WHEN DID SOCKER COME TO BRUKLYN? (1907)
“Socker” wasn’t taken seriously in the U.S. at least until the 1950s or so. Well, I suppose “seriously” is a relative term, as some would say even today that the sport is still not given its fair due. A sport that is played by more people across the world than any other, it was eventually bound to take root in the U.S. With the number of immigrants in the greater New York City area it happened quicker than in other parts of the country. The game took root first at high school, colleges, and in social leagues throughout the city before it became a professional draw. The first mention of “soccer foot ball” in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, was in 1899 in a story about an Orange Free State club traveling to the U.S. for an exposition. By 1907, there were signs that the game would take in Brooklyn as the Crescent A.C. Socker Team was founded. Crescent AC was the sole Brooklyn club for several years until other parts of the borough began fielding their own teams – such as the Montclair Athletic Club, the Bensonhurst Field Club, and the Staten Island C. & F. C. After this, as more teams were built and more and more Brooklynites were exposed to the game, the sport slowly discovered acceptance and, in some areas, even took on more of an air of respectability. Here are a few pics from down the ages. AMATEUR – 1907 SEMI-PRO – 1912 HIGH SCHOOL – […]
