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1.1 :Football In New England

Part I Fall River: Football City, Massachusetts

Boasting only a modest population of around 87.000, the small Massachusetts city has a rich and vibrant footballing history and has two of New England’s giants representing the city both domestic and abroad.

In the late 19th century, the area became the birthplace of the textile industry in New England. It is estimated that there were about 43 factories in the Fall River area. To sustain this economic boom, immigrant labour was needed. While some of the new arrivals where French Canadian and Irish, many also where from Scotland and Lancashire, some of the earliest strongholds of the game back in Europe. Many of them started founding clubs shortly after they arrived in the country. During a meeting held on County Street on February 8th 1884, The Fall River Rovers Football Club was created. The team joined the Bristol County Football Association in 1885. During this time there were also other teams in the area. Most notably Fall River East Ends, Fall River Pan Americans and most importantly Fall River Olympics, the precursor to the Marksmen.

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Fig 1.1: The current Rovers crest featuring the iconic R design, a modification of the R they sported on their first kits.

While there wasn’t a real domestic league, but rather several competitions taking place around the country most notably around Providence and Boston, the Fall River teams did play some matches around the country and at this time were affiliated with the Pan American Cup. Between 1888 and 1891 teams from Fall River won it five times in succession. With the Rovers winning the inaugural cup in 1888, and again in 1889. In 1891 Rovers along with Olympics and East Enders were the founding members of the New England League, the first attempt at a football league in the country. Rovers were the first team from Fall River to win the title in 1909, in 1915 they won their second title. In 1917 Rovers played J&P Coats (later to be renamed Pawtucket Rangers) in the first final of the New England Cup, then named The Times Cup. They beat their hosts from Pawtucket 3-0, and brought the first NE Cup home to Fall River.

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Fig 1.2:The 1917 Fall River Rover Team posing with the Pan American cup and the first NEFA cup, then named the Times Cup.

During this time Rovers also developed an international rivalry with Bethlehem Steel from the United States. They contested the final of the Pan American Cup on 3 occasions between 1916 and 1918. The 1916 and 1917 editions were both hosted in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and proved to be a major catalyst for the game in New England. With around 10,000 in attendance, the 1916 edition provided nothing short of drama as The Steelmen where awarded a contentious penalty. That goal was enough to win the cup and saw the Fall River team’s hopes dashed. The next year they got their revenge, scoring an early winner to bring back the cup to Fall River. Some of the stars of the Rovers squad where Thomas Swords and Chick Albin. Both Fall River natives, and the first players to be capped for the New England national Team.

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Fig 1.3: Thomas "Tommy" Swords, First captain of the New England National Football Team

Seeing teams in the United States and Canada forming a national league and the first professional teams, made several club officials ponder the possibility of a nationwide league for New England to enhance the positions of their teams in the North American footballing landscape. In 1921 the New England League merged with the Southern New England League to form the New England Association Football League. Having so many teams in such a small locale, officials of all Fall River clubs proposed the idea to create a single professional club for the city. While an agreement was reached, this did not sit well with the Rovers players and fans. They had the board of the club ousted and appointed new members from among themselves. This single action was the direct cause of the creation of their fiercest rival, The Marksmen.
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Fig: 1.4: The current crest of the Fall River Marksmen

Sam Mark, A Massachusetts baseball and basketball promoter, was at first not a fan of football. But hearing about the crowds the Rovers attracted made him join the club as a member of the board in 1919. After being ousted from the board he bought the Fall River East Ends in 1922, merging the club with the Fall River Olympics to create a direct rival for the Rovers, who were up to that point where considered the best team in New England. Later he renamed the club The Marksmen. Mark was willing to invest in a team, and one of the first moves he did was the building of a new stadium. North Tiverton, just over the state line was chosen as a way to circumvent Massachusetts’ blue laws so they could play on a sunday. Because they technically do not play in Fall River itself, Rover fans mockingly refer to Marksmen as “North Tiverton”. Mark’s Stadium is the first example of a football specific stadium in North America and remains the Marksmen’s home to this day. He also secured the signings of several high profile players such as Bethlehem Steel’s Harold Britain and Bill McPherson from the Scottish side Beith F.C.
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Fig 1.5: Fall River Rovers Stadium, Unknown Date

Under Sam Mark, The Marksmen became a powerhouse in New England Football. Almost eclipsing their rivals. They were crowned champions of New England 7 times between 1920 and 1930. In 1931 they were the first club to complete a treble, Winning the NESL title, the Pan-American Cup and the NEFA cup. A feat Rovers only managed to duplicate in 1968, during their second golden age. During this period they also embarked on several tours of Europe playing against the likes of Sparta Prague, Austria Wien and Ferencvaros. This period did not last however. As the effects of the Great Depression set in, most football clubs in North America found it hard to survive. As attendances fell at football games, Mark was looking for other more lucrative markets.
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Fig 1.6: The 1931 Fall River Marksmen posing with the Pan American Cup


His first attempt was buying Boston F.C, as a means to eventually relocate the Marksmen there. The NEFA however did not allow the ownership of two teams, so Mark was forced to sell Boston F.C. Frustrated with the NEFA’s regulations, Mark sold the Fall River Marksmen in 1932 and founded the New York Yankees in the United States. During the brief period the Yankees were active, despite winning one USL championship, the club did not prove to be a financial success. In 1933 Mark returned to Fall River, eventually reacquiring the Marksmen in 1934.


Coming Soon: Part II: The rebirth of Football and the beginning of the Rovers Second Golden Age.
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