Bill Fiedler
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" John Fiedler (January 10, 1910 - September, 1985) was an American
soccer midfielder
who played seven seasons in the American Soccer League
. He was on the U.S. national soccer team
at both the 1934 FIFA World Cup
and 1936 Summer Olympics
. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
, winning the 1935 league championship and the 1936 U.S. Open Cup title. In the Open Cup series, Fiedler scored one of the Philadelphia goals in its 2-2 away tie with the St. Louis Shamrocks
.http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usacuphist.html At some point, he moved to Philadelphia Passon. He left the ASL in 1940.
, but did not see time in the lone U.S. game of the cup, a 7-1 loss to eventual champion Italy
.http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=3/teams/team=43921.html He later played with the national team in an unofficial game with Scotland
on June 9, 1935.http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usa-intres-det69.html A year later, Fiedler was part of the U.S. team
at the 1936 Summer Olympics
. The U.S. lost its only game of the tournament 1-0 to Italy.http://www.rsssf.com/tableso/ol1936f-det.html In that game, “Fiedler suffered torn ligaments in his knee when pushed roughly by Piccini, of the rival team. Weingartner (the referee) "put the thumb" on the Italian, ordering him from the game. Three times he tried to get Piccini to leave but finally gave up. A half dozen Italian players swarmed over the referee, pinning his hands to his sides and clamping hands over his mouth. The game was formally finished with Piccini still in the line up."http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1936.html
Fiedler died in September, 1985 at the age of 75.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who played seven seasons in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. He was on the U.S. national soccer team
United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics
The United States competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The Americans were second in the medals table to Germany. 358 competitors, 313 men and 46 women, took part in 126 events in 21 sports.-Athletics:...
at both the 1934 FIFA World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
and 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Professional career
Fiedler began his professional career in 1933 with the Philadelphia German-Americans in the American Soccer LeagueAmerican Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
, winning the 1935 league championship and the 1936 U.S. Open Cup title. In the Open Cup series, Fiedler scored one of the Philadelphia goals in its 2-2 away tie with the St. Louis Shamrocks
St. Louis Shamrocks (1935-1938)
St. Louis Shamrocks was an American soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They competed in the St. Louis Association Football League, winning two championships....
.http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usacuphist.html At some point, he moved to Philadelphia Passon. He left the ASL in 1940.
National and Olympic team
Fiedler was called into the for the 1934 FIFA World Cup1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
, but did not see time in the lone U.S. game of the cup, a 7-1 loss to eventual champion Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=3/teams/team=43921.html He later played with the national team in an unofficial game with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on June 9, 1935.http://www.rsssf.com/tablesu/usa-intres-det69.html A year later, Fiedler was part of the U.S. team
United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics
The United States competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The Americans were second in the medals table to Germany. 358 competitors, 313 men and 46 women, took part in 126 events in 21 sports.-Athletics:...
at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Olympic football tournament, won by Italy, has come to share an affinity with the political backdrop against which it was being played; in terms of the history of football, however, the tournament suffered as a reaction to the development of the FIFA World Cup.The introduction of the first...
. The U.S. lost its only game of the tournament 1-0 to Italy.http://www.rsssf.com/tableso/ol1936f-det.html In that game, “Fiedler suffered torn ligaments in his knee when pushed roughly by Piccini, of the rival team. Weingartner (the referee) "put the thumb" on the Italian, ordering him from the game. Three times he tried to get Piccini to leave but finally gave up. A half dozen Italian players swarmed over the referee, pinning his hands to his sides and clamping hands over his mouth. The game was formally finished with Piccini still in the line up."http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1936.html
Fiedler died in September, 1985 at the age of 75.