December 12 (1920)

A decade after bringing a team of British all-stars to St. Louis who profoundly affected the game here, Fred Milnes returns and reviews the progress of the sport in St. Louis since his last visit. Milnes, who assembled and captained the Pilgrims during their appearances in St. Louis in 1905 and 1909, watches Scullin Steel defeat Innisfails, 4-3, in overtime of a National Challenge Cup match at Cardinal Field. (The National Challenge Cup continues today as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.) His assessment: “The main fault I observe with your players is that they play the man instead of the ball. Too much time and effort is wasted playing the man. But I can see that you have improved your soccer playing since I was last in St. Louis.” Regarded as a top player in England during a long career that ran from the 1890s into the 1910s, Milnes is an eccentric soccer enthusiast. Born into wealth, he refused to sign professional contracts although he played for professional clubs such as Norwich City, Tottenham and West Ham United. His intense interest in promoting soccer in the United States led him to bring the Pilgrims on their 1905 and 1909 tours. The Pilgrims laid waste to almost every opponent, including winning all six games in St. Louis by an aggregate score of 47-2. Impressed by the Pilgrims’ playing style, many local teams incorporated the English short passing game into what had been a fast and rough style of play in St. Louis. In addition, more teams were organized, thanks to the enthusiasm created among the large crowds who witnessed the Pilgrims’ games. As a result, the Pilgrims’ visits raised the quality of soccer in St. Louis.