Soccer History Lives Here: A curated archival project to preserve, document and highlight the culture of the global game in Illinois and the Midwest.
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Happy Men’s World Cup Opener Day!
Illinois soccer players were an integral part of 1930 #USMNT at the first World Cup.
Alexander Wood, born in Scotland, settled in the Chicago area, played for Gary, IN team and Chicago Bricklayers. Married Mildred, from soccer town and coal town, Streator, IL.
Looking forward to discussing US Soccer culture of 1920’s and 1930’s with my @resistanceschool.bsky.social classmates on June 5!
The first Illinois connection on the 1930 #USMNT list is: “Mgr. in Charge” W.R. Cummings.
His “South American Tour” report is one of most important contributions to US Soccer history.
Cummings came from #Pullman neighborhood and had been involved with soccer for 3 decades when he went to Uruguay.
The 2026 men’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday.
In 1930, the #USMNT finished 3rd in that inaugural tournament in Uruguay.
Were there any Illinois connections for that 1930 team?
From the roster, it looks like no, but dig a little deeper and Illinois played a major role on, and off, the field!
Busy day today!
I had a fantastic time speaking with @resistanceschool.bsky.social World Cup Class about @1930worldcup.bsky.social and the culture of soccer in 1920’s and 30’s USA.
Then we released the teaser reel for this Soccer History Lives Here project:
youtube.com/shorts/fA30c...
Soccer options in Illinois are plentiful. From pickup games in local parks to watch parties to high level, affordable community matches, it’s all here!
SHLH caught @chicagoceltic.bsky.social Scottish Cup watch party on South Side then a fantastic Edgewater Castle game at historic Winnemac Park.
Haiti’s men’s National Team has qualified for their first World Cup since 1974. Soccer in Illinois Haitian community has an illustrious history going back more than half a century.
I’m happy to be participating with the Haitian American Museum of Chicago on highlighting some of that soccer history.
In “The Lexical Transit of ‘Socker’ to America,” @davidkilpatrick.bsky.social pushes the earliest use of the imported word “socker” in the US to the early 1890s, usage that also reinforce the word’s English etymology, www.ussoccerhistory.org/the-lexical-...
It’s impossible to put into words in 90 seconds the ambivalence USA soccer fans such as @fcstpaulichicago.bsky.social members feel about this 2026 men’s World Cup.
Lee and I attempted it, and this is our submission for @fcstpauli-museum.de event about the World Cup and Nationalism.
The imported word “socker” began to see wide use in the US around 1905 with “soccer” quickly becoming standard. David Kilpatrick has identified its use in US sources a decad…
