American Football Association Cup 1915 – Finals: First Leg
Expectations were high at Palmer Stadium as Old Nassau 1869 was set to host the first leg of the AFA Cup Final.  The game pitted the two top goalkeepers in the AAAFL – Gold Star Aaron Archer of Cleveland Forest against Silver Star Tom Sherman of Old Nassau 1869.   Fans of the Orange-and-Black were eager to claim the Cup after the disappointment of the league season, having led the table at the midpoint before falling down to 4th and letting Cleveland Forest nab the Ultimate Division title.  Old Nassau and Forest split the season series, each winning at home – 2:0 for Old Nassau and 4:1 for Forest.

The match proved a defensive battle for most of the first half with neither side producing any dangerous scoring opportunities.  In the 34th minutes, Forest gained a corner and the Old Nassau defense was fixated on keeping Gold Ball winner Cameron Hayes from getting his head on the ball.  The Orange-and-Black defense forgot to mark Blake Morton, who was left all alone on the penalty spot, from which he volleyed in the opening goal.

Old Nassau raised their pressure after that in hopes of finding the equalizer, but they left themselves exposed in the back, and Forest countered with Hayes sliding a perfectly timed through ball to Maximilian Simon two minutes before intermission.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair as Old Nassau pushed numbers forward and Cleveland countered.  While both sides racked up numerous shots on the goal, the two top goalkeepers in the league were up to the task every time.  With the final whistle, Old Nassau was faced with overcoming a two goal deficit on the road at Forest Park.

American Football Association Cup 1915 – Finals: Second Leg
Old Nassau 1969 faced a difficult challenge as they faced a two-goal deficit at Forest Park, a place where Forest had defeated them 4:1 in the regular season.  Hopes were raised early when an errant cross from Soren Newton befuddled Cleveland’s top-notch goalkeeper and sailed into the net.  The Orange-and-Black pressed on to get the equalizer for the series, but the lead was re-established when Cameron Hayes found Maximilian Simon in the 30th minute.  The lead was expanded a short 8 minutes later as Emmett Masterson knocked in rebound after a shot from Hayes.  Twelve minutes after halftime, Golden Ball winner Hayes was once again instrumental in a goal, dribbling through multiple Old Nassau defenders before dropping a nifty pass to Brodericks Pitts, who finished clinically.  A five-goal deficit took the wind out of the Orange-and-Black’s sails, and the outcome was no longer in doubt.  Cleveland Forest hoisted the AFA Cup to go along with their Ultimate Division title. 

         

Columbia Challenge Cup 1915
For this year’s edition, the Columbia Challenge Cup traveled west to Seattle as the local Black Diamonds, champion of the Western Regional Division served as host.  Joined by Southern Regional champion Charlotte Coronets, Ultimate Division champion Cleveland Forest, and Penultimate champion Baltimore Chimney Swifts, the crowds came out to Dugdale to see some exciting football.

The draw pitted Cleveland against Charlotte in the opening game, with the Black Diamonds featured against Baltimore in the second.  The Forest contingent apparently did not put much stock in the tournament, since several starters, including Golden Ball winter Cameron Hayes did not make the trip.  While Forest had beaten Charlotte in the semi-finals of the AFA Cup, the squad that Cleveland put out in this match was a shadow of that contingent.  The Coronets were eager for revenge and pulled out a 3-2 victory with a hat trick by Jude Skinner.

The second game was an intense battle between the Chimney Swifts and the Black Diamonds.  The locals dominated possession but couldn’t put together any scoring chances.  Baltimore came out on a number of counter-attacks, but they couldn’t find the net either.  In the 85th minute, Gil Roberson won the ball deep in the Chimney Swifts’ end, and his cross found the head of Cooper Howard, who nodded it in.  The elation of the local fans was tremendous albeit short-lived, as a mass scrum in front of the Black Diamonds’ goal eventually found its way into the goal in the 90th minute.  While the fans braced for extra time after the final whistle, the teams did not return to the field.  Tournament rules said that draws were to be decided by the number of corner kicks, and Baltimore led 4-2 in that category.  Much trash was strewn on the field when the decision was announced.

The final was not well-attended because the locals’ ire with the semi-final.  Still, Charlotte and Baltimore put on a spirited match that featured end-to-end action.  Only stellar play by Clinton Redmond and Will Taylor, in the Chimney Swifts’ and Coronets’ nets, respectively, keep the scoresheet from being riddled with goals.  The fans who boycotted missed a very enjoyable game.  In the end, it was Wade Bauer who outran the Charlotte defense to put in the game winner and claim the Columbia Challenge Cup for Baltimore, bringing the cup to the Monument City for the third time (the Bannerets won it in 1908 and 1911)

Sectional Divisions 1914-1915

The two Atlantic Sectional Division winners to win playoff matches and earn promotion to the Eastern Regional Division were the Portland (Maine) Longshoremen and Harrison (New Jersey) All-American Aces, organized by the Harrison American Athletic Association.
 

The two Midwest Sectional Division winners to win playoff matches and earn promotion to the Mid-American Regional Division were the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Woodwrights and Zion City (Illinois) Lacemakers.

Other News
 
Due to the ongoing conflict in Europe, the Football World Championship was not held.
 
--- End of the 1914-1915 season ---

Next, Irwin invited the four clubs that had been promoted from the Sectional Divisions – Zion City Lacemakers, Grand Rapids Woodwrights, Portland Longshoremen, and Harrison Athletic Association Aces – to come up and introduce themselves.


 


AFA President Harold then addressed the stepped up to the podium, “The American Football Association was quite pleased with last year’s competition, which was open to AAAFL club across the country.  WE continue to look for ways to expand the competition.  A number of the Sectional level clubs have expressed interest in joining the competition.”
 
Irwin then returned to the podium.  “Because of the national-wide reach of the AFA Cup now, it has somewhat diluted the novelty of the Columbia Challenge Cup.  We’re looking to change its format in the upcoming year.  One thought is to simply make it a game between the UItimate Division champion and the AFA Cup winner.”  He also sadly noted that the Football World Championship would again not be held.  He finished his address with the announcement of another Derby - the two clubs from Los Angeles, Victoria and Pumpjacks, will play for the Golden Halo.

Last edited by Goldengoose05 (3/18/2022 8:24 am)