Played by both migrants and native-born Americans, soccer created communities across the United States. Brian D. Bunk ranges from Pawtucket to Honolulu as he illuminates the deep and diverse origins of the American sport.
Soccer took root as immigration, urbanization, and industrialization triggered immense changes across society. Matches built local pride as teams battled rival neighborhoods and towns. Teammates and supporters shared meals, raised money for fallen players, and attended each other's weddings and funerals. If sometimes damaged by economic depression or shattered by war, clubs often bounced back to provide a steadying, resilient force in their towns. Bunk follows the story from the 1880s through World War I by profiling the struggles and joys of players while also tracing the overlooked impact of people of African, Chinese, Hawaiian, Jewish, and Filipino descent on American soccer culture.
Engaging and rich in detail, Beyond the Field draws on extensive original research to expand our idea of the people and places that formed the American game.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 The Watson Brothers : The First African American Soccer Players
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
2 Soccer and Stone
Barre, Vermont
3 Soccer in Black and White
Scranton, Pennsylvania
4 Chasing Nomads
Buffalo, New York
5 Deering’s Rangers in El Dorado
Miami, Florida
6 Irish Shamrocks and Jewish Gyms
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 Crossing Borders in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
8 The McKendrick Brothers: Scottish Professionals in the Motor City
Detroit, Michigan
9 Raising Thistles in the Twin Cities
Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota
10 Jimmy Matthews: Minnesota’s Canadian War Hero
Minneapolis, Minnesota
11 High Plains Kickers
Denver, Colorado
12 Soccer in the City of Roses
Portland, Oregon
13 Soccer in Central Park
San Francisco, California
14 Bay Area Vampires
Alameda, California
15 Soccer in Surf and Sand
Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Epilogue
Notes
Index
About the Author :
Brian D. Bunk is a senior lecturer II of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the author of From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States.
