Chicago Sparta
Encyclopedia
The Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association Football Club, better known as Chicago Sparta, is one of the longest continually established soccer clubs in the United States. Founded in 1917, it was one of the dominant teams from Chicago, Illinois from the mid-1920s to the late 1940s.
which was attempting to expand throughout the Midwest United States. Sparta played only four games, a 2-1-1 record, before withdrawing on November 16, 1926. It then joined Chicago's International League, winning nine titles before moving to the new National Soccer League of Chicago
in 1937. It won that season's title, then no more. However, by that time, it was gaining attention at the national level, winning the 1938 National Challenge Cup
and earning a co-championship in the 1940 National Challenge Cup
. In 1938, Sparta rejoined the St. Louis Soccer League
. This time, it won the league title, their last in team history. In 1969, Sparta tied for the Peel Cup
title with Chicago Kickers, never to win a national or state competition after that year.
Peel Cup
League Championship
History
In 1915, immigrant Czechs living in Chicago, Illinois formed a social sports organization which they named the Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association. In 1917, several players from Chicago Slavia joined Sparta A and BA to form the core of Sparta’s soccer club. This team, known at times as Sparta A and BA or Sparta ABA, is best known simply as Chicago Sparta. In 1922, Sparta joined the Chicago Major League. However, up to 1923, Sparta had remained an undistinguished amateur recreational team. That year, it signed several Czechs who had recently immigrated to the United States. These proved to be exceptional players and they quickly brought Sparta to the top of the city’s soccer hierarchy. At the time, Chicago was dominated by ethnic British leagues, but during the early 1920, several new leagues were formed to meet the needs of other expatriate teams. There are no records of which of the these leagues Sparta played in, but in 1926, it joined the St. Louis Soccer LeagueSt. Louis Soccer League
The St. Louis Soccer League was a soccer league based in St. Louis, Missouri, that existed from 1907 to 1938. At its founding, it was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States.-History:...
which was attempting to expand throughout the Midwest United States. Sparta played only four games, a 2-1-1 record, before withdrawing on November 16, 1926. It then joined Chicago's International League, winning nine titles before moving to the new National Soccer League of Chicago
National Soccer League of Chicago
The National Soccer League of Chicago, formed by the merger of the Chicago Soccer League and International Soccer Football League of Chicago in 1928, is a semi-professional U.S...
in 1937. It won that season's title, then no more. However, by that time, it was gaining attention at the national level, winning the 1938 National Challenge Cup
1938 National Challenge Cup
The 1938 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup...
and earning a co-championship in the 1940 National Challenge Cup
1940 National Challenge Cup
The 1940 National Challenge Cup was the 27th edition of the United States Football Association's annual open cup. Today, the tournament is known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Teams from the American Soccer League II competed in the tournament, based on qualification methods in their base...
. In 1938, Sparta rejoined the St. Louis Soccer League
St. Louis Soccer League
The St. Louis Soccer League was a soccer league based in St. Louis, Missouri, that existed from 1907 to 1938. At its founding, it was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States.-History:...
. This time, it won the league title, their last in team history. In 1969, Sparta tied for the Peel Cup
Peel Cup
The Peter J. Peel Challenge Cup, better known as the Peel Cup, was an open soccer competition that crowned the Illinois state champion until it was replaced by the Illinois Governor’s Cup in 1970.-Origins:...
title with Chicago Kickers, never to win a national or state competition after that year.
Year-by-year
| Year | League | Reg. Season | Peel Cup | National Challenge Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924/25 | CML | ? | ? | Fourth round |
| 1925/26 | CML | ? | ? | First round |
| 1926-27 1926-27 St. Louis Soccer League season -League standings:* Chicago Sparta withdrew after four games.-Top Goal Scorers:-External links:**... |
SLSL | 4th | ? | Semifinal |
| 1927/28 | ISL | 1st | Champion | Quarterfinal |
| 1928/29 | ISL | ? | Champion | Semifinal |
| 1929/30 | ISL | 1st | Champion | Second round |
| 1930/31 | ISL | 1st | Champion | Second round |
| 1931/32 | ISL | 1st | Champion | Quarterfinals |
| 1932/33 | ISL | 1st | Champion | Semifinal |
| 1933/34 | ISL | 1st | ? | Quarterfinals |
| 1934/35 | ISL | 1st | ? | Second round |
| 1935/36 | ISL | 1st | ? | Quarterfinals |
| 1936/37 | ISL | ? | Champion | Semifinals |
| 1937/38 | NSL | 1st | ? | Champion |
| 1938-39 1938-39 St. Louis Soccer League Final league standings for the 1938-39 St. Louis Soccer League, also known as the Inter-City Soccer Loop.-History:The St. Louis Soccer League collapsed in 1938. League and team officials then reorganized the league to include teams from Chicago and Cleveland. Known both as the St... |
SLSL | 1st | Champion | Quarterfinals |
| 1939/40 | ? | ? | ? | Champion |
| 1940/41 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1941/42 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1942/43 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1943/44 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1944/45 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1945/46 | ? | ? | Champion | ? |
| 1946/47 | ? | ? | Champion | Final |
| 1947/48 | ? | ? | Champion | ? |
Honors
National Challenge Cup- Winner (2): 1938, 1940
- Runner Up (1): 1947
Peel Cup
Peel Cup
The Peter J. Peel Challenge Cup, better known as the Peel Cup, was an open soccer competition that crowned the Illinois state champion until it was replaced by the Illinois Governor’s Cup in 1970.-Origins:...
- Winner (12): 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1939, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1969
League Championship
- Winner (9): 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1939
Notable players
- Julius HjulianJulius HjulianJulius Hjulian was the United States goalkeeper at the 1934 FIFA World Cup.Hjulian spent his career in Chicago. In 1930, he is listed as playing with Chicago Sparta. At the time, Sparta dominated the National Soccer League of Chicago and consistently won the Peel Cup...
1930s - Millard LangMillard LangMillard T. Lang was a U.S. soccer forward and lacrosse player who is a member of both the National Soccer Hall of Fame and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame....
1930s and 1940s - Joe Silovski 1940s and 1950s
- Charlie FajkusCharlie FajkusCharlie Fajkus is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and five in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned three caps with the U.S. national team between 1982 and 1985.-Youth and college:Fajkus grew up Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of...
1970s - Paul DiBernardoPaul DiBernardoPaul DiBernardo is a retired Argentine-American soccer midfielder who coaches youth soccer. He played professionally in the American Indoor Soccer Association and earned one cap with the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth:...
1970s and 1980s - Kevin SullivanKevin SullivanKevin Sullivan may refer to:In Politics:*Kevin J. Sullivan , Massachusetts politician*Kevin Sullivan , 106th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut*Kevin Sullivan , White House Director of CommunicationsIn Academics:...
1970s and 1980s - Milan Gajda 1980s
- Tom Hendzel 1980s
- Joe Kalina 1980s
- Philip Lencioni 1980s
- Manny Tovar 1980s
- Karel J. Capek 1980s