National Soccer League of Chicago
Encyclopedia
The National Soccer League of Chicago, formed by the merger of the Chicago Soccer League and International Soccer Football League of Chicago in 1928, is a semi-professional U.S. soccer league which is the oldest continuously operating soccer league in the United States.
of the ISFL’s Swedish-Americans, became the first U.S. player from outside the north-east capped by the U.S. In 1930, the ISFL created a junior division to give young players an opportunity to develop their talents at a high level en route to a spot on a first division roster. This served to enhance the league’s stability as it grew its own talent pool. In 1938, only the Chicago Soccer League and the International Soccer Football League remained as the top two city leagues. That year, they merged to form the National Soccer League of Chicago.
World War II
hit the NSL hard as most of the top players were inducted in the armed forces. However, the end of the war brought a renaissance when those men returned from the military, to be quickly followed by western and central European immigrants fleeing the devastation caused by the war. A few years later, another wave of immigrants, this time Eastern Europeans fleeing communism, brought another fresh group of talented players into the NSL. These waves of immigration led to an expansion of the league into multiple divisions including junior and youth teams. While centered on Chicago, the league expanded to include teams from towns surrounding the city.
In 1950, the National Soccer League created the first indoor soccer league in the United States. Chicago leagues had played indoor tournaments for decades but this was the first time an annual competitive indoor season was founded. The league featured twelve teams with games broadcast live on radio. This indoor adjunct of the NSL was continued until 1968. That year, the North American Soccer League
was created as a division one league. While the NASL struggled at times and ultimately folded in 1984, it created a national league which drew the best U.S. players away from the traditional regional and city leagues which had dominated U.S. soccer. This brought the slow eclipse of the National Soccer League of Chicago as a major player in U.S. soccer. The collapse of the NASL in 1984 brought a brief resurgence to the NSL, but the founding of Major League Soccer
in 1996, along with the merger of the A-League and USISL in 1997 to form the USL First Division
led to the decline of the NSL. The league continues as a local recreational league, but its teams are no longer the competitive force on the national level they once were.
History
In 1904, the Association Football League (also known as the Chicago Soccer League) was established as an ethnic British league in Chicago, Illinois. While the AFL, and others like it, catered to the British and Irish expatriate communities, there were few opportunities available to the rest of Chicago’s many immigrant groups to play organized, competitive soccer. In 1920, the International Soccer Football League of Chicago, with Frank Foldi as its president, was created to address this shortcoming. With teams from nearly every significant ethnic group in Chicago, it quickly established itself as a major player in Chicago soccer. The league grew in strength as most of the city’s other amateur and semi-professional league collapsed. In 1924, Carl JohnsonCarl Johnson
Carl Johnson may refer to:* Carl Johnson , U.S. soccer player* Carl Jean Johnson, U.S. Army physician and colonel who opposed nuclear testing* Carl "CJ" Johnson, fictional video game character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas...
of the ISFL’s Swedish-Americans, became the first U.S. player from outside the north-east capped by the U.S. In 1930, the ISFL created a junior division to give young players an opportunity to develop their talents at a high level en route to a spot on a first division roster. This served to enhance the league’s stability as it grew its own talent pool. In 1938, only the Chicago Soccer League and the International Soccer Football League remained as the top two city leagues. That year, they merged to form the National Soccer League of Chicago.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hit the NSL hard as most of the top players were inducted in the armed forces. However, the end of the war brought a renaissance when those men returned from the military, to be quickly followed by western and central European immigrants fleeing the devastation caused by the war. A few years later, another wave of immigrants, this time Eastern Europeans fleeing communism, brought another fresh group of talented players into the NSL. These waves of immigration led to an expansion of the league into multiple divisions including junior and youth teams. While centered on Chicago, the league expanded to include teams from towns surrounding the city.
In 1950, the National Soccer League created the first indoor soccer league in the United States. Chicago leagues had played indoor tournaments for decades but this was the first time an annual competitive indoor season was founded. The league featured twelve teams with games broadcast live on radio. This indoor adjunct of the NSL was continued until 1968. That year, the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
was created as a division one league. While the NASL struggled at times and ultimately folded in 1984, it created a national league which drew the best U.S. players away from the traditional regional and city leagues which had dominated U.S. soccer. This brought the slow eclipse of the National Soccer League of Chicago as a major player in U.S. soccer. The collapse of the NASL in 1984 brought a brief resurgence to the NSL, but the founding of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
in 1996, along with the merger of the A-League and USISL in 1997 to form the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
led to the decline of the NSL. The league continues as a local recreational league, but its teams are no longer the competitive force on the national level they once were.
International Soccer Football League
- 1922 Sparta Union
- 1923 Olympia
- 1928 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1930 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1931 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1932 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1933 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1934 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1935 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1936 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
National Soccer League
- 1938 Chicago SpartaChicago SpartaThe Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States...
- 1944 Hakoah Center
- 1948 Vikings
- 1949 A.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1940, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
- 1950 A.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1940, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
- 1951 Slovak
- 1952 Slovak
- 1953 Ukrainian LionsUkrainian LionsUkrainian Lions also known as "Chicago Levy" is an American soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois. The club was founded in 1949 by Ukrainians that had been settled in the Chicago area after the second world war...
- 1954 (tie) A.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1940, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
, Ukrainian Lions and Slovak - 1955 Schwaben
- 1956 (tie) A.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. EaglesA.A.C. Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1940, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
, Ukrainian Lions and Schwaben - 1957 Schwaben
- 1958 Schwaben
- 1959 Schwaben
- 1960 Schwaben
- 1961 Maroons
- 1962 Maroons
- 1963 Schwaben
- 1964 Kickers
- 1965 Hansa
- 1966 Kickers
- 1967 Schwaben
- 1968 Kickers
- 1969 Olympic
- 1970 Olympic
- 1971 Croatans/Ukrainian LionsUkrainian LionsUkrainian Lions also known as "Chicago Levy" is an American soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois. The club was founded in 1949 by Ukrainians that had been settled in the Chicago area after the second world war...
(division winners) - 1972 Maroons/Ukrainian LionsUkrainian LionsUkrainian Lions also known as "Chicago Levy" is an American soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois. The club was founded in 1949 by Ukrainians that had been settled in the Chicago area after the second world war...
(division winners) - 1973 Croatian
- 1974 Ukrainian LionsUkrainian LionsUkrainian Lions also known as "Chicago Levy" is an American soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois. The club was founded in 1949 by Ukrainians that had been settled in the Chicago area after the second world war...
- 1982 Schwaben
- 1990 Schwaben
- 2004 Winged Bull
- 2005 Jahbat F.C.
- 2006 RWB AdriaRWB AdriaRWB Adria is a Croatian American soccer club from Chicago, Illinois. The club currently competes in the National Soccer League, the premier semi-professional soccer competition in Illinois.-History:RWB Adria was founded in 1959 by Croatian immigrants in the city of Chicago...
- 2007 RWB AdriaRWB AdriaRWB Adria is a Croatian American soccer club from Chicago, Illinois. The club currently competes in the National Soccer League, the premier semi-professional soccer competition in Illinois.-History:RWB Adria was founded in 1959 by Croatian immigrants in the city of Chicago...