This was the first modern attempt to create a major soccer league in the
United States. The ISL was created in 1960, by Bill Cox, a former owner of
the Philadelphia Phillies baseball club. He felt there was an audience for
senior level competition among the urban populations and first-generation
immigrant communities. The ISL imported major teams from Europe and other
places around the world to play in the United States during their off-months.
They also formed a club of selected players that played as the New York
Americans. Most games took place in New York City, at either the Polo Grounds,
Downing Stadium or Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. A few other games were
played in Chicago, Detroit and Chicopee, MA. Later years, Boston and Los
Angeles saw a few games as well
There were two divisions of equal stature (Division I and Division II) All
clubs played each other on an equal basis, accumulating points on a league-
wide system. At the end of the regular season, the divisional leaders would
play a championship match.
Over the years, a steady stream of world teams joined and left the league,
but there were usually 2-3 fairly major teams represented, although they did
not always bring all of their top players. Dukla Prague was so strong, that
the American Challenge Cup was instituted, in which they played the ISL
Champion.
The lack of star players and low attendance ultimately led to the league's
demise, but by then the push was on to develop a truly top-level league in
the US. This information is from the U. S. Soccer Guide, and the World
Handbook of Soccer, and was provided by Mark Pollak (mpollak0@counsel.com)
and Colin Jose.
Scoring System: 2 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.
1960
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
Kilmarnock (Scotland) 5 4 1 0 11 3 1
Burnley (England) 5 3 1 1 16 7 1
Olympic Gymnaste Club Nice (France)5 1 3 1 7 10 3
New York Americans (USA) 5 1 2 2 8 13 2
Bayern Munich (West Germany) 5 1 1 3 7 10 1
Glenavon (N. Ireland) 5 1 0 4 8 13 2
Section II
Bangu (Brazil) 5 4 1 0 14 3 9
Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 5 3 1 3 13 5 7
Sampdoria (Italy) 5 2 1 2 11 13 5
Sporting Club Lisbon (Portugal) 4 2 0 2 7 12 4
Norrkoping (Sweden) 5 1 1 3 10 15 3
Rapid Vienna (Austria) 4 0 0 4 7 14 0
CHAMPIONSHIP: Bangu defeated Kilmarnock, 2-0.
1961
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
Everton (England) 7 6 1 0 22 5 12
Bangu (Brazil) 7 4 2 1 18 8 9
New York Americans (USA) 7 4 3 0 13 18 8
Karlsruhe (West Germany) 7 3 3 1 16 17 7
Kilmarnock (Scotland) 7 2 3 2 12 13 6
Montreal Concordia (Canada) 7 2 4 1 7 11 5
Dinamo Bucharest (Romania) 7 1 3 3 8 14 5
Besiktas (Turkey) 7 1 4 2 8 19 4
Section II
Dukla Prague (Czechoslovakia) 7 6 0 1 36 6 13
Montreal Concordia (Canada) 7 3 0 4 17 10 10
Monaco (France) 7 4 3 0 18 13 8
Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 7 3 3 1 24 17 7
Espanol (Spain) 7 3 3 1 15 19 7
Rapid Vienna (Austria) 7 2 4 1 12 18 5
Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) 7 1 4 2 12 26 4
Petah Tikva (Israel) 7 0 5 2 6 31 2
CHAMPIONSHIP: Dukla Prague defeated Everton 7-2 and 2-0, on goal aggregate.
1962
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
America RJ (Brazil) 5 3 2 0 11 8 8
Reutlingen (West Germany) 5 3 1 1 6 1 7
Guadalajara (Mexico) 5 1 2 2 7 7 4
Palermo (Italy) 5 1 2 2 7 8 4
Dundee FC (Scotland) 5 1 2 2 9 11 4
Hadjuk Split (Yugoslavia) 5 1 3 1 8 10 3
Section II
Belenenses (Poryugal) 5 4 1 0 14 6 9
Wiener AC (Austria) 5 2 2 1 11 17 6
Panathinaikos (Greece) 5 1 3 1 9 12 5
MTK Budapest (Hungary) 5 1 2 2 10 12 4
Elfsborg (Sweden) 5 0 3 2 12 16 3
Real Oviedo (Spain) 5 0 3 2 7 10 3
CHAMPIONSHIP: America RJ defeated Belenenses 2-1 and 1-0, on goal aggregate.
AMERICAN CHALLENGE CUP: Dukla Prague defeated America RJ, 1-1 and 2-1, on goal aggregate.
1963
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
West Ham United (England) 6 3 2 1 14 10 8
Mantova (Italy) 6 3 1 2 15 10 7
Kilmarnock (Scotland) 6 2 3 1 17 13 7
SC Recife (Brazil) 6 2 2 2 13 13 6
Preussen Munster (West Germany) 6 3 0 3 13 16 6
Deportivo Oro (Mexico) 6 1 2 3 13 18 4
Valenciennes (France) 6 2 0 4 8 13 4
Section II
Gornik Zabrze (Poland) 6 4 1 1 17 6 9
Dinamo Zagreb (Yugoslavia) 6 3 1 2 14 11 7
Wiener AC (Austria) 6 3 1 2 12 13 7
Ujpest Dosza (Hungary) 6 3 0 3 10 10 7
Belenenses (Portugal) 6 1 3 2 7 8 5
Real Valladolid (Spain) 6 2 1 3 9 15 5
Halsingborg (Sweden) 6 1 1 4 10 14 3
CHAMPIONSHIP: West Ham defeated Gornick 1-1 and 1-0, on goal aggregate.
AMERICAN CHALLENGE CUP: Dukla Prague defeated West Ham United, 1-0 and 101, on goal aggregate.
1964
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
SV Werder Bremen (West Germany) 6 4 2 0 18 10 10
Heart of Midlothian (Scotland) 6 4 1 1 7 5 9
A. C. Lanerossi-Vicenza (Italy) 6 2 2 2 12 11 6
Blackburn Rovers (England) 6 1 1 4 7 11 3
E.C. Bahia (Brazil) 6 0 2 4 5 12 2
Section II
Zaglebie Sosnowiec (Poland) 6 4 2 0 16 7 10
Schwechater (Austria) 6 2 3 1 11 10 7
Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 6 2 3 1 12 12 7
Vitoria Guimaraes (Portugal) 6 1 3 2 5 6 5
AEK Athens (Greece) 6 0 1 5 3 12 1
CHAMPIONSHIP: Zaglebie defeated Werder Bremen 4-0 and 1-0, on goal aggregate.
AMERICAN CHALLENGE CUP: Dukla Prague defeated Zaglebie 3-1 and 1-1, on goal aggregate.
1965
GP W T L GF GA Pts
Section I
New York Americans (USA) 6 4 1 1 11 8 9
Portugesa (Brazil) 6 4 0 2 18 11 8
Varese (Italy) 6 2 2 2 11 9 6
TSV Munich 1860 (West Germany) 6 2 0 4 8 13 4
West Ham United (England) 6 1 1 4 9 16 3
Section II
Polonia Bytom (Poland) 6 3 3 0 13 4 9
Ferencvaros (Hungary) 6 3 2 1 10 6 8
West Bromwich Albion (England) 6 1 2 3 6 13 4
Kilmarnock (Scotland) 6 1 1 4 5 11 3
CHAMPIONSHIP: Polonia Bytom defeated New York Americans 3-0 and 2-1, on goal aggregate.
AMERICAN CHALLENGE CUP: Polonia defeated Dukla Prague, 2-0 and 1-1, on goal aggregate.
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