The 1888 American Cup was the fourth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association

American Football Association

American Football Association was the first attempt in the United States to form an organizing soccer body. It is best known for being the second oldest sports league to form, behind Major League Baseball in 1876, as well as being the oldest soccer league in the United States. The Association was...

. Having expanded into the New England district the first new champions came from Fall River, Massachusetts after Clark ONT of Newark had won the previous three editions. The Rovers defeated the Newark Almas in the final.

Participants

Previously only the New York and New Jersey districts were represented. With the addition of the New England district, the tournament now included five new teams from three different states. The draw was held on September 17, 1887. In order to reduce travel the teams were drawn in two sections with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts teams in the first section and the remaining teams in the second section. The fifteen entrants were as follows:

• New Jersey- Trenton, Paterson, Clark O.N.T.
  Clark O.N.T.
  Clark O.N.T., was a U.S. soccer team sponsored by the Clark Thread Company. The team competed in the annual American Cup, winning the first three championships.-Name:...
  
  , Alma, Tiffany Rovers, Kearny Rangers, and Newark Caledonian.
• New York- Riverside, Thistle, and New York.
• New England- Ansonia, Providence Athletics, Pawtucket Free Wanderers, Fall River Rovers
  Fall River Rovers
  Fall River Rovers were a United States soccer club, based in Fall River, Massachusetts. They won the 1888 and 1889 American Cups as well as the 1917 National Challenge Cup. In 1921 Rovers were disbanded and a new team, Fall River United were formed to enter the newly established American Soccer...
  
  , Fall River East Ends.

First round

Riversides drew a bye.

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Rovers: GK J.Clancy, DF T.Crann, W.Flanning, MF M.O'Hara, J.Selby, D.Dwyer, FW C.Gray, A.Hinckley, W.Hinckley, J.Morton, M.Down. Paterson: GK W.Doney, DF J.Smallwood, B.Henshall, MF J.Henshall, G.Henshall, FW T.Bisland, T.Evans, H.Curry, W.Warburton, W.Wyatt, J.Sutton
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Alma: GK F.Farrow, DF G.Wright, F.McDonald, MF E.Morton, F.Britchford, R.Pattison, FW J.Lucas, F.Cornall, T.Bright, J.Gray, P.Brennan. Caledonian: GK H.Eddis, DF W.McCormick, John Hood, MF J.Lindsay, John Hearne, W.McNeil, FW J.McWilliams, J.Low, S.Hood, R.Barr, James Hearne.
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Rovers: Long, Lonsdale, Bradley, Thomas, Waring, Adams, Bed, Blakely, Wild, Duff, Buckley. East Ends: Bracknell, Whittle, Karzenski, Coupe, Shoarocks, Lord, Wild, Whittle, King, Darlington, Foley.
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Providence: GK Crone, DF Jack North, Osborne, MF Jerome, Morgan, Tomlinson, FW Such, Start, Axon, Ambler, Heliborne.
Pawtucket: GK Bosch, DF Smith, Reye, MF Conley, Pilling, Jack McGuire, FW Hardy, Harry Stewart, John Stewart, Sunderland, Lennox.
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Second round

Clark ONT had experienced their first cup-tie loss at the hands of the Almas. ONT lodged a protest on two counts. The first goal obtained by the Almas was awarded by the referee when a shot at goal was struck by Holden with his arm. ONT alleged that the foul was not properly done. The second issue concerned a goal by ONT that was disallowed since it was from a free kick. ONT claimed that the ball was touched by Jack Swithemby before Howarth scored. At a meeting the following week, the AFA did not sustain the referee's decisions and called for a replay.

Alma: GK F.Farrow, DF F.McDonald, B.Fagan, MF E.Morton, F.Britchford, G.Wright, FW F.Cornall, J.Lucas, T.Bright, A.Mountford, J.Gray. ONT: GK P.Hughes, DF H.Holden, A.Pallister, MF J.Howarth, Joe Swithemby, P.Flynn, FW J.Swarbrick, J.Connolly, Jack Swithemby, J.McGurck, H.Fisher.
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Rovers: GK Lang, DF Lonsdale, Bradley, MF Waring, Buckley, Adams, FW Bell, Brookshaw, Wilde, Duff, Blakely. Pawtucket: GK Booth, DF Smith, J.Stewart, MF Pilling, Love, Conley, FW Harding, H.Stewart, Sandilands, McGuire, Lennox.
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Rangers: GK J.Smith, DF E.Walker, W.Lines, MF R.McDonald, T.Spencer, W.Allsopp, FW Walter Taylor, G.Sargeant, J.Campbell, W.Turner, E.Stark. Ansonia: GK W.Winfield, DF C.Williams(c), J.Williams, MF E.Wood, J.Lewis, J.Davidson, FW C.Williams, G.Bell, C.Wood, A.Wherle, M.McHale.
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replay

Semifinals

Rovers: GK Mullen, DF Bradley, Lonsdale, MF Buckley, Waring, Adams, FW Bell, Bruckshaw, Blakeley, Wilds, Duff. Rangers: GK J.H.Smith, DF W.Lines, L.Walker, MF R.McDonald, H.Bennett, W.Allsop, FW W.Taylor, G.Sargent, T.Spencer, A.Campbell, E.Stark.
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Alma: GK H.Farron, DF E.Morton, F.McDonald, MF P.Fagin, F.Britchford, R.Patterson, FW P.Brennan, J.Lucas, T.Bright, H.Maxfield, J.Gray.

Final

Rovers: GK J.Mullin, DF R.Lonsdale, F.Baddeley, MF J.Buckley, H.Waring, H.Adams, FW R.Bell, T.Brookshall, J.Blakeley, H.Wilde, C.Duff. Alma: GK F.Farrow, DF F.McDonald, W.Fagin, MF E.Morton, R.Patterson, F.Britchford, FW P.Garron, F.Cornall, T.Bught, J.Gray, H.Maxfield.

Sources

• Outing
• National Police Gazette
• New York Herald
• New York Times
• Spirit of the Times
• Trenton Times
• Fall River Herald
• Daily Advertiser
• Evening News
• Sunday Call