1930 World Cup & The Fall River Marksmen
Fall River's Greatest & The 1930 World Cup
By Dean Lockyer @WC1930blogger & James Brown @1930WorldCup
With the end of the Roaring Twenties and the world reeling from the impact of the 1929 Wall Street Crash, the United States Football Association (U. S. F. A), the nations governing body for soccer, accepted an invitation from the Asociacion Uruguaya de Football (A. U. F.). The invite was to play in the first-ever World Cup taking place in that nation’s capital, Montevideo, in July of 1930, with the host offering to pay all travel and accommodation expenses. Two young players from the Fall River Marksmen, Billy Gonsalves and Bert Patenaude, emerged to make their mark on the international soccer stage for the United States.
Soccer’s rise in the United States coincided with the rapid industrialization of the country and the migration of a skilled labor force, largely from Britain, bringing with them their passion for football. Soccer had its ‘golden age’ during the 1920s in the industrial towns of the Northeast, such as Fall River, Massachusetts, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania when there was the first serious attempt to create a professional soccer league, capable of drawing average crowds in the five-figures. Companies and entrepreneurs, such as Charles Schwab and Sam Mark, invested in clubs and imported professionals from abroad known as the 1925 “American Menace” by Scottish newspapers, which helped improve the quality and increased spectator interest. It was on this canvas that two Fall River heroes, Billy and Bert, arrived on the scene and painted their own legend.
Adelino Gonçalves (original spelling) was born on August 10th, 1908, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. His parents, Augustinho and Rose, had settled there with their six children after migrating from the Portuguese Island of Madeira in 1906. Shortly after he was born, the family moved some dozen miles across the state line to 156 Central St., Fall River, Massachusetts where his parents registered his birth, adding confusion to exactly where the future soccer star was born. It was not long before Adelino was given the nickname Billy, and in official documents, he would begin to be referred to as William Gonsalves.
As a boy, Billy was introduced to soccer through a gang of ‘corner acquaintances’ who had purchased a ball. With these ‘corner loafers’, as his mother derisively termed them, he built a strong bond. Soon they had formed a team and acquired uniforms, but his parents prohibited Billy from playing this ‘dangerous pastime’, because his two older brothers, Anthony and Johnny, had suffered broken legs playing the sport. However, Billy defied his parent's wishes and continued to play the game he loved. After playing for a series of junior and semi-pro clubs, the 19-year-old signed for Boston Wonder Workers of the American Soccer League and won the championship in the 1927-28 season, playing alongside Scottish star, Alex McNab (Billy’s career-long mentor). In 1929, Gonsalves returned to his hometown joining the Fall River Marksmen, linking up once more with McNab. It was the first time he would play alongside Bert Patenaude and the pair helped lead the team to the 1929 Fall season title.
Arthur Bertrand Patenaude was born November 4th, 1909, in Fall River, to French Canadian immigrants living about a mile and a half away from Billy at 324 East Main St. Bert, as he was more commonly known, had his first experience with the round ball around the age of 15 and almost by accident. The teenager had been hired to make deliveries for a ‘well-known grocery corporation’ whose boss had tasked Patenaude with making an urgent dispatch by bicycle. Halfway to his destination, he was waved down by a group of boys who asked Bert to help make up the numbers in a six a side game. The young delivery boy accepted but stated that he could do so only for a few minutes. Caught up in the joys of the game, Bert forgot all semblance of time and only hours later did he complete his delivery. Returning to his employer he was greeted with ‘Sorry, young man, but you no longer work here.’ Bert had found his true calling and invested his time and energy into a sport that would him afford him the opportunity to earn money during an era of uncertainty.
Patenaude made his debut in pro soccer for Philadelphia FC in the 1928-29 ASL season. He scored eight goals in six games for the club. He was traded to J & P Coats before Fall River offered him a contract to return to his hometown to finish out the season. Bert racked up ten goals in nineteen games as the Marksmen took the ASL championship. Again with impressive statistics, the Fall River native hit 25 tallies in 21 appearances as Fall River took the title in the oddity of a reorganized 1929 Fall season with Billy by his side.
During the 1929-30 season, Fall River Marksmen won the league title (renamed the Atlantic Coast League) having only lost once. Playing alongside such imported Scottish professional stars as Bill McPherson, Tec White, and Alex McNab, and another Scot Bob McAuley, who would later play for Chelsea and Scotland, Patenaude scored 22 goals in 21 appearances; Gonsalves 21 in 26. It was the Marksmen's and Bert’s third successive ASL title (and Fall River’s sixth in total) while Gonsalves had also earned his third championship in four seasons. Impressive for two men who were still only 21 (Billy) and 20 (Bert) years of age.
These two young talents stood out among the seasoned pros and contributed to Fall River’s route to two cup finals during that season. In the Open Challenge Cup, Bert contributed four goals but was used sparingly with Werner Nilsen preferred in the center-forward role. Billy contributed five goals and helped beat Cleveland Bruells 9-3 on aggregate over a two-legged final. Bert also contributed 3 goals to Fall River’s route to the Lewis Cup final but he missed the 1st leg tie against Hakoah with Nilsen, once again, preferred. Billy scored twice in the cup run including the first in a 2-1 victory over Hakoah. Fall River was on for the treble against the All-Stars but the 2nd leg was suspended when the Jewish club took up a tour of South America.
The U. S. F. A. began its preparations for the World Cup by planning several trial games staged in the various districts identified with the governing body limited to the East coast and Midwest. Due to geographical remoteness, far western regions were not considered. Each district was tasked to select its best players ‘from the silk-stockinged amateur as well as from the high-caliber professional leagues’ for consideration for try-out matches.
From a preliminary list of 215 players, 31 were whittled down to ‘‘possibles’’ and ‘‘probable’’ candidates. A mixture of amateurs and professionals from clubs in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island took part in the three trial matches against local teams in the New York metropolitan area.
Billy Gonsalves and Bert Patenaude were among the ‘‘probables’’ along with two other New England based players Andy Auld and Tom Florie. They took part in the second trial game against Hakoah All-Stars. The first trial, containing many of the amateur ‘‘possibles’’, was lost 3-2 to Hakoah. With several players from the Midwest involved the result was much improved with the US select XI winning 6-2. Former Marksmen keeper, James Douglas played in goal while Gonsalves was utilized in the center-half position, a roll the selectors were struggling to fill. Bert Patenaude played the first 45 minutes and managed to get on the scoresheet before being replaced by the New York Giants forward, James Brown, the grandfather of one the authors.
The third and final trial test took place on May 4th against the New York Nationals in a game that ended in 3-3 tie. Billy and Bert were missing from the game as they were busy dispatching New Bedford Whalers in their second leg Lewis Cup match. Notably, Raphael Tracy of the St. Louis Ben Millers was given the opportunity at center-half, earning his place in the final selection and resolving this tricky position. It would allow Billy to be used in his more favored attacking role. At right half was Jimmy Gallagher (NY Nationals) who played twice (scoring once) for the Marksmen in 1923.
Subsequently, the Foreign Relations Committee of the U. S. F. A. selected 15 professionals and one amateur for the South American tour. Eleven of the professionals were drawn from the Atlantic Coast League and two each from the Inter-City Midwest Professional league and the St. Louis Soccer League:
Goalkeeper James Douglas (New York Nationals); Full-backs George Moorhouse (New York Giants), Alex Wood (Detroit Holley Carburetors) and Frank Vaughn (St. Louis Ben Millers); Half-backs Jimmy Gallagher (New York Nationals), Raphael Tracy (St. Louis Ben Millers), Philip Slone (New York Giants) and Andy Auld (Providence Gold Bugs); Forwards James Brown (New York Giants), Mike Bookie (Cleveland Slavia), Arnie Oliver (New Bedford Whalers), Billy Gonsalves (Fall River Marksmen), Tom Florie (New Bedford Whalers), Bert Patenaude (Fall River Marksmen) and Bart McGhee (New York Nationals). Completing the squad was the only amateur, Brookline born James Gentle (Philadelphia Cricket Club).
The team ‘represent[ed] not only a cross-section of the nations melting pot bloodlines but also the best talent to be found in the country’, six of whom had been born in Britain. Auld, Brown, Gallagher, McGhee, and Wood were born in Scotland, while George Moorhouse hailed from Liverpool, England. All were naturalized, except Andy Auld, who was only originally picked to play in the exhibition matches, but negotiations with the US consulate in Montevideo, which provided temporary documents, satisfied Fifa’s rules requiring all players to be citizens.
Wilfred Cummings, treasurer of the U. S. F. A. from Chicago was employed as team manager, Irish-born Jack Coll from Brooklyn Wanderers, would act as trainer and physio while the legendary Bob Millar, coach of the New York Giants was tasked with coaching the US squad. Millar was another Scottish immigrant who played briefly for Fall River appearing six times (3 goals) for the Marksmen in the 1922-23 season. He was also capped twice by the United States in 1925.
On June 8th a final warm-up match was played against the Brooklyn Wanderers. The four Midwest pros missed the game having returned home to make final preparations before the team's departure. The US team demolished their opponents 6-1, with Gonsalves once again playing at center-half and getting one of the goals, and Patenaude hitting a hattrick. Bert had now scored four in 2 games in a US team jersey.
Renowned soccer writer of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dent McSkimming, years later referred to the pair as the ‘Fall River Twins’, describing Patenaude skills as ‘tantalizing hooks and slices and neat touches with his forehead’ and Gonsalves’ ‘dynamite blasts’ and ‘equally effective nods of the head.’
On June 13th, the US team embarked on the Munson cruise liner, the SS Munargo, for a historic journey from the local pier on 15th street in Hoboken, NJ at 6:30 in the morning. They traveled with the Mexican delegation, who had sailed from Veracruz to New York several days earlier to catch the connecting boat to take part in the World Cup. The Munargo was an inconspicuous and unpretentious family boat with a comfortable Georgian lounge, with a club-like smoking room, reading room, and bar. Passengers were entertained on board with masquerades and lively orchestras, while shuffleboard and the tennis court and its outdoor pool provided more leisurely activities. Expert chefs prepared the ‘finest obtainable food’ while ‘quiet, courteous and attentive stewards’ were always on hand to administer their needs for a voyage that would last 18 days.
The trainer, Jack Coll was satisfied with a light workout during the voyage. And when they were not taking advantage of the on-board facilities they would attempt to practice baseball, or horseplay in the swimming pool. They would further bond playing cards while singing Tin Pan Alley songs such as Alice Blue Gown. They never missed an opportunity to pose for photographs both individually and collectively. They would gleefully pose for the camera while drinking bottles of beer. For many of these young men, it was the first time they could openly and lawfully enjoy an alcoholic beverage given the restrictions back home in prohibition-era America. They mingled and posed with the Mexicans; with families and female passengers. Some of these players were young and single and as such was only paid $250 dollars by the U. S. F. A. for the trip, unlike their married teammates who earned $375. This may have been the reason why 23-year-old full back Alex Wood married his fiance one week before departure.
The ocean got rough at some points and “strangely enough Jimmy Douglas and Arnie Oliver lost their appetites”. Bob Millar, the coach, although being white-haired, claimed that he could “outwork any man” on the squad! Bill Cummings, the Commander and Chief of the squad bought a training outfit but the whole squad wondered why, because he hardly moved from his deck chair throughout the voyage. Captain, Tom Florie proved the comedian of the group and Mike Bookie, was the “foil” or source of his wisecracks, but Bookie always took it with a smile. For Billy Gonsalves, it was on this trip that he decided to grow a mustache ‘just for a laugh.’ It would be a look synonymous throughout his career. The team was confident, in great shape and looking forward to proving themselves in South America.
The trip towards South America, along with the Mexican delegation, arrived in Rio de Janeiro on June 27. The US team would be the guests of Botafogo FC and Billy Gonsalves was given the most attention by the Brazilian press because of his Portuguese background. According to the writer of Critica, Billy was more fascinated by the high rise skyscrapers on Copacabana beach than the natural beauty of Guanabara Bay or the mountains of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado. The scribe assured its readers that they should be flattened by this because it showed progress in Brazil’s path towards modernity. The next day they arrived in Santos engaging in baseball practice on the sands and swimming at the Santos Harbor beach.
They then sailed just before midnight for Montevideo. On July 1st at 1:30 PM on a cold and rainy day, the US and Mexico sailed into Montevideo. The dreary weather didn't stop crowds and reporters from greeting the US team. The two teams from the North would eventually be joined by Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia from Europe, and along with host, Uruguay, six other nations from South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru.
The Americans had been pooled with a Paraguayan team that finished as runners-up in the previous years South American Championship while Belgium was considered the best of the European sides.
Bert Patenaude in action against Belgian keeper, Arnold Badjou.
The US would begin their World Cup campaign against Belgium on July 13, 1930, at Gran Parque Central in front of a crowd of over 18,000. The conditions were dreary and cold, and the playing field was a bed of mud with clumps everywhere; that wouldn't be helped by playing with a heavy leather ball that rapidly became a cannonball with every kick! While the US team were suiting up in the locker room, US President, Herbert Hoover sent a telegram wishing the squad the best of luck.
They were in good spirits but the first 20 minutes showed a nervousness among the Americans. Midfielders were misdirecting passes and forwards were way off their mark. Then in the 23rd minute, James Brown let a lightning shot rip from the right wing, and as it crashed against the crossbar, Bart McGhee collected it and put it away into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the box with that ‘cultured’ left foot of his. Once the first goal was scored, they settled into their game and Tom Florie scored the second goal before half-time. The Belgians complained that the goal was offside as Florie strolled through unopposed. On several occasions, the Americans had been caught by the Belgian offside trap. But this time, according to Argentinian referee, Jose Macias, the Belgians stepped forward too late on the final pass. They beat the Belgians hands-down, 3-0, the last goal scored by Bert Patenaude when Brown made "a beautiful run" on the right wing and delivered an "unselfish lob over the goalie’s head" to Patenaude, who headed the ball into an empty net in the 69th minute. Team manager Cummings described it as "one of the most brilliant plays in the entire tournament!"
Bert and Billy lead the way in the number of shots at goal for the Americans, three apiece in the first half out of ten. In the second half, the seven shots at goal by the US, three were taken by Patenaude including the goal, and two by Gonsalves.
The US team played in a "WM" formation (2-3-5) and had been playing Old English style football, with long lateral passes from wing to wing. When the Belgians had the ball, the inside-forwards of Gonsalves and Florie would play deep along the half-back line of Gallagher, Tracy, and Auld. When they won back possession they would pass the ball long to the wingers, McGhee and Brown, who would look to the center for target man Patenaude. This American strategy of using width and stretching the play faired better against the Belgian’s short passing game as they constantly got stuck in the mud. It did not help either that their attack was lacking the firepower of some of their best forwards, who could not travel with the team either due to work commitments or suspension.
James Douglas, the former Marksmen goalkeeper, recorded the first shutout or "clean sheet" of the tournament. James Brown collected the first assist and Bart McGhee the first goal in US World Cup competition. With that convincing win, they gained momentum and the confidence needed for the next match against Paraguay.
Gonsalves flicks on a corner to teammate Patenaude against Paraguay.
Four days later, the US team took on Paraguay. They were considered the "dark horses" of the tournament because they had finished runners-up at the 1929 South American championships, where they defeated Uruguay 3-0, a team that included several of its players that had won gold at the 1928 Olympics. Parque Central was packed to capacity with the locals favoring the Yanks. The weather was crisp but clear and ideal for football and unlike the first game, the Americans were ready from the get-go, Patenaude scoring twice in the first 15 minutes. The South Americans were unsettled and could not deal with the flashy combinations the US put together. The Paraguayan forwards were unable to build any kind of rhythm, repeatedly thwarted by the full backs of Moorhouse and Wood. Douglas, once again, dealing with all they could throw his way that the South Americans, in the words of US team manager, Cummings, had to be ‘contented with a goose-egg’. In the 50th minute, Patenaude struck again and secured his hat-trick. All three were assisted by crosses from the wing, encapsulating the tactical style this well drilled US team had developed under coach Bob Millar.
It would be 76 years before Fifa recognized the Fall River native’s achievement, thanks to the studious research of Hall of Fame historian, Colin Jose, who collected the evidence of several contemporary newspaper reports from South America and the testimonies of Bert’s teammates, Billy Gonsalves, Arnie Oliver and James Brown who verified Patenaude’s three-goal tally. The history books had previously credited Argentinian Guillermo Stabile with scoring the first World Cup hat-trick against Mexico on July 19th. How history could have been so different had that young Bert decided to deliver those groceries on time back in 1924?
In 2014, Bert Patenaude was portrayed on the silver screen in the Serbian film Montevideo, Vidimo Se! It was the sequel to Montevideo Bog te video, the semi-fictional story of Yugoslavia’s path to the semi-finals of the 1930 World Cup. The filmmakers played with the historical narrative attributing Bert’s hattrick against Belgium instead, all to manufacture a conversation between Yugoslav forward Aleksandar Tirnanic and Bert, the day after Tirnanic had scored against Brazil on July 14th, as they congratulate each other on their goal feats.
After the group matches, the US team were viewed as favorites based on the thrashing they gave Belgium and Paraguay, banging in 6 goals, recording the first hattrick by Bert Patenaude against Paraguay, and conceding 0. Now, it was on to the semi-finals against a strong Argentinian side.
Against Argentina, Billy heads the ball with Bert in the background.
The US would face Argentina in the first semi-final on July 26th, with Uruguay playing Yugoslavia the following day. Tensions were high, as morning newspapers spoke of how the police were going to frisk everyone for knives and guns, even the players! The team was brought into the stadium under military horseback escort and then they sang Rudy Vallee’s 1930 hit “Maine Stein Song” , something they had done prior to their previous matches. They were up against a powerful, well-trained Argentinian team, and unfortunately, a rather ruthless and unforgiving side. In the first 4 minutes of the match, Jim Douglas, the goalkeeper, badly twisted his knee, but Douglas "stuck to his guns" and stopped attack after attack. After the first 19 minutes, Ralph Tracy suffered a serious knee injury which left him largely incapacitated and since subs weren't allowed at the time in international competitions (but allowed in US league matches), Tracy was moved to the outside right position, while Gonsalves moved to center-half. The Americans tactics also failed as they struggled with long wing-passes that were falling short and dropping into their own half of the field-it was noted that the pitch was at least 8 yards over the maximum length allowed and it showed. They only let in one goal at the end of the first half when a cross-shot by Monti failed to ‘bounce on the newly sodded turf’, deceiving Douglas.
In the second half, the Americans went out with a do or die spirit, but the South Americans continued with the rough play. Argentina quickly scored a second with the ‘one-legged Douglas stuck in his tracks.’ Then, Andy Auld, had his lip split open (and reports talked of having 3 or 4 teeth knocked out) and was temporarily blinded after an opponent knocked the smelling salts out of the hands of Jack Coll into Andy's eyes after the trainer had come to attend. Shortly after, Argentina made it 3-0. The Americans made some tactical changes to give themselves a sporting chance. Auld moved from left half to inside right; Moorhouse from left back to outside-left, with McGhee, moved back, alternating to cover their positions, while Wood stayed close to Douglas who was hobbling on one leg.
James Brown would later describe that one opponent resorted to throwing mud in his face, as the Argentinians continued to ‘slash from left to right’ and racked up the score to 6-0. In the 89th minute, a "hair-raising" individual performance by Auld, passed to Brown, who neatly put it away, after one-two with Patenaude, avoiding a shutout and ending the game by a score of 6-1. Billy Gonsalves would later recall that they finished with only six sound men. Apart from the injuries to Douglas, Tracy, and Auld, Patenaude required a stomach x-ray due to a bruise he suffered and McGhee was scarred after being on the end of several kicks from the South Americans.
Team manager, Cummings, conceded that Argentina was the better side but it's clear that if there had been fair play and better refereeing along with substitutions, the score and outcome could have been drastically different. Just imagine the US in the finals of the first World Cup!
After the host, Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in the first World Cup final, the United States played its first exhibition match of their post World Cup, against Club Nacional of Montevideo on August 2nd. With Tracy and McGhee injured, Gonsalves once more slotted into the center-half position, with Mike Bookie and Arnie Oliver on the roster for the first time. Former Boston Wonder Workers and New Bedford player, Bookie netted for the US in a 2-1 defeat. The next day the team lost 4-1 to Uruguayan club Penarol, 4-1, with Gentle getting the lone US goal.
On August 5th, the US departed for Rio de Janeiro and on their first port of call at Rio Grande, Brazil, Cummings received a telegram from Sam Marks, the owner of the Fall River Marksman. Patenaude and Gonsalves were requested to depart immediately for Budapest from Rio to join their club for their European tour. But Cummings did not abide by the instructions, the Fall River pair was going to be the big draw for the Brazilian fans.
On August 9th, the US team docked at the harbor of Santos, at 6:30 AM, and by 4:30 PM were on the field facing their opponents Santos. With Douglas injured, Phil Slone took over between the sticks. The Americans were trailing 3-2 with a brace by Patenaude when Andy Auld hit a rocket-like shot to tie the game. When Arnie Oliver struck the fourth just prior to the final whistle, the Yanks secured a great comeback victory. Or so they thought! After, the referee informed Cummings that regulation time had passed before Oliver had scored, apologizing for his error. This only followed after protest from the Santos team.
The next day they arrived in Sao Paulo via train, once more playing that afternoon against Sao Paulo FC, succumbing 5-3. Again, Patenaude bagged a brace and Moorhouse scored an equalizer before the Paulistas hit two under the floodlights as darkness descended. The Americans were scheduled to play a Sao Paulo League select XI but were told by Fifa that they could not play the game since the League had been suspended by the CBD (Brazilian Federation). This was due to the internal troubles between Rio and Sao Paulo that had forced the Paulistas players out of the Brazilian World Cup squad.
On the August 13th, the US team departed by train for Rio. Four days later they met the Brazilian national team for the fourth official international match of their tour. Billy Gonsalves was once again playing at center-half as he has done during their Brazilian tour to fill the void of the injured Tracy. The Brazilians, making up for their poor World Cup performance, took a 2-0 lead within 27 minutes, but the Americans pulled one back three minutes later. Patenaude took a pass from Slone and was confronted by two full backs. Bert feigned left then broke right and unleashed a powerful shot past the goalie. Before halftime, though, the Brazilians scored again to lead 3-1 at the break.
In the second half, Brazil seemed to put the game out of sight of their opponents when they scored their fourth goal in the 63rd minute. From this point on the Americans would dominate the second half, demonstrating the ''never say die'' attitude of this team. They would continually attack forcing the Brazilian keeper, Joel, to intervene on several occasions to prevent them from scoring. The visitors would be rewarded with their persistence in the 76th minute when Brazil conceded a free-kick directly in front of their goal. While the keeper was directing his wall, defender Italia moved out of position to mark Patenaude. Gonsalves, who was preparing to take the free-kick, saw the gap in the wall and placed his shot accurately into the net.
Shortly after, there was a scramble in front of the Brazilian goal. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced down. The Americans claimed that the ball crossed the goal line but the referee thought otherwise and denied the goal. Nevertheless, the US was not discouraged and would score their third goal in the 84th minute. Auld received a pass wide on the wing and found himself with space to attack the opponent's goal. Just as a defender came to close him down, he struck a powerful shot at goal that Joel stopped. But he was unable to hold onto it and it fell to the feet of Patenaude, who calmly stuck the ball into the back of the net. The Americans continued to strongly attack looking for the equalizer but the South Americans managed to hold on till the final whistle to win 4-3.
Two days later, the Americans rounded up the tour with a game against the famous Botafogo FC, a night game under the floodlights, a 2-1 defeat, with the lone US goal scored by the young outside-right, James Brown. The Americans were disappointed with the ref who wanted to banish captain, Tom Florie who disputed a disallowed Patenaude goal, and the allowing of the Botafogo winner which appeared offside.
Team manager, Wilfred Cummings, had chronicled the perceived overall poor officiating in his report and tabulated some ten disallowed goals during the trip. Patenaude, alone, was denied eight, meaning he was only ‘credited’ with ten goals during the tour. Bert’s tally in a US team jersey, including the pre-World Cup matches, amounted to 14 goals in 11 games!
Bert & Billy (right of picture), on board the SS Southern Cross.
On the evening of August 20th, the US delegation boarded the SS Southern Cross and set sail for home, arriving in Hoboken on the morning of September 2nd. From their 81 day journey, they were welcomed home by relatives and friends and officials of the USFA. There would be little time for rest though, as some of the NY Giants players were scheduled to play that very afternoon! It had been agreed that Bert Patenaude would be assigned to the Newark Americans to fill in for Archie Stark, who had been borrowed by Sam Mark to replace Bert on the Marksmen’s epic European tour.
After returning from their European tour, the Fall River Marksmen begun late the 1930 Fall schedule and on October 23rd they beat Hakoah All-Stars 3-0 in a belated second leg of the Lewis Cup. In what must be some kind of record for a two-legged cup affair of a duration of some 149 days between games, the Fall River Marksmen had completed the treble. Patenaude would miss the 2nd leg because he had yet to agree on terms for a new contract with Sam Mark. However, Bert’s US teammate, Arnie Oliver, had joined Fall River from the New Bedford Whalers and had scored one of the goals against Hakoah with Billy Gonsalves notching the other two. Oliver’s time with the Marksmen was brief, scoring five goals in six matches for the club.
Fall River would go on to top the 1930 Fall season, although Sam Mark had moved the team to New York and merged with the New York Soccer Club (formerly the NY Giants) and renamed the outfit the New York Yankees. However, they had entered the National Challenge Cup as the Marksmen and played under that name as they recaptured the title with a win over the Chicago Bricklayers in a three-game matchup.
Billy Gonsalves would go on to play at the 1934 World Cup for the United States during a period where he won six successive Open National Challenge titles between 1929 and 1935 with Fall River/NY Yankees, New Bedford Whalers, St Louis Stix, Baer & Fuller and the St. Louis Central Brewery. He would finish runner-up in the next three seasons with the St. Louis Shamrock and then went on to win twice again with Brooklyn Hispano in 1943 and 1944, a record of eight titles. It would earn him the nickname as the ‘Babe Ruth of American soccer’, adding to his other monikers such as ‘The Terror’ and ‘Ol’ Piano legs’ because of his thick thighs that packed powerful shots that at one time broke a goalies hand.
Bert Patenaude would not play at the 1934 World Cup in Italy having been suspended by his club Kearny Irish Americans over pay disputes and alleged attempts to break his contract. In 1935 he would go on to win the Open National Challenge Cup with the St. Louis Central Brewery playing alongside Billy. It was his third title, having won it twice with Fall River, and finished as a runner-up the following season with the St. Louis Shamrocks. A prolific scorer throughout his career he is last mentioned in newspapers playing top-flight soccer with the New York Americans in 1940.
Billy and Bert, the ‘Fall River Twins’ were two of the greatest native-born players of their generation. Both were inducted into the National Hall of Fame, Gonsalves in 1950 and Patenaude in 1971. Their achievements with the Fall River Marksmen and the US team at the 1930 World Cup, exemplify a golden period in American soccer history deserving of much more credit and attention.
1930 Fall River Marksmen vs Slavia Prague in Prague, Czech
After returning from their European tour, the Fall River Marksmen begun late the 1930 Fall schedule and on October 23rd they beat Hakoah All-Stars 3-0 in a belated second leg of the Lewis Cup. In what must be some kind of record for a two-legged cup affair of a duration of some 149 days between games, the Fall River Marksmen had completed the treble. Patenaude would miss the 2nd leg because he had yet to agree on terms for a new contract with Sam Mark. However, Bert’s US teammate, Arnie Oliver, had joined Fall River from the New Bedford Whalers and had scored one of the goals against Hakoah with Billy Gonsalves notching the other two. Oliver’s time with the Marksmen was brief, scoring five goals in six matches for the club.
Fall River would go on to top the 1930 Fall season, although Sam Mark had moved the team to New York and merged with the New York Soccer Club (formerly the NY Giants) and renamed the outfit the New York Yankees. However, they had entered the National Challenge Cup as the Marksmen and played under that name as they recaptured the title with a win over the Chicago Bricklayers in a three-game match up.
Billy Gonsalves would go on to play at the 1934 World Cup for the United States during a period where he won six successive Open National Challenge titles between 1929 and 1935 with Fall River/NY Yankees, New Bedford Whalers, St Louis Stix, Baer & Fuller and the St. Louis Central Brewery. He would finish runner-up in the next three seasons with the St. Louis Shamrock and then went on to win twice again with Brooklyn Hispano in 1943 and 1944, a record of eight titles. It would earn him the nickname as the ‘Babe Ruth of American soccer’, adding to his other monikers such as ‘The Terror’ and ‘Ol’ Piano legs’ because of his thick thighs that packed powerful shots that at one time broke a goalies hand.
Bert Patenaude would not play at the 1934 World Cup in Italy having been suspended by his club Kearny Irish Americans over pay disputes and alleged attempts to break his contract. In 1935 he would go on to win the Open National Challenge Cup with the St. Louis Central Brewery playing alongside Billy. It was his third title, having won it twice with Fall River, and finished as a runner-up the following season with the St. Louis Shamrocks. A prolific scorer throughout his career he is last mentioned in newspapers playing top-flight soccer with the New York Americans in 1940.
Billy and Bert, the ‘Fall River Twins’ were two of the greatest native-born players of their generation. Both were inducted into the National Hall of Fame, Gonsalves in 1950 and Patenaude in 1971. Their achievements with the Fall River Marksmen and the US team at the 1930 World Cup, exemplify a golden period in American soccer history deserving of much more credit and attention.
Fall River's Greatest & The 1930 World Cup
By Dean Lockyer@WC1930blogger & James Brown @1930WorldCup