Tie With Poland After Olympic Disaster

On This Day in 1928, After Losing to Italy at the Olympics, the Americans Showed Spirit in Six-Goal Thriller Against Poland

As the Olympic torch prepared to ignite in Amsterdam for the 1928 Games, American soccer stood at another key moment in its development. The United States Football Association, determined to make a more substantial showing than their brief 1924 Olympic appearance, began an exhaustive selection process that would assemble players from across the nation into a team worthy of international competition.

On April 16, the Olympic Committee announced the final American roster. The sixteen-man squad reflected the sport's growing geographic footprint, with players drawn from established soccer hotbeds: Philadelphia contributed four players, St. Louis sent another four, New Jersey added five representatives, while New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania rounded out the delegation. The selection emphasized strict adherence to amateur principles, a point repeatedly stressed at the team's farewell dinner held at New York's Prince George Hotel on May 9. Speaker after speaker highlighted the sacrifice these players were making, temporarily abandoning their civilian careers to represent their country—a stark contrast to the "broken time" compensation provided to players from many European nations. This commitment to amateur ideals would later prove ironic given subsequent Olympic decisions regarding soccer's future.

With Philadelphia lawyer Elmer Schroeder serving as manager and George Burford as coach, the American squad sailed for Europe aboard the French liner De Grasse on May 10, carrying what The New York Times described as "high hopes of winning the crown that never yet has come to this country." Colonel G. Randolph Manning, one of the founders of the U.S. Football Association, accompanied the team, primarily to attend the annual meeting of the Federation Internationale de Football Association in Amsterdam.

Upon arriving in Amsterdam on May 20, the Americans were the last team from the Western Hemisphere to reach the Olympic city. Their South American counterparts—Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Mexico—had already established training bases. Despite the fatigue of travel, Captain Schroeder maintained optimistic caution when informed that the United States would face mighty Argentina in their opening match.

"We shall play the best game we know. I have no prediction to make," Schroeder told reporters. "We have the greatest respect for the Argentines, and we hope the best team wins."

Coach Burford acknowledged the difficult draw against Argentina but remained focused on preparation. "We don't know the Argentines, but from what we hear about them, I'd say we have a tough break to go up against them in the first shot. We'll do our best, and we'll start right in training on Monday to get ready for them."

The Americans wasted no time acclimating to European competition, arranging a friendly match against the Ajax Club, one of the strongest Dutch squads, on May 24. On a wet, slippery pitch, the hastily assembled American team held their own, securing a respectable 1-1 draw that attracted considerable local interest despite being privately arranged. Albert Cooper of Trenton, the Americans' towering 6-foot-3 goalkeeper, quickly became a fan favorite among Amsterdam spectators. His commanding presence and shot-stopping ability not only earned cheers but also created a following among local children, who would chase after "den groote man" (the big man) whenever he appeared in public.

Olympic hopes, however, were soon dashed when the Americans faced Argentina on May 29. Youth and inexperience proved no match for South American technical brilliance as the U.S. suffered a crushing 11-2 defeat that eliminated them from further Olympic competition. The Argentine wingmen particularly tormented the American defense, repeatedly slipping past the backs despite Cooper's heroic efforts in goal. The Associated Press reported that Cooper "saved what could be saved and fought a good fight," often finding himself "unsupported when the Argentines pressed." While the scoreline reflected an apparent disparity in skill and cohesion, observers noted the contest was played with exemplary sportsmanship throughout.

"Our defense," American William Findlay said, "could not do a thing with the powerful South Americans. They simply dribbled and walked the ball toward our goal. Cooper played a great game, and if it was not for his goalkeeping, the score would have been much bigger."

Rather than immediately returning home, the eliminated Americans arranged a series of exhibition matches in Poland, a decision carrying special significance as Coach Burford had previously trained Polish teams while engaged in relief work there after World War I. This goodwill tour would produce one of the most remarkable performances of the American squad's European journey. After an exhausting overnight train ride from Berlin to Warsaw without proper sleeping accommodations, the Americans took the field against a select Polish team on June 10 before a distinguished audience that included Polish President Ignatz Moscicki, his Cabinet, and members of the diplomatic corps. Despite visible fatigue, the Americans demonstrated remarkable resilience.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the U.S. team emerged from the break with renewed determination. Within the first ten minutes of the second half, the Americans stunned the Polish crowd by scoring three consecutive goals in a brilliant offensive burst that showcased their potential when playing with cohesion and confidence. First, Francis Ryan converted a penalty in the 59th minute to equalize. James Gallagher gave the Americans the lead five minutes later before Rudy Kuntner doubled that lead in the 74th minute to almost seal the victory.

However, the Polish side battled back, managing to score twice more, including an 89th-minute penalty, to level the match at 3-3. Near the end of this tension-filled encounter, controversy erupted when referee Dr. Cejnar awarded a foul against the Americans that provoked passionate disagreement from thousands of spectators who rushed onto the field in protest before being dispersed by police. 

American defender John Duffy distinguished himself as the standout performer despite nursing injuries sustained during an earlier match in Hamburg. His determination embodied the fighting spirit that enabled the Americans to secure a creditable draw under challenging circumstances. The American team continued their tour with matches in Lodz on June 11 and Posen on June 12—both defeats—completing the series that helped foster international goodwill through soccer even as Olympic officials were reconsidering the sport's place in future Games.

Meanwhile, in Amsterdam, Argentina and Uruguay battled to a 1-1 draw in the Olympic final before 40,000 spectators on the same day as the Americans' Polish match. The South American rivals remained deadlocked even after 30 minutes of overtime, necessitating a replay scheduled for the following Wednesday. Uruguay won the replay 2-1.

On July 26, while these post-Olympic exhibitions were still fresh in memory, the International Olympic Committee made a decision that would profoundly impact soccer's Olympic future. The committee voted to bar both soccer and tennis from future Olympic competition until their amateur codes aligned with Olympic ideals.

The controversial vote, described by American delegate General Charles H. Sherrill as "the hottest battle the committee has had over any issue in fifteen years," passed by a narrow 16-14 margin. At issue was soccer's "broken time" regulation permitting compensation to players for workplace absence during competition—ironically, a provision the American team had proudly rejected in favor of pure amateurism.

The decision reflected growing tensions between the Olympics' amateur philosophy and the evolving professional reality of soccer. Latin American nations, joined by Balkan countries, Italy, and other European nations, opposed the exclusion, while representatives from the British Empire and Scandinavia strongly supported it. The IOC simultaneously launched a campaign to restrict future Olympics to fourteen days for all events, potentially eliminating winter sports, hockey, and yachting while returning focus to track and field events that formed the original Greek games. This proposal was scheduled for formal consideration at the following year's meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, as officials prepared for the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.

For American soccer, the 1928 Olympic campaign represented both challenges and progress. Though the defeat to Argentina exposed significant technical gaps, the team's resilience against Poland demonstrated American soccer's fighting spirit and potential. More importantly, through their European tour, these amateur players fostered international goodwill and laid the groundwork for future American participation on the world stage, even as soccer itself was temporarily sidelined from Olympic competition.