alternatehistory.com

WHAT? Redux you say? Are you stealing from CalBear you say? No, i simply make a homage to him since i dont know how do do the title:)

Part 1: A new beginning 1900-1920

In 1900 there were several leagues of football in the USA and the influx of English immigrants made the game a big thing in British dominated areas. After much debate the USAFA(USAFA(s) as it was called in the USA) was founded in Boston and the guidelines were drawn up.

The most controversially was that the representatives from the northern part wanted a integrated league system but the representatives from the south didn’t want negroes in a white team. That was solved in 1909 when a compromise was made. A team from the former rebel states didn’t have to integrate the teams, but they had to play a integrated team if they were in the same league. Another factor was the long distances in USA and the fact that trains were the main source of transportation. The association was in danger of collapsing without getting of the ground, but the first president of the association, a son of a Swedish immigrant, John Carlsson, made a decision to split the association into several smaller federations with USAFA as the main governing body.

There was one league called New England federation with the New England states. Texas was a own federation because of its size and so on. The season was spring-autum with the games before July interfederation and the games in August and September playoffs between federations. In October the nations east of the Mississippi would have their final games and the federations west of the river would have their final games. In November the grand final was to be played between the East and West champions.

Another new invention for the American sports system was the promotion and relegation system and not a closed league that baseball used and that other sports would have. That together with the opportunity for afro-americans to play made the sport big in many places

In 1910 the first games were played and some states lacked teams altogether, but others had many teams. Teams rose from the ground, especially in the big cities. Some of the clubs that would be big in the future was founded already in 1910. New York City alone had 7 teams the first year:
AFC Queens, Harlem fotballers united, Bronx united, Manhattan cavaliers, Inter Milan(a almost exclusive Italian immigrant club and would remain so for many years), Long Island packmen and the New York Masters.

1910 east victors were the Bronx united and the west victors were the San Fransisco miners with miners taking the title.

1911 east victors were again the Bronx united and this time they won against the Huston Texans.

In 1912 the leaguesystem settled down and became even more organized. Inside the different federation lower leagues grew. The North east federation had the following system:
First division 10 teams, 2 relegated
Second division 10 teams, 2 promoted and 1 relegated, 1 team played playoff to stay in the league
Third division that was the lowest federationrun 10 teams, 2 promoted, 1 playing promotion playoff and 2 relegated.
Below the third division there were divisions from each state.
New York state had the following system:
Forth division New York upstate and downstate
Fith division east, west south and north New York

In 1913 the Washington presidents won the east federation cup and San Antonio FC won the west federation and in the final played in Vicksburg San Antonio won after double over time.

The 1914 season was overshadowed by the beginning of the war in Europe. That led to the all black team of Atlanta Southerners winning the national championship.

The 1915-17 seasons were played under the shadow of war and when USA declared war on Germany in 1917 many German immigrants playing didn’t play the away games due to concerns of their well-being.

The 1918 season was cancelled because many men were drafted into the army, but the negroteams played a championship that the Harlem footballers united won.

In 1919 the teams prepared for the 10th year celebration in 1920 and the prospect of a better tomorrow without war. Many soldiers that never heard of football had come in touch with the game for the first time when fighting side by side with British soldiers that were fanatical about the game. They would mean a great deal to advance the popularity of the sport over the coming years.


Part 2: Building a future 1921-1939
Part 3: War and peace 1940 – 1949
Part 4: International start 1950 – 1959
Part 5: Unification 1960 – 1971
Part 6: A time of crisis 1972 – 1981
Part 7: Reaching for glory 1982 – 1995
Part 8: A truly open market 1996- 2000
Part 9: In the shadow of the towers 2001 - 2010

And i promisse one thing: The story will look better in the coming updates and no major transferrelated stories will happen untill chapter 6 at the earliest to have as few butterflies as possible and the fact that i want a slow start and the fact that i simply know to few players before the 1980ths
Top