Saturday, March 15, 2014

Individual Player's Cup uncovered from 1920s

Occasionally threads from Portland's soccer past are found unexpectedly and a new piece of information gives us a fresh look at the guys who took to muddy pitches nearly 100 years ago.
I recently was contacted by Patrick Donaldson, a Portland business leader,  who had discovered the small, tarnished cup pictured to the left among his grandfather's effects.   Patrick told me "My Grandfather was John Milne 'Jock' Donaldson. He emigrated to the United States on 3/16/1922 on SS Assyria from Dufftown Scotland thru Glasgow to New York to Portland, via train.  He worked as a Street Car Conductor on several lines most notably the Council Crest line. I have pictures of him in uniform and on the street car but not in a soccer kit or on the field (pitch?)."

I've asked Patrick if he'll share one of those images with me so I can add the image of the man to the image of the cup.    The Camerons were, I believe,  a team assembled by the local champion of the game,  Judge George Cameron,  who also funded the cup competition which bore his name.    If Jock Donaldson got off the train in Portland in the spring of 1922,  he must have been a strong player to attract the attention of the Camerons.   The cup would have been given to players on a team winning a League or cup trophy as their individual recognition.   I've heard about these cups but haven't ever seen one before.