Played by both migrants and native-born Americans, soccer created communities across the United States. Brian D. Bunk ranges from Pawtucket to Honolulu as he illuminates the deep and diverse origins of the American sport.

Soccer took root as immigration, urbanization, and industrialization triggered immense changes across society. Matches built local pride as teams battled rival neighborhoods and towns. Teammates and supporters shared meals, raised money for fallen players, and attended each other's weddings and funerals. If sometimes damaged by economic depression or shattered by war, clubs often bounced back to provide a steadying, resilient force in their towns. Bunk follows the story from the 1880s through World War I by profiling the struggles and joys of players while also tracing the overlooked impact of people of African, Chinese, Hawaiian, Jewish, and Filipino descent on American soccer culture.

Engaging and rich in detail, Beyond the Field draws on extensive original research to expand our idea of the people and places that formed the American game.

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Acknowledgments

Introduction

1 The Watson Brothers : The First African American Soccer Players

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

2 Soccer and Stone

Barre, Vermont

3 Soccer in Black and White

Scranton, Pennsylvania

4 Chasing Nomads

Buffalo, New York

5 Deering's Rangers in El Dorado

Miami, Florida

6 Irish Shamrocks and Jewish Gyms

Cincinnati, Ohio

7 Crossing Borders in Detroit

Detroit, Michigan

8 The McKendrick Brothers: Scottish Professionals in the Motor City

Detroit, Michigan

9 Raising Thistles in the Twin Cities

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

10 Jimmy Matthews: Minnesota's Canadian War Hero

Minneapolis, Minnesota

11 High Plains Kickers

Denver, Colorado

12 Soccer in the City of Roses

Portland, Oregon

13 Soccer in Central Park

San Francisco, California

14 Bay Area Vampires

Alameda, California

15 Soccer in Surf and Sand

Honolulu, Hawai'i

Epilogue

Notes

Index

|Brian D. Bunk is a senior lecturer II of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the author of From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States.