ramshackle game combining collision style tackling, handling and certain elements of kicking based football.
1884- The first governing body in US football, the American Football Association (AFA) , formed.
1885 - The American Cup (also known as the American Football Association Cup and the American Federation Cup)  first held. Clark O.N.T. (Newark, NJ) were the winners of the first 3 editions.

Harry Holden, Clark O.N.T

1885-1886 - The AFA holds representative matches against the Canadian league.
1904- Two American High School teams compete in the three team Olympic tournament, retrospectively recorded by the IOC as silver and bronze medal wins for the USA.
1911-The American Amateur Football Association (AAFA) was created in direct opposition to the AFA. The  AAFA  spread beyond  the traditional Northeastern football heartlands and created its own cup in 1912, the American Amateur Football Association Cup. 
There followed a period of competition between these governing bodies, both of which applied to FIFA for membership.
1913- A number of clubs shift alliegance from the AFA to the AAFA.
1913- The AAFA becomes the United States Football Association, presently known as the United States Soccer Federation. This led to the establishment of the National Challenge Cup which  overshadowed the American Cup. (both cups were played simultaneously for the next ten years).

1919 - Bethlehem Steel (Pa.) become the first American professional team to play in Europe when they tour Sweden.
1921- The American Soccer League founded .
1924 -The National Amateur Cup founded by the USFA  ( the  American Cup was finally killed off by this rival competition).
1924- In the Olympics USA lost to Uruguay in round 2.
The latter portion of the 1920s saw a period of political infighting between the sports' governing bodies  known as the American Soccer Wars.
In 1927, the issue intensified as ASL clubs were accused by FIFA for signing European players who were already under contract to European clubs.
1928 - In the Olympics USA are knocked out in the first round, blitzed 11-2 by Argentina.
1930 - In the first World Cup, the U.S. finish third, losing to Argentina in the semi-final.


Incredible amount of info on the game in the USA here:
http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/index.html