Paterson True Blues

History

In the late 19th century, the northern New Jersey 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 Fall River Olympics. Paterson won its first Cup title in 1896 under coach John Watt, their second in 1909, while the third was in 1913 with coach John Hall. In 1897, Paterson joined the National Association Football League, the top professional league in the U.S. at the time.

thumb|left|Team of Paterson of 1913 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 around the start of the 20th 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 1906 and the NAFBL the same year.

They rejoined the NAFBL and remained in the league until 1915. In December 1913, Paterson traveled 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.

Year-by-year

;Notes

Honors

• American Cup

  • Winner (3): 1895–96, 1908–09, 1912–13
  • Runner-up (4): 1893–94, 1896–97, 1906, 1907–08

• NAFL

  • Winner (2): 1897–98, 1898–99
  • Runner-up (1): 1912–13

References

References

1. Reck, Gregory G.. (2015). "American soccer : history, culture, class". Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.
2. . (April 23, 1894). ["Football"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/fall-river-daily-evening-news-1894-ameri/153654608/). *Fall River Daily Evening News*.
3. . (April 20, 1896). ["True Blues Champions"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aUOtug7Ojf8C&dat=18960420&printsec=frontpage&hl=en). *Paterson Daily Press*.
4. . (May 3, 1909). ["American Cup Was Taken To Paterson"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-1909-american-cup-24/157239951/). *The Newark Star*.
5. (March 14, 1898). "Paterson get the Pennant". Passaic Daily News.
6. (May 5, 1899). "The Unlucky Thirteen". The News.
7. (February 12, 1906). "New Football League". [[Newark Evening News]].
8. (August 16, 1906). "Socker League Launched". Passaic Daily News.
9. (July 13, 1915). "B. & W. Soccer Team Preparing Already". The Evening Times and Bayonne Daily Times.
10. (December 26, 1913). "Paterson True Blues Beaten at St. Louis". [[The Jersey Journal]].
11. "U.S. Soccer History – 1913".