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Feature - History

1938-1939 National Challenge Cup: The first time the US Open Cup was invite-only

February 12, 2021 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

Weck Henney (left) and Davidson (right) of Chicago's Manhattan Beer fight for the ball with St. Mary's Celtic in the second leg of the 1939 National Challenge Cup Final at Starlight Park in the Bronx. Photo: Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The 2021 US Open Cup is expected to be reduced to 24 teams and few may know this will mark the second time in the tournament’s history that the entire field was selected by invitation only instead of individual club entry.

Filed Under: Feature - History, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1939 National Challenge Cup, 1939 US Open Cup

American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup

September 14, 2020 by Josh Hakala

Rochester Raging Rhinos: 1999 US Open Cup champions

Every sport has its go-to underdog story. For American soccer, it’s the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1999 US Open Cup, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, new york pancyprian freedoms, Rochester Rhinos

Spanish Flu, severe weather, Olympic Games: 2020 US Open Cup isn’t first tournament to be delayed

April 3, 2020 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

This is not the first, or longest, the US Open Cup has been delayed in its 106-year history. The start of the 1919 competition was set back nearly a month when the Spanish Flu pandemic swept through the country and there were many delays in the 1940s because of the weather and the Summer Olympics.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 2020 US Open Cup, Spanish Flu, US Open Cup History

1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Semifinals & Final: Bethlehem Steel earn back-to-back shutouts to win 4th title

October 31, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

The Bethlehem Steel won the 1918/1919 National Challenge Cup title, 2-0 over Paterson FC in Fall River, Mass. It was the club's fourth National Challenge Cup title in the last six years.

For the fifth year in a row, the juggernaut Bethlehem Steel had rumbled through the tournament and were once again in the Final. Standing in their way were fellow National Association Football League members Paterson FC.

Filed Under: Feature - History, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1919 US Open Cup, Bethlehem Steel FC, Bricklayers and Masons FC, Morse Dry Dock, Paterson FC

1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Bethlehem Steel flattens Goodyear’s tires as snow causes problems elsewhere

October 1, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

1919 National Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Fore River vs. Patterson - Photo: Boston Globe

Six inches of snow greeted Paterson FC when they arrived in Quincy, Mass. on Feb. 22 for their Quarterfinal encounter with Fore River FC.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1919 National Challenge Cup

1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Round 3: Protests produce controversy, World War I hands Bethlehem Steel free pass

September 18, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

The Eastern bracket’s third round schedule kicked off on Dec. 21 in Pawtucket, RI as J & P Coats played host to Fore River FC.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1919 National Challenge Cup

1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Round 2: After Spanish Flu, tourney resumes with controversy, promises of gold watches

September 4, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

A team photo of Merchants Ship (Bristol, PA) from 1919

With the Spanish Influenza threat cleared, the Second Round of the 1918/1919 National Challenge Cup got under way in November of 1918.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1919 National Challenge Cup

1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Round 1: World War I, Spanish Flu cause chaos for tournament

August 27, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

A team photo of Merchants Ship (Bristol, PA) from 1919

TheCup.us begins a five-part series that jumps in a time machine back a full century to see the challenges that the 1918/1919 tournament faced.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1919 National Challenge Cup

US Open Cup history: A final four with teams without a title game appearance is rare

August 6, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

Madison Kennels and Sparta A&BA battle in the 1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals. Newspaper archive: St. Louis Post Dispatch

This year’s Semifinal marks just the 10th time in the US Open Cup’s 106-year history that all four remaining teams have never lifted the trophy.

Filed Under: 2019 US Open Cup, Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Abbot Worsted, Beadling, Ben Miller FC, Busch SC, Canadian Club, Chicago Stingers, Chrysler SC, Club Espana, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Dallas Burn, Danube Swabian, El Paso Patriots, FC Dallas, Fore River FC, Gallatin Dunlevy, German Hungarian SC, Hakoah All Stars, Hamm’s, Los Angeles Kickers, Madison Kennels, Mean Green, Mitre Eagles, New York Giants, New York Hota, Packard FC, Pawtucket SC, Pompei SC, Richmond Kickers, Robins Dry Dock, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders USL, Shawsheen Indians, Sparta, Thistles FC, UASC Lions, US Open Cup History, Yugoslav American SC

US Open Cup histories of the eight quarterfinalists seeking a first title and the cities they represent

July 10, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

Brooklyn Field Club won the inaugural National Challenge Cup in 1914.

The 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup quarterfinals have the distinction of being just the eighth time in the tournament’s 106-year history in which none of the final eight teams have ever won an Open Cup championship.

Filed Under: 2019 US Open Cup, Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 2019 US Open Cup

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U.S. Open Cup History

Weck Henney (left) and Davidson (right) of Chicago's Manhattan Beer fight for the ball with St. Mary's Celtic in the second leg of the 1939 National Challenge Cup Final at Starlight Park in the Bronx. Photo: Brooklyn Daily Eagle

1938-1939 National Challenge Cup: The first time the US Open Cup was invite-only

The 2021 US Open Cup is expected to be reduced to 24 teams and few may know this will mark the second time in the tournament’s history that the entire field was selected by invitation only instead of individual club entry.

  • American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup
  • US Open Cup officially cancelled for first time in tournament’s 106-year history
  • Spanish Flu, severe weather, Olympic Games: 2020 US Open Cup isn’t first tournament to be delayed
  • 1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Semifinals & Final: Bethlehem Steel earn back-to-back shutouts to win 4th title
  • 1918/1919 National Challenge Cup Quarterfinals: Bethlehem Steel flattens Goodyear’s tires as snow causes problems elsewhere

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