The National Association Football League (also spelled National Association Foot Ball League) (NAFBL) was a semi-professional U.S. soccer league which operated between 1895 and 1898.[1] The league was reconstituted in 1906 and continued to operate until 1921.[2]
| Founded | 1895 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1895 |
| Folded | 1921 |
| Country | United States |
| Number of teams | 36 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Most championships | West Hudson A.A. (6) |
History
editThe NAFBL was formed in January 1885[3] and by April 1895, the NAFBL began operation as the third significant U.S. soccer league. It drew its teams primarily from northern New Jersey and New York City.[2] Few records exist for the league, but the teams and standings for four of the five seasons do exist.[4] After its first spring-summer season in 1895, the NAFBL moved to a winter schedule in the fall of 1895.
On December 16, 1895, the NAFBL opened its second season with a game pitting the Kearny Scottish-Americans and the International Athletic Club.[5] In 1899, a deep recession, accompanied by the Spanish–American War led to the collapse of several athletic leagues and teams, among them the NAFBL. On August 14, 1906, the league was revived and continued in operation until 1921.[6] That year, several of the top NAFBL teams, frustrated by the amateur/semi-professional nature of the league, joined with other top North Atlantic U.S. teams to form the first fully professional U.S. soccer league, the American Soccer League.
1895–1899
editTeams
edit
- Americus A. A. (1895)
- Bayonne Bayside (1898–1899)
- Brooklyn Wanderers (1895–1899)
- Centreville A.C. (1895–1899)
- International A.C. (1895–1896)
- Kearny AC (1897–1898)
- Kearny Arlington (1897–1899)
- Kearny Cedars (1898–1899)
- Kearny Scots (1895–1899)
- Newark Caledonians (1895–1896)
- New York Thistle (1895–1896)
- Paterson Crescent (1897–1898)
- Paterson True Blues (1897–1988)
1906–1921
editTeams
edit- Babcock & Wilcox (1915–1919, 1920–1921)
- Bethlehem Steel F.C. (1917–1921)
- Bronx United (1910–1915)
- Brooklyn Field Club (1909–1916)
- Brooklyn Morse Dry Dock (1919–1920)
- Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock (1918–1921)
- Bunker Hill F.C. (1920)
- Dublin F.C. (1916–1917)
- Clark A.A. (East Newark Clark A.A.) (1906–1907, 1908–1909)
- Essex County F.C. (1906–1907)
- Gorden Rangers (1906)
- Haledon Thistles (1915–1916)
- Harrison Alley Boys (1915–1916)
- Hollywood Inn F.C. (1907–1908)
- Jersey A.C. (1907–1908, 1909–1918)
- Kearny A.C. (1906–1907)
- Erie A.A. (1919–1921)
- Kearny Scots (Scots-Americans or Scottish-Americans) (1906–1918)
- Kearny Federal Ship (1919–1921)
- Kearny Stars (1906–1907)
- Newark Caledonians (1912–1914)
- Newark FC (1906–1911, 1912–1915)
- Newark Hearts (1906–1908)
- Newark Ironsides (1916–1917)
- New York Clan MacDonald (1907–1908, 1913–1915)
- New York F.C. (1916–1921)
- New York IRT (1919)
- Paterson F.C. (1917–1920)
- Paterson Rangers (1906–1915)
- Paterson True Blues (1906–1915)
- Paterson Wilberforce (1909–1914)
- Disston A.A. (Tacony Disston or Philadelphia Disston) (1917–1918, 1919–1921)
- Philadelphia Merchant Ship (1918–1920)
- St. George F.C. (1913–1914)
- West Hudson A.A. (1906–1907, 1908–1918)
- West New York Burns Club (1906–1907)
Champions
editSource:[7]
- Notes
References
edit- ^ National Association Foot Ball League on Sover.net (archived)
- ^ a b Wangerin, David (2008). Soccer in a football world : the story of America's forgotten game. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 28. ISBN 9781592138852.
- ^ "Telegraphic Notes of Sport". Chicago Tribune. January 9, 1895. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Litterer, David (February 20, 2005). "National Association Foot Ball League". USSoccerHistory.org. USA Soccer History. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ "Association Football Games". The New York Times. December 16, 1895. Retrieved May 24, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Found and Lost - A Land of Opportunity". ScotsFootballWorldWide.scot. Scots Football World Wild. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOOT BALL LEAGUE - Results by David A. Litterer on the RSSSF