98 years of Ethnic Soccer
Tradition
Early Soccer in Wisconsin
• Soccer was played recreationally in
Wisconsin in the late 1800's and early
1900's.
Vikings
Vikings AC, Racine, WI, 1928 - Vikings Atheletic Club, Racine WI after playing
Swedish American in Duluth Minnesota in 1928. The score was 1-1.
Wisconsin State Football
Association - 1914
• McWhytes of Kenosha,
• Horlicks of Racine
• Caledonians, St. Andrew’s, and the Sons
of St. George of Milwaukee.
• First President of the Association was Dr.
James Frew of Milwaukee.
Deutscher Sport Club, Milwaukee,
WI - 1923
1923 – 11 teams
• Division "A“
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Ke-Nah-a Club
Racine Vikings I
Sheboygan F.C.
Simmons Blues of Kenosha,
Vienna F.C.
Wacker I.
• Division "B“
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Deutcher Sport Verein-Milwaukee
Deutcher Sport Club-Kenosha
Kohler Recreation Club
Racine Vikings II
Wacker II.
Deutscher Sport Club, Milwaukee,
WI - 1928
The All-Star game held on November 17,
1929, at Borchart Field
• Attracted a crowd that broke all records for
paid attendance in the State of Wisconsin.
• The Adult Association instituted the state's
first youth program in 1929.
• Over 2,000 fans.
1928 Wisconsin State Soccer Football
League Officers
Lower row from left to right: John Loebel (Viennas) Jos. W. Kelly, Secretary and
Treasurer of the League. F. Beleznay, president, Alfred E. Hall, Vice-president, Herman
Schmiedel (Kohler), Leo Dietz,(Sheboygan). Upper row from left to right: Curt Sachs
(Wacker I), Axel Simonsen (Racine Vikings II), Hugo Matz (Deutscher Sport Verein,
(Milwaukee), Walter Sprotte (Wacker II.), Walter Koshen (Racine Vikings I.). John
Campbel (Ke-Nash-a), A. C. Vanee (Simmons). Emil Klumm (Kenosha Deutscher Sport
C.). Photo from unknown newspaper, 1928
Soccer clubs and teams provides
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Great exercise
Competition
Served as social centers
Safe havens for new immigrants
Corporate Sponsors in 1920’s
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Wacker
Falk
Indian Motorcycle
Horlick Co.
Kohler
Pabst
Schlitz,
Leinenkugel,
Miller
1940 Falk Team
Kohler Company sponsored team
• Photo in front
of Kohler Club
house
• 1926 team of
immigrants
who work at
Kohler.
WWII
• World War II weakened the quality of play in the
early 1940's when many of the league's players
were drafted and volunteered for service.
• Following World War II many Europeans
immigrated to Wisconsin, and the State
Association and its leagues saw an influx of
"New Blood" for their teams.
• Immigrants once again sought out ethnic groups
where they could share language and cultural
values.
Milwaukee Sport Club Schwabenhof
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1953 Milwaukee Sport Club Team
More Milwaukee Sport Club
• Stenko Markovich
• Wilfried Massek
(HOF 2010)
• Egon Muelder
(HOF 2002)
Bavarian Soccer Club
• The Bavarian Soccer Club was founded
on July 29, 1929 at Lake Park in
Milwaukee under the name Fussball Club
Bayern. The founding fathers originated
from the province of Bavaria in Germany.
2008 & 2011 WASA Champions
National Amateur
Championships
• From the 1940's to the present 2011 Wisconsin
teams have won National Amateur
Championships in both the U.S. Adult National
Open and National Amateur Championships.
• Bavarian Soccer Club won the 1974, under the
leadership of Bob Gansler.
• The Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club won three
consecutive National Amateur Championships
2010 - 2011 WASA
• 28 adult competitive teams
• 3 leagues
– Majors
– Reserves
– First