New England Football League Medal 1890/91

Association football (soccer) was played largely amongst immigrant groups, and therefore, logically, factory mill workers in the 1880s and 1890s, as colleges and mainstream America moved towards American Rugby Football. 

Southeast Massachusetts was home to many such Association football teams, as was bordering northern Rhode Island. Fall River Massachusetts, a mill town, was a hotbed of such teams, one of which was the Fall River County St. Rovers (formed in 1884).

This silver and enamel medal was awarded to a player on the Rovers, who came in second place to the Pawtucket Free Wanderers (RI) in the championship game of the New England Football League for the 1890/91 season. Some 5000 spectators viewed the event.

We research Association football, and the many variants of the game that were an integral part of the development and history of modern day football.

Picked up more recently and added to the blog on July 5, 2017, the Runners-Up medal from the 1991 - 1892 season.

1889 Harvard Pewter Trophy Mug

Harvard pewter football trophy mug, Class Championship, 1889, belonging to Thomas William Slocum, class of 1890. Slocum was the captain of the 1890 class eleven team for four years. The class championship was won when 92' beat 93', 90' beat 91' and 90' beat 92' in 1889. There was no series in 1886 or 1888, and in 1887 no championship was awarded since all the games were not played "as weather was too cold".  Slocum was also the treasurer of the HUFBA (Harvard University Foot Ball Association) 1888 - 1889.

1893 Dartmouth Team Photo

Cabinet Card of the 1893 Dartmouth football team. Below, the reverse of the card lists the players, their positions and several game scores. It also refers to being champions in 1893 and 1894 - of the Triangular Football League, which at the time included Williams, Amherst and Dartmouth, a subset of their regular schedule. It is interesting to note that the photographer is from Trenton, NJ. Love the crutches in front, which, as it turned out, were as much a part of football paraphernalia as cleats or vests.

1896 Johnny Poe to William Church Telegram

1896 telegram with great associations. Sent from "Johnny" Poe Jr. (played at Princeton, as did his five brothers), and in his hand, to Princeton All-American William Church in regards to officiating at a Navy game in Annapolis. This telegram informs Church that Marshall "Ma" Newell (one of only four individuals who was a four-time All-American; played for Harvard) and Riggs (either Jesse or his brother Dudley, both Princeton All-Americans) were officiating the game. Newell would die from a railroad accident the following year.