Sept. 8 (1947)

A squad of St. Louis all-stars holds the nation’s top team, Ponta Delgada of Fall River, Mass., to a 4-4 draw at Public Schools Stadium. Ponta Delgada won the U.S. Open Cup the day before by beating Chicago Sparta, 3-2, in Chicago, and had captured the U.S. Amateur Cup earlier in the year, making Ponta Delgada the first team in U.S. soccer history to win both cups in the same year. The deadlock at Public Schools Stadium is somewhat satisfying for the St. Louis stars, given Ponta Delgada’s blitz of the St. Louis Carondelets in the Amateur Cup final on May 25. Ponta Delgada won, 10-1, in what was to have been the first leg of a two-game series. With the Carondelets facing a nine-goal deficit, the second game is never played. On Sept. 8, the tired travelers from Chicago bring a talent-laden lineup  that includes future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famers Ed and John Souza (who are not related). Ed Souza scores twice against the St. Louis stars. The match leaves much to be desired. “The promotion was bad but the officiating worse,” future U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame journalist Dent McSkimming will write in the next day’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McSkimming heavily criticizes the officiating of Justin Keenoy for bad calls and non-calls that hurt both teams. McSkimming also blasts the haphazard organization of the match, pointing out that the St. Louis team was put together with little time to train. The lack of match fitness leads to injuries to three St. Louis players: future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Bob Annis, Raiders star forward Herman Wecke, and Simpkins Ford’s Leo Lange. Two of St. Louis’ goals come on penalty kicks, both by future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Gino Pariani. Bill Bertani scores the other St. Louis goals.