98 years of Ethnic Soccer Tradition

98 years of Ethnic Soccer Tradition

Early Soccer in Wisconsin

• Soccer was played recreationally in Wisconsin in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Vikings

Vikings AC, Racine, WI, 1928 - Vikings Atheletic Club, Racine WI after playing Swedish American in Duluth Minnesota in 1928. The score was 1-1.

Wisconsin State Football Association - 1914

• McWhytes of Kenosha,• Horlicks of Racine• Caledonians, St. Andrew’s, and the Sons

of St. George of Milwaukee. • First President of the Association was Dr.

James Frew of Milwaukee.

Deutscher Sport Club, Milwaukee, WI - 1923

1923 – 11 teams• Division "A“

– Ke-Nah-a Club– Racine Vikings I– Sheboygan F.C.– Simmons Blues of Kenosha,– Vienna F.C.– Wacker I.

• Division "B“– Deutcher Sport Verein-Milwaukee– Deutcher Sport Club-Kenosha– Kohler Recreation Club– Racine Vikings II– Wacker II.

Deutscher Sport Club, Milwaukee, WI - 1928

The All-Star game held on November 17, 1929, at Borchart Field

• Attracted a crowd that broke all records for paid attendance in the State of Wisconsin.

• The Adult Association instituted the state's first youth program in 1929.

• Over 2,000 fans.

1928 Wisconsin State Soccer Football League Officers

Lower row from left to right: John Loebel (Viennas) Jos. W. Kelly, Secretary and Treasurer of the League. F. Beleznay, president, Alfred E. Hall, Vice-president, Herman Schmiedel (Kohler), Leo Dietz,(Sheboygan). Upper row from left to right: Curt Sachs (Wacker I), Axel Simonsen (Racine Vikings II), Hugo Matz (Deutscher Sport Verein, (Milwaukee), Walter Sprotte (Wacker II.), Walter Koshen (Racine Vikings I.). John Campbel (Ke-Nash-a), A. C. Vanee (Simmons). Emil Klumm (Kenosha Deutscher Sport C.). Photo from unknown newspaper, 1928

Soccer clubs and teams provides

• Great exercise• Competition• Served as social centers• Safe havens for new immigrants

Corporate Sponsors in 1920’s• Wacker• Falk• Indian Motorcycle• Horlick Co.• Kohler• Pabst• Schlitz, • Leinenkugel,• Miller 1940 Falk Team

Kohler Company sponsored team

• Photo in front of Kohler Club house

• 1926 team of immigrants who work at Kohler.

WWII• World War II weakened the quality of play in the

early 1940's when many of the league's players were drafted and volunteered for service.

• Following World War II many Europeans immigrated to Wisconsin, and the State Association and its leagues saw an influx of "New Blood" for their teams.

• Immigrants once again sought out ethnic groups where they could share language and cultural values.

Milwaukee Sport Club - Schwabenhof

• 1953 Milwaukee Sport Club Team

More Milwaukee Sport Club

• Stenko Markovich• Wilfried Massek

(HOF 2010)• Egon Muelder

(HOF 2002)

Bavarian Soccer Club

• The Bavarian Soccer Club was founded on July 29, 1929 at Lake Park in Milwaukee under the name Fussball Club Bayern. The founding fathers originated from the province of Bavaria in Germany.

2008 & 2011 WASA Champions

National AmateurChampionships

• From the 1940's to the present 2011 Wisconsin teams have won National Amateur Championships in both the U.S. Adult National Open and National Amateur Championships.

• Bavarian Soccer Club won the 1974, under the leadership of Bob Gansler.

• The Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club won three consecutive National Amateur Championships

2010 - 2011 WASA

• 28 adult competitive teams• 3 leagues

– Majors– Reserves– First