Paterson True Blues
Encyclopedia
Paterson True Blues was a professional U.S. soccer team founded in 1887 and disestablished after 1915. The True Blues, based out of Paterson, New Jersey
, are best known as one of the dominant soccer teams of its era and one of the first U.S. soccer dynasties.
area of Paterson, Kearny and Newark began producing dozens of talented teams which drew their rosters from the region's textile mills, the True Blues themselves were born in 1887. Their first near success came in the 1894 American Football Association
’s American Cup
. That year, Paterson went to the final before falling to the Pawtucket Olympics. Paterson won its first Cup title in 1896 under manager Herbert Newton. They would be the only Paterson team to win the American Cup. Their second triumph came in 1908 guided by John Watt while the third was in 1913
with manager John Hall. In 1897, Paterson joined the National Association Football League, the top professional league in the U.S. at the time. Paterson immediately established itself as the best in the league, taking the championship in its first season. Paterson won its second league title the next season, but at the turn of the century, soccer in the U.S. went into a brief decline. As a result, both the NAFBL and the American Cup were suspended. The Cup resumed play in 1905 and the NAFBL in 1907. They rejoined the NAFBL and remained in the league until 1915. In December 1913, Paterson travelled to St. Louis to match up against the best of the St. Louis Soccer League
. They fell in their first game against an SLSL All Star team before defeated Columbian Athletic Club and tying St. Leo's, the city’s dominant team. After finishing the 1914-1915 NAFBL season at the bottom of the standings with an 0-14-2 record, Paterson withdrew from the league.
League Championship
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, are best known as one of the dominant soccer teams of its era and one of the first U.S. soccer dynasties.
History
In the late 19th century, the northern New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
area of Paterson, Kearny and Newark began producing dozens of talented teams which drew their rosters from the region's textile mills, the True Blues themselves were born in 1887. Their first near success came in the 1894 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...
’s American Cup
American Cup
The American Cup was the first major U.S. soccer competition open to teams beyond a single league. It was first held in 1885. In the 1910s, it gradually declined in importance with the establishment of the National Challenge Cup...
. That year, Paterson went to the final before falling to the Pawtucket Olympics. Paterson won its first Cup title in 1896 under manager Herbert Newton. They would be the only Paterson team to win the American Cup. Their second triumph came in 1908 guided by John Watt while the third was in 1913
1913 American Cup
The 1913 American Cup was the annual open cup held by the American Football Association. This marked the twelfth time a New Jersey team won the tournament and the third time for this year's winner the Paterson True Blues. It took three matches for them to overcome their final opponents Tacony of...
with manager John Hall. In 1897, Paterson joined the National Association Football League, the top professional league in the U.S. at the time. Paterson immediately established itself as the best in the league, taking the championship in its first season. Paterson won its second league title the next season, but at the turn of the century, soccer in the U.S. went into a brief decline. As a result, both the NAFBL and the American Cup were suspended. The Cup resumed play in 1905 and the NAFBL in 1907. They rejoined the NAFBL and remained in the league until 1915. In December 1913, Paterson travelled to St. Louis to match up against the best of the St. Louis Soccer League
St. Louis Soccer League
The St. Louis Soccer League was a soccer league based in St. Louis, Missouri, that existed from 1907 to 1938. At its founding, it was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States.-History:...
. They fell in their first game against an SLSL All Star team before defeated Columbian Athletic Club and tying St. Leo's, the city’s dominant team. After finishing the 1914-1915 NAFBL season at the bottom of the standings with an 0-14-2 record, Paterson withdrew from the league.
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Reg. Season | American Cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1893/94 | ? | ? | Final |
| 1894/95 | ? | ? | |
| 1895/96 | ? | ? | Champion |
| 1896/97 | ? | ? | Final |
| 1897/98 | NAFBL | 1st | Final |
| 1898/99 | NAFBL | 1st | N/A |
| 1899/1900 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1900/1901 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1901/02 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1902/03 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1903/04 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1904/05 | ? | ? | N/A |
| 1905/06 | ? | ? | Final |
| 1906/07 | NAFBL | 3rd | ? |
| 1907/08 | NAFBL | 4th | Final |
| 1908/09 | NAFBL | 4th | Champion |
| 1909/10 | NAFBL | 5th | Semifinal |
| 1910/11 | NAFBL | 6th | Quarterfinals |
| 1911/12 | NAFBL | 3rd | ? |
| 1912/13 | NAFBL | 2nd | Champion |
| 1913/14 | NAFBL | 8th | Quarterfinal |
| 1914/15 | NAFBL | 9th | First round |
Honors
American CupAmerican Cup
The American Cup was the first major U.S. soccer competition open to teams beyond a single league. It was first held in 1885. In the 1910s, it gradually declined in importance with the establishment of the National Challenge Cup...
- Winner (3): 1896, 1909, 1913
- Runner Up (5): 1894, 1897, 1898, 1906, 1908
League Championship
- Winner (2): 1898, 1899
- Runner Up (1): 1913