The 1890 American Cup was the sixth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association (AFA). The Fall River Olympics won their first title becoming the second Fall River team to do so after the Rovers had won the previous two editions.
Participants
| State | City | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | Fall River | East Ends |
| Olympics | ||
| Rover F.C. | ||
| New Jersey | Paterson | Paterson F.B.C. |
| Paterson Thistle | ||
| Newark | Clark O.N.T. | |
| Caledonian Club | ||
| Kearny | Kearny Rangers | |
| Trenton | Trenton F.B.C. | |
| New York | Brooklyn | Longfellows |
| New York | Thistle | |
| Rhode Island | Lincoln | Lonsdale |
| Pawtucket | Free Wanderers | |
| Providence | Providence Athletics |
First round
The Fall River Rovers and Pawtucket Free Wanderers match was protested because of a dispute regarding gate receipts. The AFA ordered the game replayed. The Rovers disagreed with the decision and elected to withdraw from the Association.[1] Pawtucket therefore was placed in the next round.
Providence Athletics v Lonsdale
| October 5, 1889 | Providence Athletics | 3-1 | Lonsdale | Olneyville, RI |
| 3:30 PM | Fagen  60'Morrison 120', |
[2] | 120' |
Stadium: Eagle Street grounds Attendance: 600 Referee: Robert Finley(Pawtucket) |
| Note: Providence: GK Robert Cook, FB M. Muirhead, McDonald, HB A. Cook, J. Dalton, G. Clegg, LW A. Hellborne, Thomas Morrison, RW J. Attewell, J. Mannion, C Barney Fagan. Lonsdale: GK Baine, FB McIntyre, McKay, HB Read, Patterson, Googhegan, LW Jenkins, Hector, RW O’Neil, Fields, C McClagat. |
||||
Fall River Olympics v Fall River East Ends
| October 5, 1889 | Fall River Olympics | 6–3 | Fall River East Ends | Fall River, MA |
| 3:45 PM | Clarkson 3' Ingham 8' 13'Finlan 55' 60'Thomas Taylor |
[3] | Snape 12' 120', |
Stadium: County street grounds Attendance: 1000 Referee: Harry Mellor (Pawtucket) |
| Note: Olympics: GK Harwood, FB Stewart, Lee, HB James Leigh, Burgess, Whittaker, RW Clarkson, Finlan, LW John Randall, Thomas Taylor, C Ingham. EastEnds: GK Marshall, FB Atley, Stanton, HB Sharrocks, Mercer, J. Foley, RW Tobin, P. Farnell, LW J. Taylor, Sunderland, C Snape. |
||||
Paterson Thistle v Kearny Rovers
| October 12, 1889 | Paterson Thistle | 3-5 | Kearny Rovers | Paterson, NJ |
| 3:00 PM | [4] | Stadium: Olympic grounds |
Fall River Rovers v Pawtucket Free Wanderers
| October 12, 1889 | Fall River Rovers | 4–1 | Pawtucket Free Wanderers | Fall River, MA |
| 3:30 PM | Cornell 3' Bell , |
[5] | H.Stewart 39' (o.g.) |
Attendance: 3400 Referee: Barr(Lonsdale) |
| Note: Rovers: GK Shea, FB Bradley, Lonsdale, HB Adams, Waring(c), Buckley, RW Bell, Blakeley, LW Wilde, Duff, C Connell. Pawtucket: GK Hardy, FB Harry Stewart, Love, HB Smith, Devanney, Lennox, RW Sandiland, Jeffrey, LW Murray, Mularkey, C Graham. |
||||
Caledonian v Thistle
| October 12, 1889 | Caledonian | 1-15 | Thistle | Kearny, NJ |
| [6] | Stadium: ONT grounds |
Brooklyn Longfellows v O.N.T.
| October 12, 1889 | Brooklyn Longfellows | 3-2 | O.N.T. | Ridgewood baseball grounds |
| 3:30 PM | [7] | Referee: A.Smedley | ||
| Note: Longfellows: GK M. Gorvin, DF T. Fay, T. Masterton, MF T. Pope, T. Court, R. Neave, FW J. Green, J. McConnell, T. Brockington, C. Gorvin, J. Lennon. O.N.T.: GK T. Hughes, DF A. Lyon, W. Walker, MF J. Polisher, C. Alsopp, G. Williams, FW C. Bradley, A. Smith, T. Henderson, W. Downs, A. Singleton, L. D. Flynn. |
||||
Trenton v Paterson
| November 2, 1889 | Trenton | 2-0 | Paterson | Trenton, NJ |
| 3:30 PM | A. Cartiledge 44' Joe James |
[8][9] | Stadium: Hetzel’s Grove |
Second round
Kearny Rovers v Brooklyn Longfellows
| November 23, 1889 | Kearny Rovers | 4-3 | Brooklyn Longfellows | Kearny, NJ |
| [10] | Stadium: O.N.T. grounds Referee: Patrick Hughes (O.N.T.) | |||
| Note: Rovers: GK J. Howarth, DF H. Holden, Jack Hood, MF T. Cranor, Joe Swithemby, W. Barr, FW John Swithemby, F. Costello, A. Cutler, James Hood, J. Connolly. Longfellows: GK W. Gordon, DF T. Fay, T. Masterson, MF T. Pope, D. Campbell, R. Reaves, FW T. Green, J. Taylor, W. Paul, C. Gorvin, J. Leonard. |
||||
Trenton v Thistles
| November 23, 1889 | Trenton | 2-2 | Thistles | Trenton, NJ |
| 4:00 PM | J.James A.Cooper |
[11] | 60' 120' |
Stadium: Hetzel grounds Attendance: 400 Referee: A.Meadow |
| Note: Trenton- G Harry Kelsall, FB G. Allman, R. Rhodes, HB W. Cooper, J. Irwin, T. Titley, RF A. Cooper, J. James, LF A. Cartidge, D. Baggeley, CF Elder Thistle- G J. Cameron, FB W. Patrick, S. Russell, HB G. Kirk, T. Duncan, A. Toylie, RF A. Barnoor, J. Adams, LF E. T. Parvis, D. Barbeur, CF R. Robertson |
||||
Pawtucket Free Wanderes v Providence Athletics
| December 14, 1889 | Pawtucket Free Wanderes | 4–2 | Providence Athletics | Pawtucket, RI |
| [12] | Stadium: Dexter Street rounds Attendance: 600 Referee: Hood (Kearney) | |||
| Note: Pawtucket: GK Shea, FB Harry Stuart, Love, HB Hardy, Devanney, Finn, RW Sandilands, Jeffrey, LW Murray, Monahan, C Graham. Providence: GK Bolan, FB Oborne, McDonald, HB M. Muirhead, J. Dalton, Guy, LW Fagin, J. Manionn, RW Booth, Guy, C A. Hellborne. |
||||
replays
Thistles v Trenton
| November 30, 1889 | Thistles | 2-3 | Trenton | Weehawken |
| 4:00 PM | [13] | |||
| Note: Trenton- G Harry Kelsall, FB G. Allman, R. Rhodes, HB W. Cooper, A. Cooper, J. James, I. Irwin FW J. James, T. Titley, L. Byatt, D. Baggeley | ||||
Semifinals
Pawtucket Free Wanderers v Fall River Olympics
| January 18, 1890 | Pawtucket Free Wanderers | 0–4 | Fall River Olympics | Pawtucket, RI |
| 3:05 PM | [14] | Taylor 3' Clarkson 33'Slater 53'Ingham 61' |
Stadium: Dexter street grounds Attendance: 3000 Referee: Mr. Walker (New York) | |
| Note: Olympics: GK Cornell, FB Harwood(c), Jack Stuart, HB Simon Burgess, Abe Pilling, Whittaker, RW Jimmy Clarkson, Finlan, LW Taylor, Slater, C Ingham. Pawtucket: GK J. Shea, FB Love, Harry Stuart(c), HB Devanney, David Smith, Finn, RW Sandilands, Jeffrey, LW Murray, Mullarkey, C Graham. |
||||
Kearny Rovers v Trenton
| January 18, 1890 | Kearny Rovers | 5-1 | Trenton | Kearny, NJ |
| Jack Swithemby Connolly Jimmy Hood McNabb Barr |
[15] | Carthege |
Stadium: O.N.T. grounds Attendance: 600 | |
| Note: Kearny: GK Cutler, FB Holden, John Hood, HB Crans, Joe Swithemby, Howarth, FW McNabb, Jack Swithemby, Barr, Connelly, James Hood. Trenton: GK W. Bradshaw, FB Almon, Rhodes, HB James, Irwin, Cooper, FW Ward, J. Bradshaw, Heaton, Carthege, Byat. |
||||
Final
Fall River Olympics v Kearny Rovers
| April 5, 1890 | Fall River Olympics | 4–3 | Kearny Rovers | Pawtucket, RI |
| 3:30 PM | Taylor 2' Ingham 4'Clarkson 11'Pilling 23' |
[16] | 59' Hood 120' |
Stadium: Dexter street grounds Attendance: 5000 Referee: William Turner (Paterson Thistles) |
| Note: Olympics: GK William Connell, FB Richard Harwood, John Stuart, HB Simon Burgess, Abraham Pilling, James Whittaker, RW James Clarkson, John Finlan, LW Tommy Taylor, Thomas Slater, C Thomas Ingham. Rovers: GK Cutler, FB Holden, John Hood, HB Joe Swithemby, Howarth, Crann, RW Woods, John Swithemby, LW Connelly, James Hood, C Barr, Jameson. |
||||
American Cup bracket
| First Round | Second Round | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||||||
| Fall River Rovers | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Free Wanderers[a] | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Free Wanderers | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Athletics | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Athletics | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Lonsdale | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Free Wanderers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Olympics | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Olympics | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| East Ends | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||||||||
|
| Olympics | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Kearny Rovers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Paterson Thistle | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Kearny Rovers | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Kearny Rovers | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Longfellows | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Longfellows | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Clark O.N.T. | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Kearny Rovers | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Trenton | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Trenton | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Paterson | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Trenton | 2-3 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| NY Thistle | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| Caledonian | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
|
| NY Thistle | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
Notes;
- ^ Game was ordered replayed, Fall River Rovers did not show for replay, Free Wanderers awarded the win
References
- ^ "Rover Bolt". Fall River Globe. October 23, 1889. Retrieved July 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Football at Olneyville". Sunday Telegram. Providence, RI. October 6, 1889. p.6 col.5. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ "Football Galore". Fall River Globe. October 7, 1889. p.4 col.2. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Condensed Paragraphs". (October 14, 1889). The Morning Call, p.1 col.8
- ^ "Glorious Victory". Fall River Daily Herald. October 14, 1889. p.4 col.2-3. Retrieved July 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Football Contests". Newark Sunday Call. October 13, 1889. p.6 col.3. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ "Foot Ball at Ridgewood Park". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 13, 1889. p.18 col.4. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "In the Sporting World". The Times. November 4, 1889. p.3 col.3. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Trenton Kickers Win". Daily True American. Trenton, NJ. November 4, 1889. p.5 col.4. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Baseball And Other Sports" (PDF). Newark Evening News. November 25, 1889. p.3 col.1. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "All Around Town". The Times. November 25, 1889. p.3 col.1. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "City Chat". (December 16, 1889). Pawtucket Evening Times, p.4 col.1-2
- ^ "Now for the Cup". Trenton Sunday Advertiser. December 1, 1889. p.1 col.3. Retrieved October 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Saturday's Football Game". (January 20, 1890). Pawtucket Evening Times, p.1 col.6
- ^ "Football". (January 23, 1890). The Sun, p.6 col.6
- ^ "World Of Sports". (April 6, 1890). Sunday Telegram, p.5 col.1
Sources
