April 19 (1921)

Scullin Steel is the second St. Louis team to reach the final of the National Challenge Cup (today’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup) in as many years, but slumps in the second half and loses to Robins Dry Dock of Brooklyn, 4-2, in Fall River, Mass. Seeking to replicate the victory of the St. Louis Ben Millers in the 1920 final, Scullin twice holds the lead. Charles Bechtold (pictured) opens the scoring in the 15th minute, only for Robins to respond a minute later on a goal by Jack McGuire. Bechtold tallies again in the 19th minute, but Robins draws even again on Robert Hosie’s goal in the 29th minute. A report in the next day’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch will say that Scullin, the faster team on the field, runs out of gas in the second half. Coupled with two poor efforts from goalkeeper Joe Hennessy, Scullin can’t match the more experienced Robins team over the last 45 minutes. “The third and fourth goals [by Peter Sweeney and George McKelvey] ought to have been saved, and would have been prevented with an experienced goalie between the sticks,” referee James Scholefield tells the Post-Dispatch. Robins also features St. Louis native and future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Harry Ratican, but he “was far off form and his playing often brought out hoots from the crowd,” according to the Post-Dispatch. Scullin will return to the National Challenge Cup final the next two years, winning in 1922 and forfeiting a replay of a 2-2 tie in 1923 when too many players either had to report to baseball spring training or were injured.