Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock

The Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock were an American soccer team which took its name from the workplace it represented. The dock was part of the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Brooklyn who formed the professional soccer club in 1918 to play in the National Association Football League. Robins played until the league folded in 1921. Robins best finish was third in 1920 and 1921, but won the 1921 National Challenge Cup.

League

In 1918, the entry of the United States into World War I had led to a drain on players due to military service. The loss of players impacted most league, including the NAFBL. While most teams in the league were able to find enough players to begin the season, three teams were forced to sit out the season. A fourth, the East Newark Scots-Americans, began the season but folded after five games. In order to maintain enough teams to stage a competitive season, the NAFBL brought in the Robins Dry Dock which assumed the Scots-Americans record. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl012719b.html January 27, 1919 "The Globe"] ] While Robins was unable to finish higher than third in its three seasons in the NAFBL, it quickly became dominant in national competitions. In 1921, the top teams of the NAFBL collapsed when the league’s top teams joined with the top teams of the Southern New England Soccer League to form the American Soccer League. Robins did not join the ASL. Instead, Todd Shipyards, the parent company of Robins Dry Dock, as well as Tebo Yacht Basin which sponsored the Tebo Yacht Basin F.C. of the SENSL, entered its own team in the new league.

Cup winner

At the time there were two national cups, the long running American Cup and the recently established National Challenge Cup. In March 1919, Robins went to the semifinals of the American Cup, falling to Bethlehem Steel F.C. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl031719b.html March 17, 1919 The Globe] ] In 1920, Robins took its revenge on Bethlehem when it defeated the Steelmen in the American Cup final. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=990DE6D81E31E03ABC4B53DFB366838B639EDE May 3, 1920 New York Times] ] Robins repeated as cup champions the next year as well, defeating Fore River. In the 1920 National Challenge Cup, Robins lost to Fore River in the semifinals. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E4D71131E03ABC4D53DFB266838B639EDE April 5, 1920 New York Times] ] The next year, Robins took the Challenge Cup in a 4-3 victory over St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9C01E1DC113FEE3ABC4851DFB266838A639EDE&oref=slogin April 20, 1921 New York Times] ]

Year-by-year

External links

* [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/nafbl.html National Association Football League standings]

References