Dec. 2 (1900)

A two-game series of international soccer matches in St. Louis ends with the Cycling Club defeating a team from Toronto, Canada, 4-2, at League Park, Natural Bridge and Vandeventer Avenues. The Canadians lost to Christian Brothers College, 2-1, the day before at League Park. (No name is given for the Toronto team, which apparently consists of players picked from clubs in the Toronto area.) The Cycling Club prevails despite playing a man short for part of the game after one Cyclist retaliates for being tripped by landing a punch on a Canadian’s jaw. Almost 3,000 fans are on hand for the match, according to the Dec. 3, 1900, issue of The St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Toronto’s two losses in St. Louis are attributed to being unaccustomed to the physical style of St. Louis soccer. “The Canucks can do almost anything with the leather, but they are not in the habit of being bumped about as they were in the two games at League Park,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes in its Dec. 3, 1900, edition.