The 1895 American Cup was the eleventh edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Newark Caledonians brought the trophy back to New Jersey for the first time since 1887 by winning 4–0 against the Pawtucket Free Wanderers in the final. This season the elected committee was Samuel Worthington as president, Thomas Burke as vice president, William Robertson as Secretary, and Alexander Micklejohn as Treasurer. The committee chose the Thomlinson football to be the official ball for use in all cup games. This was the first occasion a steam ship team was admitted to the competition. Players from the Teutonic of the White Star line were placed in the western division. The American League of Professional Football (ALPF) began play this season just two weeks prior to the American Cup's opening round. However, in order to protect itself, the AFA barred players from joining the association who had already signed contracts with the ALPF.[1] The National Association Football League (NAFBL) also began its first season in March. The only AFA club to participate in the NAFBL, the Centrevilles of Bayonne were the first champions.

1895 American Cup
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Teams10
Final positions
ChampionsCaledonian (1st title)
Runner-upFree Wanderers
Tournament statistics
Matches played14
Goals scored81 (5.79 per match)
← 1894
1896 →

Participants

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Division State City Team
Western New Jersey Bayonne Centreville A.C. (NAFBL)
Kearny Union A.C.
Newark Caledonians
Paterson True Blue
British shipping Line Teutonic S.S. White Star A.C.
Eastern Massachusetts Fall River East Ends (NEL)
Olympics (NEL)
Rovers (NEL)
Rhode Island Pawtucket Free Wanderers (NEL)
Young Men's Christian Association (NEL)
  • NAFBL– National Association Foot Ball League
  • NEL– New England League

First round

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The first round draw took place at the AFA meeting at Newark, New Jersey on September 15, 1894. The games of the first round were scheduled to be played on or before November 10. Caledonians and East Ends drew byes. The Free Wanderers-Olympics match was protested on account of ineligible players and ordered replayed.

October 20, 1894 Union 15–0 Centreville Kearny, NJ
[2]
October 27, 1894 Y.M.C.A. 2–1 Rovers Pawtucket, RI
3:20 PM Cameron   30'
Morrison   2H'
[3]   2H' Stadium: Dexter Street grounds
Attendance: 1500
Referee: Waring
Note: Y.M.C.A.: GK Duncan McFarlane, FB Hamilton Walmsley, J.Paterson, HB Frank Schora, Alexander Meiklejohn, Bert McLay, LW William James, Alexander Morrison, RW William Cameron, Whiteside, C John Ellison.
Rovers: GK Simester, FB Ormonde, Harry Adams, HB Lang, Hancock, Hughes, LW Pearson, Mitchell, RW Boner, Melia, C G.Fogarty.
November 17, 1894 True Blues 6–3 White Star Lakeview, NJ
3:00 PM   1H'
Oldfield  
Philbin  
 ,  ,   2H'
[4]  ,   1H'
  2H'
Stadium: Olympic Park
Referee: James Hood
Note: True Blues: GK Hall, FB Alexander, F.Binks, HB R.Garner, Ackerman, Joe Upton, FW O'Neil, Inghram, Phillbin, Turner, Oldfield.
Greenpoint: GK Hormby, FB Holmes, Kelly, HB Murphy, Tibble, Whitinds, FW Cromie, Robinson, Smith, Platts, Dumbbell.
November 17, 1894 Free Wanderers 4–0 Olympics Pawtucket, RI
3:15 PM Hutchinson   5'
Hutchinson   33'
Johnson   70'
Hunt  
[5] Stadium: Dexter Street grounds
Attendance: 400
Referee: Thomas Bruckshaw (Fall River)
Note: Free Wanderers: G Hannaway, FB Walmsley, Whipple, HB Billy Read, Jimmy Johnson, Daley, RW Leggett, Hutchinson, LW Hunt, Peter Lyons, C Johnston.
Olympics: GK Cyr, FB Burgess, Morris, HB Hayes, Moore, Jean, RW Miller, Drouge, LW Andrews, Murphy, C King.

replay

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December 15, 1894 Free Wanderers 3–1 Olympics Pawtucket, RI
2:45 PM Johnson  20'
Adams   2H'
Hunt   2H'
[6] Bright   2H' Stadium: Dexter Street grounds
Attendance: 1500
Referee: Henderson (New York)
Note: Free Wanderers: G Hannaway, FB Israel Whipple, Thomas Walmsley, HB William Reed, James Johnson, Daly, RW Robert Hutchinson, Leggett, LW James Hunt, William Adams, C Johnson.
Olympics: GK Greenwood, FB S.Burgess, Moore, HB T.Hayes, Drouge, Jean, RW Miller, Randall, LW Andrews, Slater, C Bright, Reserve- P.King.

Second round

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The Free Wanderers and True Blues drew a second round bye. The Union-Caledonian game was protested and ordered replayed.

February 2, 1895 Union 3–1 Caledonians Kearny, NJ
3:00 PM [7] Stadium: Cosmopolitan Park
Referee: P. Hughes
Note: Union: GK Smith, FB Dockery, Stewart, HB Partington, Cutler, Singleton, FW Hauser, McGee, Sanson, Hill, Williams.
Caledonians: GK Glynn, FB McCance, McDonald, HB, Britchford, Brown, Swithenby, FW McKinley, Spencer, Naglee, Taylor, McAuley.
March 9, 1895 Y.M.C.A. 6–3 East Ends Pawtucket, RI
3:10 PM Morrison  ,   76'
  1H'
Watson   75'
Moore  
James  
[8]  ,  ,   1H' Stadium: Dexter Street grounds
Attendance: 700
Referee: Harry Waring
Note: East Ends: GK Frank Cornell, FB Joe Buckley, Heywood, HB Beattie, P.Stanton, Hussey, RW Hargraves, Ernest Leveque, LW Smith, Taylor, C Carroll, Reserves Taylor, Bradshaw, J.Constantine.
Y.M.C.A.: GK McFarlane, FB Ellison, Paterson, HB William Moore, Meiklejohn, Schora, LW James, A.Morrison, C McLay, RW McNeil, Watson.

replay

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April 6, 1895 Union 3–1 Caledonians Kearny, NJ
3:00 PM Sagass  ,  ,   [9] McGhee   Stadium: Cosmopolitan Park
Referee: Patrick Hughes
Note: Union: GK Smith, FB Dockray, Holden, HB Partington, Parlington, Singleton, LW Hood, McGhee, C Sampson, RW McCullagh, Douglass.
Caledonians: GK Glyn, FB McCamp, Dawson, HB, McDonald, Finlay, Swithemby, LW McCullough, Taylor, C Sagass, RW Spencer, McKinley.

Semifinals

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April 20, 1895 Caledonians 2–4 True Blues Kearny, NJ
3:30 PM   1H'
  2H'
[10] Oldfield   1H'
  1H'
Groocock   2H'
Inghram   2H'
Stadium: Cosmopolitan Park
Referee: J.Wylie (New York)
Note: Caledonians: GK W.Glynn, FB J.McCance, M.Dawson, HB R.Swithemby, S.Finley, F.McDonald, FW M.McCawley, W.Taylor, J.Nagle, R.Spencer, J.McKinley.
True Blues: GK S.Simnpson, FB W.Alexander, H.McCrowe, HB E.Ackerman, Ralph Hall, J.Upton, FW E.Groocock, J.Inghram, C Tom Phillibin, LW J.Oldfield, T.Turner.
April 20, 1895 Free Wanderers 2–2 Y.M.C.A. Pawtucket, RI
3:15 PM Hutchinson   25'
Hunt   2H'
[11] Schora   70'
Watson   2H'
Stadium: Dexter Street grounds
Attendance: 1200
Referee: Robert Pickup

replays

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May 4, 1895 Y.M.C.A. 4–2 Free Wanderers Pawtucket, RI
3:15 PM Moore   2H'
Morrison   2H'
[12][13] Johnson   25'
 ,  ,   2H'
Stadium: YMCA grounds
Attendance: 700
Referee: William Pickup
Note: Y.M.C.A.: GK Duncan McFarlane, FB John Ellison, J.Paterson, HB Hamilton Walmsley, William Moore, Bert McLay, LW William James, Alexander Morrison, RW Frank Schora, Watson, C Alexander Meiklejohn.
Free Wanderers: GK Adams, FB Israel Whipple, Mackie, HB William Reed, James Johnson, Thomas Walmsley, RW Robert Hutchinson, Leggett, LW James Hunt, Lyon, C Johnson.
May 18, 1895 Caledonians 3–3 True Blues Kearny, NJ
3:00 PM Spencer   2H'
Sagera   2H'
McDonald   2H'
[14] Groocock   1', 2H'
Philbin   1H'
Stadium: Cosmopolitan Park
May 25, 1895 True Blues 3–5 Caledonians Lakeview, NJ
4:00 PM Philbin   3', 1H'
Groocock   2H'
[15] Spencer   1H'
McKinley   1H'
McCawley   1H'
Taylor   1H'
Nagle   2H'
Stadium: Olympic Park
Attendance: 600
Referee: J.Wylie (New York)
Note: Caledonians: GK W.Glynn, FB J.McCance, M.Dawson, HB R.Swithemby, S.Finley, F.McDonald, FW M.McCawley, W.Taylor, J.Nagle, R.Spencer, J.McKinley.
True Blues: GK S.Simnpson, FB W.Alexander, H.McCrowe, HB E.Ackerman, Ralph Hall, J.Upton, FW E.Groocock, J.Inghram, C Tom Phillibin, LW J.Oldfield, T.Turner.

Final

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June 1, 1895 Free Wanderers 0–4 Caledonians Fall River, MA
3:15 PM [16][17] McCauley   1H',  
1H'Spencer   1H'
Gregory   2H' (o.g.)
Stadium: Rovers grounds
Attendance: 200
Referee: Randall (Olympics)
Note: Free Wanderers: GK Adams, FB Israel Whipple, Gregory, HB William Reed, L.Johnson, Thomas Walmsley, RW F.Johnson, Leggett, RW James Hunt, Lyons, C Robert Hutchinson.
Caledonians: GK W.Glynn, FB J.McCance, M.Dawson, HB R.Swithemby, S.Finley, F.McDonald, FW M.McCauley, W.Taylor, J.Nagle, Robert Spencer, J.McKinley.

See also

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American Cup bracket

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First Round Second Round Semifinals Finals
            
  Pawtucket Free Wanderers 4–3
  Fall River Olympics 0–1
  Pawtucket Free Wanderers
bye
  Pawtucket Free Wanderers 2–2
Eastern Circuit
  Y.M.C.A. 2–4
  Y.M.C.A. 2
  Fall River Rovers 1
  Y.M.C.A. 6
  Fall River East Ends 3
  Fall River East Ends
bye
  Pawtucket Free Wanderers 0
  Newark Caledonians 4
  Kearny Union A.C. 10
  Bayonne Centreville A.C. 0
  Kearny Union A.C. 3–3
  Newark Caledonians 1–1
  Newark Caldonians
bye
  Newark Caledonians 2–3–5
Western Circuit
  Paterson True Blues 4–3–3
  Paterson True Blues 6
  White Star Teutonic S.S. 3
  Paterson True Blues
bye


References

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  1. ^ "League Players Barred". New York Times. September 18, 1894. p.3 col.7. Retrieved August 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Tackles And Touchdowns". Newark Sunday Call. October 21, 1894. p.6 col.3. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Polo Outlook". (October 29, 1894). Evening Times, p.2 col.1-2
  4. ^ "The Calendar Of Sport". (November 19, 1894). Paterson Daily Press, p.1 col.4
  5. ^ "Tigers Still Lead". (November 19, 1894). Evening Times, p.2 col.1
  6. ^ "Olympics Lose". Fall River Globe. December 17, 1894. p.6 col.1. Retrieved August 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Foot Ball In The Snow" (PDF). Newark Evening News. February 4, 1895. p.5 col.3. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  8. ^ "Y.M.C.A. Defeats East Ends". (March 11, 1895). Evening Times, p.2 col.3
  9. ^ "Sports Of All Sorts" (PDF). Newark Evening News. April 8, 1895. p.9 col.3. Retrieved August 20, 2024.s
  10. ^ "Foot Ball Players Kicking" (PDF). Newark Evening News. April 22, 1895. p.11 col.3-4. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  11. ^ "Exciting Contest". (April 22, 1895). Evening Times, p.2 col.1-2
  12. ^ "Condensed News of Interest to all of our Readers". Pawtucket Tribune. May 6, 1895. p.8 col.1. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Wanderers Won". (May 6, 1895). Evening Times, p.2 col.1-2
  14. ^ "Scots Best Americus" (PDF). Newark Evening News. May 20, 1895. p.5 col.3-4. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Visitors Win". (May 27, 1895). The Morning Call, p.1 col.6
  16. ^ "Newark Footballists Champions". Newark Sunday Call. June 2, 1895. p.1 col.9. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  17. ^ "Hot Kicking". (June 3, 1895). Fall River Globe, p.1 col.9