Soccer in Baltimore
The game this Friday between AC Milan and Chelsea at M&T Bank Stadium made me think of another game in another stadium with one of the greatest soccer players of all time. The stadium was Memorial Stadium the player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele.
The game was played May 30,1973 in front of 24,680 fans, the largest soccer crowd in Baltimore's history. Pele didn't disappoint. He scored 3 goals leading the Brazilian team, Santos, to a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Bays. Santos played the Bays again in Baltimore on June 19,1973, beating the Bays 4-0.
Soccer has been played in Baltimore for more than 100 hundred years, brought to town by its many immigrants. The story goes that large groups of Englishmen, Scotsmen, Irishmen and Germans came over to rebuild Baltimore after the great Baltimore Fire in 1904. Some of these men were former professional soccer players. The English organized the Sons of St.George Soccer Club which was based Colgate Creek. Soon more teams followed, organized by the Greeks, Italians and many other ethnic groups.
Baltimore had more than 100 teams in 14 leagues at its peak in the early 1930s. The city would draw international competion on May 15,1946 when the Liverpool Reds played the Baltimore Americans, the champions of the American Soccer League. The game was played at the stadium, where Baltimore lost 9-0. Chelsea played in Baltimore May 21,1954 at Westport Stadium against the Baltimore Rockets of the American Soccer League. Chelsea won 7-1.
I hope you enjoy the photographs and that they spark some memory or comment.
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Comments
These are great. I am always fascinated to learn more history about the game in Baltimore. Most people are unaware of the rich history of the game here in the US.
Posted by: Eric | July 23, 2009 1:13 PM
I love the Soccer in Baltimore photo gallery, especially the pictures involving the Bays when they were in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967. An interesting one is the overhead shot of Memorial Stadium with white lines superimposed to show how the soccer pitch was set up for the Bays. The reason for this very unusual layout was because the pitcher's mound wasn't portable. This also meant that the pitch was much smaller than desired. I should also add that the Bays' uniforms were gold & red, the corporate colors of the National Brewing Company, owners both the soccer team and the then-defending World Series Champion Orioles.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 23, 2009 9:39 PM
Paul
Great photos!
Posted by: Towson Tim | July 24, 2009 5:34 PM