George McKelvey (soccer)

George McKelvey, also spelled McKelvie,[1] (born Scotland) was a Scottish-American soccer player who spent his entire professional career in the United States.

George McKelvey
Personal information
Place of birth Scotland
Position(s) Right Back / Right Half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1913–1920 Bethlehem Steel
1921 Robins Dry Dock
1921–1922 Todd Shipyards 20 (7)
1922–1923 New York Field Club 5 (2)
1924–1925 Philadelphia Field Club 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

The first record of McKelvey playing professionally comes in 1913 when he is listed with Bethlehem Steel of the amateur Allied American Football Association.[2] He remained with Bethlehem until 1921, when he scored a goal for Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock in the team’s 4-2 victory over St. Louis Scullin Steel F.C. in the 1921 National Challenge Cup. During his years with Bethlehem Steel, McKelvey played both right half and right fullback, at times filling in on the front line as right wing when injuries plagued the team. On April 19, 1919, he scored the first Bethlehem goal in its 2-0 victory over Paterson F.C. in the 1919 National Challenge Cup. In addition to the two cups mentioned, McKelvey was part of the winning team in the 1915, 1916, and 1918 National Challenge Cups. He also won five American Cup titles with Bethlehem during this period. In 1921, Todd Shipyards, owner of Tebo Yacht Basin and Robins Dry Dock, merged the teams sponsored by these companies into one club, Todd Shipyards and entered it into the newly established American Soccer League. McKelvey spent one season with Todd Shipyards which folded in 1922. He then moved to New York Field Club for the 1922-1923 season, but saw time in only five games. He is not listed with any ASL teams in 1923-1924, but played two games with Philadelphia Field Club during the 1924-1925 season.[3]

Possible other teams

One newspaper article from 1918 mention McKelvey as having played for Disston A.A., but no records exist to substantiate this claim.[4] Another article from 1921 claims McKelvey played for Tebo Yacht Basin F.C. before moving to Todd Shipyards, but the reporter may have been confused between the two teams which merged to form Todd Shipyards.[5]

References
  1. October 25, 1915 The Globe
  2. 1913-1914 Bethlehem Steel F.C. roster
  3. Jose, Colin (1998). American Soccer League, 1921-1931 (Hardback). The Scarecrow Press. (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4).
  4. September 20, 1918 The Globe
  5. September 19, 1921 The Globe
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