13 July 1930 - The Shots Heard 'Round The World

On 13 July 1930, France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the United States beat Belgium 3-0 in the first ever World Cup matches, played simultaneously in Montevideo, Uruguay. The France-Mexico match was played at the Estadio Pocitos before a crowd of close to 3,000, while approximately 15,000 people watched the United States and Belgium at the Estadio Parque Central.

The first World Cup was open to all FIFA members, with no qualification necessary. Due to the distance and travel expense, few European teams were willing to participate, though FIFA President Jules Rimet ultimately persuaded Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. They were joined by nine Western Hemisphere teams; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and hosts Uruguay.

France's inside right Lucien Laurent scored the World Cup's first ever goal with a volley against Mexico in the 19th minute. Marcel Langiller added a second in the 40th minute, followed by André Machinot in the 43rd minute. Mexico's Juan Carreño pulled one back in the 70th minute, but Machinot scored his second in the 87th minute, sealing the 4-1 victory. France completed its group stage with losses to Argentina and Chile, however, and was eliminated from the tournament.

In the other opening match, the United States' Scottish-born forward Bart McGhee scored a quick brace with goals in the 41st and 45th minutes. His fellow forward Bert Patenaude scored the third goal in the 88th minute, while goalkeeper Jimmy Douglas kept a clean sheet. The US finished at the top of its three-team group with a similar 3-0 win over Paraguay, then lost to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals to finish in third place overall.

Uruguay claimed the first World Cup trophy with a 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final.

3 January 1932 - When Giants Roamed The Earth

On 3 January 1932, the New York Giants came back from an 8-3 deficit to win the league 9-8 on aggregate over the New Bedford Whalers.

The Giants were owned by Charles Stoneham, who also owned the New York Giants baseball team. When he first acquired the football team in 1927, they were known as Indiana Flooring (and later, the New York Nationals), while another team in the league used the New York Giants name. When those Giants changed their name in 1931 to New York Soccer Club, Stoneham claimed the name for his team, who went on to win the Spring 1931 American Soccer League title.

In the fall table, they finished as runners-up to New Bedford, setting up a home-and-away playoff to decide the league's consolidated champions for the year. New Bedford hosted the first leg at their Battery Park ground on New Year's Day, winning 8-3. The teams then met at the Polo Grounds in New York City for the second leg two days later.

There, the Giants took a 3-0 lead into the break with goals from Shamus O'Brien (20'), Bert Patenaude (23'), and Bart McGhee (30'). While McGhee had been with the team since 1925, both O'Brien and Patenaude (pictured) were in their first seasons with the club, with O'Brien moving from the former New York Giants. Patenaude moved from the New York Yankees, which was a brief-lived merger between the Fall River Marksmen and the New York Soccer Club.

Down 8-6 on aggregate at the start of the second half, New York drew level with goals from O'Brien (53') and Jimmy Gallagher (67'). Gallagher, like McGhee, had been with the team since 1925, but had previously played for the other New York Giants team in 1924. Then, in the 80th minute, Patenaude scored again to put the Giants up 9-8, which ended up as the final score.

Despite the constant use of the New York Giants name in the American Soccer League from 1923 to 1932, when the second Giants team folded, the 1931 league title was the only one won by a team with that name.

13 July 1930 - The Shots Heard 'Round The World

On 13 July 1930, France defeated Mexico 4-1 and the United States beat Belgium 3-0 in the first ever World Cup matches, played simultaneously in Montevideo, Uruguay. The France-Mexico match was played at the Estadio Pocitos before a crowd of close to 3,000, while approximately 15,000 people watched the United States and Belgium at the Estadio Parque Central.

The first World Cup was open to all FIFA members, with no qualification necessary. Due to the distance and travel expense, few European teams were willing to participate, though FIFA President Jules Rimet ultimately persuaded Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip. They were joined by nine Western Hemisphere teams; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and hosts Uruguay.

France's inside right Lucien Laurent scored the World Cup's first ever goal with a volley against Mexico in the 19th minute. Marcel Langiller added a second in the 40th minute, followed by André Machinot in the 43rd minute. Mexico's Juan Carreño pulled one back in the 70th minute, but Machinot scored his second in the 87th minute, sealing the 4-1 victory. France completed its group stage with losses to Argentina and Chile, however, and was eliminated from the tournament.

In the other opening match, the United States' Scottish-born forward Bart McGhee scored a quick brace with goals in the 41st and 45th minutes. His fellow forward Bert Patenaude scored the third goal in the 88th minute, while goalkeeper Jimmy Douglas kept a clean sheet. The US finished at the top of its three-team group with a similar 3-0 win over Paraguay, then lost to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals to finish in third place overall.

Uruguay claimed the first World Cup trophy with a 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final.