Former professional players and amateurs from the Philadelphia “Old-timers” Association founded the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950 to recognize the achievements of soccer in America.
A physical soccer museum was established in Oneonta, New York, nearly 30 years later. In 1983, the Soccer Federation recognized it as the US Soccer Hall of Fame.
Since the first Old-timers got together 60 years ago, more than 300 members have been inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the game.
In this article, we cover the soccer players who were inducted between 1951 to 1960.
Harold Pemberton Brittan
Inducted: 1951
One of the most outstanding and influential players in the early years of the ASL, Harold Pemberton Brittan, came to the United States from the London club Chelsea.
There he had shown a great deal of potential that was never realized, and after his career had been interrupted by illness and the outbreak of World War One, he moved to the United States.
At first, he played for Bethlehem Steel, and then in the first year of the ASL led Philadelphia to the championship. The following year, Fall River owner Sam Mark signed him. With Harold Pemberton Brittan leading the attack, the Marksmen won the ASL championship in the 1923-24, 1924-25, and 1925-26 seasons.
In 1924 the Marksmen also won the U.S. Open Cup. Strangely enough, Mark allowed Brittan to go to arch-rivals New Bedford at the start of the 1926-27 season, but he never really settled down at Battery Park and, after turning down a move to Providence late in 1926, decided to retire.
By this time, Harold Pemberton Brittan owned a successful automobile dealership in Fall River and didn’t want to move any distance away from the city. The Marksmen, however, were successful in luring him out of retirement in the spring of 1927, and he led the attack in the final as Fall River once again captured the U.S. Open Cup.
Following the 1927-28 season, Harold Pemberton Brittan did retire to devote his interests to business, but he returned to the Fall River picture in the spring of 1931.
Then after Sam Mark had moved the Fall River franchise to New York City, he put together a group of businessmen to buy the Providence franchise and move it to Fall River. With the country in the throes of the great depression, the team lasted a few months before it folded.
Position: Center Forward
Born: Derby, England – 1894
Died: New York – 1964
Davey Brown
US Soccer Hall Of Fame Induction: 1951
Davey Brown was among the finest native-born center forwards in the United States. In a position usually dominated by big men, Brown stood just 5 ft 3 inches tall.
He began his career with a series of New Jersey teams, Ford, West Hudson, Paterson, and Erie AA. Davey Brown started his career in the professional American Soccer League with Harrison but attracted national attention for his performances with the New York Giants.
During the 1926-27 season, Davie scored 52 goals in 38 games to lead the league in scoring and, during the course of his ASL career, scored 189 goals.
During his record 1926-27 season, Davey Brown scored 21 goals in nine games during October. On November 21, Brown scored another five against Providence.
He made three appearances for the United States men’s national team, two against Canada in 1925, both at outside right, and against Canada again in 1926, this time at center forward, scoring three times in the three games.
An injury kept him out of the 1930 U.S. World Cup team, but Davey Brown did go overseas to play as a guest player for Bethlehem Steel on its Scandinavian tour in 1919 and St. Louis in 1920.
Position: Center Forward/Winger
Born: East Newark, NJ – November 18, 1898
Died: Kearny, NJ – September 17, 1970
USMNT Years Played: 1925-1926
Caps: 3
Goals: 4
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William Fryer
Inducted: 1951
Tucker was an English schoolboy international he played nine Football League games for Barnsley from 1919 to 1921 before moving to the United States.
In the U.S., William Fryer played at first for the Tebo Yacht Basin team and then Todd Shipyards in Brooklyn before moving on to Paterson and New York Giants of the American Soccer League.
In 1924 as a member of the Giants, he was sold to Fall River for a then-record fee of $1,500, and it was as a member of the fantastic Fall River teams from 1923 to 1927 that William Fryer made his name.
Upon leaving Fall River, he played for Brooklyn Wanderers, Newark Americans, and Clan Gordon before retiring. With Todd’s, William Fryer played in the U.S. Open Cup Final of 1922, finishing on the losing side, but one year later, he was on the winning side with Paterson.
He won over 20 league and cup championship medals during his career.
Position: Half Back
Born: Burradon, Yorkshire, England – July 22, 1895
Died: Lindon, NJ – August 29, 1960
John McGuire
US Soccer Hall Of Fame Induction: 1951
John McGuire played for Dundee and St. Johnstone of the Scottish League before moving to Canada in 1919, where he played for Toronto Ulster United.
On moving to the United States in 1921, he joined Robins Dry Dock and then moved on to Todd Shipyards, Paterson, New York F.C. (1922-24), New Bedford Whalers (1924-26) and Brooklyn Wanderers (1925-26) of the American Soccer League.
A member of the National Open Cup winning teams of both Robins in 1921 and Paterson in 1923, John McGuire was also on the losing side with Todd Shipyards in the final of 1922. He played for the United States against Canada in 1925.
Born: March 3, 1893 – Dunblane, Scotland
Died: November 18, 1962 – Brooklyn, NY
Position: Inside Forward
USMNT Years Played: 1925
Caps: 1
Goals: 0
Robert Morrison
Inducted: 1951
A Scottish schoolboy international against England in 1910, Robert Morrison came to the United States in the same year and played for American Cup winner Tacony.
He was a member of the great Bethlehem Steel team from 1913 until 1918 when a knee injury ended his playing career. However, Robert Morrison starred on Bethlehem’s National Open Cup-winning teams of 1915 and 1916.
Position: Half Back
Born: Scotland
Peter Renzulli
Inducted: 1951
Peter Renzulli found himself playing soccer by accident when strolling through a park. He was asked to make up the numbers in a game.
From then on, Peter Renzulli never looked back and won U.S. Open Cup winners medals with Robins Dry Dock in 1921 and Paterson Silk Sox in 1923, as well as being on the losing side with Todd Shipyards in 1922 final.
Later in his career, he won a third medal when the New York Nationals won the title in 1928. Renzulli played for Todd Shipyards in 1921-22, the first year of the ASL, and continued to play in the league until 1930.
In addition to Todd, his teams included Paterson Silk Sox, Indiana Flooring, New York Nationals, and New York Giants.
A goalkeeper who was asked to play on the wing in an emergency in a game against Philadelphia in 1928, Peter Renzulli scored the only goal for the Nationals in a 3-1 defeat.
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: New York City – 1895
Died: Melville, NY – March 14, 1980
Thomas Swords
US Soccer Hall Of Fame Induction: 1951
Captain of the U.S. national team on its first overseas tour to Sweden and Norway in 1916. A longtime Fall River Rovers star, Thomas Swords, scored the lone goal in his team’s 1-0 victory over Bethlehem Steel in the 1917 National Open Cup final and also played for Fall River in the Open Cup finals of 1916 and 1918.
Tommy started his career in 1903 with Whittenton A.C. of Taunton, MA, and joined the famous Rovers one year later, remaining with the team through 1909.
From 1910 through 1912, Thomas Swords was with the Hibernians of Philadelphia and, in 1913, played for New Bedford.
But in 1914, Swords returned to the Rovers and remained with the team as the center forward and captain until his retirement after the 1919-20 season.
Position: Inside Forward
Born: Fall River, MA
Died: Fall River, MA – March 29, 1953
USMNT Years Played: 1916
Caps: 2
Goals: 1
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George Joseph Tintle
Inducted: 1952
One of the first outstanding American goalkeepers, George Joseph Tintle, made three European tours, the first with the U.S. national team in 1916, the second with Bethlehem Steel in 1919 and finally with St. Louis in 1920.
He began his career with the Harrison Alley Boys in 1908 and played for them until 1914. Then it was on to Brooklyn Celtic in 1916-17, Paterson in 1919, Erie AA in 1920, and Harrison from 1921 to 1923 in the American Soccer League.
Following his retirement, George Joseph Tintle coached Harrison High School for seven undefeated seasons and was a 1952 New Jersey Olympic Selection Committee member.
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: Harrison, NJ – December 24, 1892
Died: Harrison, NJ – January 14, 197
USMNT Years Played: 1916
Caps: 2
Goals: 0
Jimmy Douglas
US Soccer Hall Of Fame Induction: 1953
Jimmy Douglas first played in goal in 1907 for Central Juniors and began his first-class career with another New Jersey club, Harrison, in the American Soccer League in 1922.
Played in goal for the United States in the 1924 Olympics in Paris and also for the National Team against Canada in Montreal in 1925.
Jimmy Douglas moved around a lot during his ASL career. In addition to Harrison, the goalkeeper played for Newark, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Brooklyn Wanderers, and Fall River Marksmen. He was playing for the New York Nationals at the time of his selection for the 1930 World Cup team.
In Montevideo, Jimmy Douglas shut out Belgium and Paraguay but was crippled early in the semi-final against Argentina.
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: East Newark, NJ – January 12, 1898
Died: Point Pleasant, NJ – March 5, 1972
USMNT Years Played: 1924-1930
Caps: 9
Goals: 0
John Jaap
Inducted: 1953
John Jaap was diminutive in stature but was noted for his skillful manipulation of the ball and his ability to outjump taller opponents for headers.
Although born in Scotland, John Jaap grew up in Pittsburgh and played for Castle Shannon, Arden, Vestaburg, and Jennette in western Pennsylvania from 1912 to 1920.
In 1921 he joined the famous Bethlehem Steel team and played for them in the American Soccer League until 1930. During that time, the team won the American Soccer League championship in 1921-22 (as Philadelphia) and 1926-27, as well as the Lewis Cup in 1928.
In 1926, John Jaap was a member of the Bethlehem team that won the U.S. Open Cup. In the final, the inside right scored one of the goals in the 7-2 win over St. Louis Ben Millers.
In the fall of 1930, John Jaap returned to Scotland and spent one season with Hearts.
After that, he was back in the U.S. in 1931 to play for Newark.
Position: Inside Right
Born: Bellshill, Scotland
Died: Pittsburgh, PA – May 1974
Aldo Teo Donelli
US Soccer Hall Of Fame Induction: 1954
He is known throughout the sports world as ‘Buff’ because of his interest in showman “Buffalo” Bill Cody. Aldo Teo Donelli joined the Morgan Strasser club at age 15, leading the local Pittsburgh area league in scoring from 1922 to 1928.
Aldo moved to the nearby Heidelberg club for the 1928-29 season and led them to the U.S. Amateur Cup scoring five goals in the final in a 9-0 romp over Newark First Germans.
Besides playing soccer for Morgan and Heidelberg, he played American football for Duquesne University from 1926 to 1929, at first as a center forward and then as a running back.
In the 1930s, Aldo Teo Donelli began playing for another local soccer team in Curry, and it was while he was with them he was selected for the 1934 U.S. World Cup team.
In Italy, Aldo Teo Donelli scored four goals against Mexico in the qualifying game and the lone U.S. goal against Italy in the first round. One year later, he was a guest player with the New York Americans when they toured Mexico.
Back in the U.S., he concentrated on American football and, for a while, coached the Pittsburgh Steelers and then the old Cleveland Rams of the National Football League.
However, Aldo Teo Donelli came out of soccer retirement in 1943 to play for Morgan Strasser in the 1944 Open Cup final against Brooklyn Hispano at the Polo Grounds.
Position: Center Forward
Born: Morgan, PA – July 22, 1907
Died: Fort Lauderdale, FL – August 9, 1994
USMNT Years Played: 1934
Caps: 2
Goals: 5
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Thomas Duggan
Inducted: 1955
Thomas Duggan came to the United States in 1911 and played for the Valley Boys three years later. Then followed terms with Babcock and Wilcox of Bayonne (New Jersey), West Hudsons, and Merchant Ship of Harriman (Pennsylvania).
When the American Soccer League began in 1921, Thomas Duggan joined New York Football Club. He then played for Paterson, Indiana Flooring, New York Giants, Newark, and New York Nationals.
In the 1930s, the tricky outside right played for Newark Portuguese. A member of the Paterson team that won the National Open Cup in 1923.
Thomas Duggan played against such famous touring teams as Sparta Prague and Vienna Hakoah in 1926 and the Nacional team of Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1927.
Position: Outside Right
Born: Liverpool, England – September 31, 1897
Died: Kearny, NJ – November 30, 1961
Francis ‘Hun’ Ryan
Inducted into the US Soccer Hall Of Fame: 1958
Francis Ryan played for Sheridan Grammar School, Stetson Junior High School, and Frankford High School before joining the famous Lighthouse Boys Club, producing many fine players in Philadelphia.
Although only standing 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, he was lightning fast. In his early days, he was an inside forward.
Francis Ryan was a member of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam and, upon returning home, signed for his first professional club, New York Galicia, in 1929.
After one season, the inside forward returned to Philadelphia to play for Lighthouse, where manager Elmer Schroeder converted him into a winger.
One year later, he was with the Philadelphia German-Americans, where he acquired the nickname “Hun,” and while he was a member of this club, he was selected for the United States World Cup team in 1934 and the Olympic team in 1936.
He was a German-American team member that won the American Soccer League championship in 1935 and the U.S. Open Cup in 1936 by defeating the St. Louis Shamrocks.
Position: Midfield
Born: Philadelphia, PA – January 10, 1908
Died: Philadelphia, PA – October 14, 1977
USMNT Years Played: 1928-1936
Caps: 3
Goals: 1
Ralph Carrafi
Inducted: 1959
Outstanding West Penn player who also played in Massachusetts and Ohio during a lengthy career that began in 1915.
At 15, Ralph Carrafi played for the Vestaburg club of Pennsylvania for two years, from 1915 to 1917, and then for the famous Fall River Rovers from 1919 to 1921.
Later in 1921, when the Fall River United club was formed to play in the new American Soccer League, Ralph Carrafi spent one season with them.
After that, the midfielder moved to the Cleveland area playing for the American Hungarians from 1926 to 1929 and then for Cleveland Bruell Insurance from 1929 to 1934.
He played for Bruell Insurance in the National Open Cup Final of 1930 against Fall River Marksmen. After that, he played for the U.S. Army team in Europe.
Ralph Carrafi later became a coach from 1935 to 1938 with the youth teams run by Bartunek Clothes and a referee from 1954-1957.
Elected to the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in June of 1992.
Position: Midfield
Born: Donlevy, PA – January 19, 1901
Died: Cleveland, OH – January 1978
As it archives more than 80,000 items, the US Soccer Hall Of Fame continues to promote soccer’s history to a growing community of fans across the country.
