James White (Scottish footballer) explained

Tec White
Fullname:James White
Birth Date:1899 8, df=y
Birth Place:Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Death Place:Bristol, Massachusetts, United States
Position:Inside Left / Wing half
Years1:1920–1922
Years2:1922–1923
Years3:1923
Years4:1923–1925
Years5:1925–1930
Years6:1931
Years7:1931–1932
Years8:1932–1934
Clubs1:Albion Rovers
Clubs2:Maidstone United
Clubs3:Heart of Midlothian (loan)
Clubs4:Motherwell
Clubs5:Fall River F.C.
Clubs6:New York Yankees
Clubs7:New Bedford Whalers
Clubs8:New York Brookhattan
Caps1:78
Caps3:0
Caps4:56
Caps5:243
Caps6:17
Caps7:21
Goals1:2
Goals3:0
Goals4:4
Goals5:111
Goals6:4
Goals7:9

James White (21 August 1899 – August 1983) was a Scottish footballer who spent most of his career playing for Fall River in the American Soccer League. He was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Playing career

In 1920, White signed with Albion Rovers of the Scottish League and helped them reach the 1920 Scottish Cup final where they lost to Kilmarnock; his brother Jock was also in the side[1] [2] (two other brothers, Willie and Tom, were also footballers – all four played together for Heart of Midlothian in the Lord Provost's Rent Relief Cup final of 1923 which their side won through two goals from Jock).[3] [4] [5] He spent two seasons with Albion before joining Maidstone United of the English Southern League in 1923. After one season with Maidstone, White transferred to Motherwell.[6] [7]

White was one of several players who were recruited from the Scottish League by Sam Mark to play for Fall River F.C. Others included Tommy Martin, also from Motherwell, Charlie McGill from Third Lanark and wing-half Bill McPherson from Beith. These players would become the backbone of the very successful 'Marksmen' team during the 1920s and early 1930s. In later seasons his teammates also included, among others, Billy Gonsalves, Bert Patenaude, Werner Nilsen and Alex McNab.[8] [9] [10]

Between 1925 and 1931, White made 243 league appearances and scored 111 goals for the 'Marksmen' in the American Soccer League, helping them win five league titles. He also helped them win the National Challenge Cup three times, scoring two goals in the 1927 final against Holley Carburetor F.C..[11] [12] [13] He also played for the 'Marksmen' in friendlies against Rangers and Kilmarnock and in 1930 was a member of the 'Marksmen' squad that toured Central Europe.[14]

In 1931 when Sam Mark relocated and merged the 'Marksmen' franchise twice, White followed the team on both occasions. They first moved to New York City, where they merged with New York Soccer Club and became the New York Yankees. In the summer of 1931, White played for a Yankees team featuring Billy Gonsalves, Bert Patenaude and George Moorhouse that twice played Celtic in friendlies. On 30 May at Fenway Park the Yankees won 4–3. However, on 28 June at Yankee Stadium, Celtic won the second game 4–1.[15] The Yankees then moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts where they merged with Providence F.C. to become the New Bedford Whalers. With the Whalers, White won a further two American Soccer League titles and the 1932 National Challenge Cup. On 3 April 1932 he scored the opening goal in a 5–2 win against Stix, Bear and Fuller in the second leg of the final.[16]

Honours

Fall River F.C.

New Bedford Whalers

Notes and References

  1. News: Kilmarnock, 3; Albion Rovers, 2. Scottish Cup–Final Tie . The Glasgow Herald . 19 April 1920 . 13. 12 October 2018.
  2. http://www.tellhimhespele.com/is-it-really-so-strange/ Is It Really So Strange?
  3. https://www.londonhearts.com/scores/games/192305151.html Tue 15 May 1923 Hearts 2 Hibernian 1
  4. https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/more/club/Hall-of-fame Hall of Fame | Jock White (2018)
  5. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players
  6. Book: Jose, Colin . American Soccer League, 1921–1931 . Hardback . The Scarecrow Press . 1998 . 0-8108-3429-4 . .
  7. http://www.motherwellnet.com/database/player-archive/w/jimmy-white/ Jimmy White
  8. "Fall River Stars Enjoying Holiday". (1 July 1925). Fall River Globe, p.13 col.3-4
  9. "Few at Soccer League Session". (1 July 1925). Boston Globe, p.18 col.7
  10. Book: Wangerin, David . Soccer in a Football World: The Story of America's Forgotten Game . Paperback . Temple University Press . 2008 . 978-1-5921-3885-2 . .
  11. Web site: soccerhalloffame.org . 28 March 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928081825/http://www.soccerhalloffame.org/Election%20Process/2007/Veteran_Bios.htm . 28 September 2007 . dead .
  12. Web site: sover.net . 28 March 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090303053356/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/asl1leaders.html . 3 March 2009 . dead .
  13. "Soccer Title Is Won Easily By Fall River". (2 May 1927). Detroit Free Press, p.12 col.6
  14. "Glasgow Rangers Beat Fall River". (31 May 1930). Boston Globe, p.18 col.7
  15. "Celts Turn Tables on N.Y. Yankees". (29 June 1931). Brooklyn Daily Eagle, p.21 col.3
  16. "New Bedford Defeats Stix, 5-2, To Win U.S. Soccer Title". (4 April 1932). St. Louis Post-Dispatch, p.2C col.1-2