The bulk of Celtic’s 1931 tour was spent in America, but there were also two Canadian experiences. The second of these games took place on 27 June…
Playing at the Ulster Stadium in Toronto, the Celts beat an Irish/Scots team called Ulster United 3-1. Although some players said the most memorable part of this journey was making a detour en route to visit the world famous Niagara Falls.
There was another first for Celtic in late-June. The Bhoys played New York Yankees at the famous Yankees Stadium. This was the first time that soccer had been played in the venue and the Celts enjoyed a 4-1 victory.
READ PART ONE…Celtic’s First American Visit
and then
READ PART TWO…Celtic’s first visit to USA and Canada, The Summer Tour of 1931
The Celts certainly recognised one opposition player. Alec McNab was a Scottish Cup winner. He had played for Morton and was on the losing side when Celtic won the 1918 Army and Navy Fund Cup. McNab was determined to once again face the Bhoys, even doing so with a bandaged arm following an injury in a previous match.
The Yankees had beaten Celtic at the start of the tour but the longer Celtic were in the US, the more they became accustomed to the heat.
Willie Maley later wrote that: “This was responsible for our first defeat, the New York Yankees beating us by 4-3 – a different tale was told when we met the same team two days before we sailed for home. By that time the men were acclimatised and made ample atonement for their earlier defeat.”
Celtic’s final game was scheduled for 29 June. It was supposed to be against Newark Americans at the Bears’ Stadium in Newark, but this was cancelled. Instead, the Hoops closed the tour with a 4-1 win over Canton Soccer Club in Baltimore, although some players preferred instead to head to the cinema!
READ PART THREE…Celtic described as “far from shrinking violets” by American newspaper
In the main, the tour had been very successful for the Celts. They had played 13 matches, winning 10 of these of these and suffering three reverses. The team had scored 48 goals whilst only conceding 18. Aside from some violence and injuries, this was generally a positive experience.
Celtic’s 1931 voyage was also important in establishing a footballing and club legacy in the Americas. The trip helped promote a sport that was still developing, and also attracted more supporters for the club, as well as Scottish football given the presence of the Scottish Cup.
Although many Irish-Americans knew about the Celts, this trip enhanced this. To this day, there are numerous Celtic supporters’ clubs across North America.
To learn more about the tour, read the fifth and final part of the story tomorrow on Celtic Shorts….
Matthew Marr
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