History

Everton – The Baseball Years
08
Oct
By Richie Gillham
1 Comment
1920-1929, 1930-1939, Articles, History, Members Work, Richard Gillham, Rob Sawyer, , , ,

Everton – The Baseball Years

The BATS British American Tobacco Team with John Moores (2nd from left in hat), circa 1935 Baseball may be a minority sport in the UK but 80 years ago Merseyside was a hotbed of this popular American pastime. Had it not been for the outbreak of War in 1939 perhaps it would have gained a proper foothold in our sporting life. Folklore has it that William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean was once introduced to the legendary Babe Ruth (of Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees fame) at a football match. Dean recalled to journalist John Roberts his encounter with Babe.…
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Only Once a Blue (Part 10) Roger Ord
07
Oct
By Tony Onslow
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1890-1899, Articles, History, Players, Tony Onslow

Only Once a Blue (Part 10) Roger Ord

Courtesy of Patrick Brennan Born April 1874 in the Northumberland Coal Mining community of Cramlington, Roger Ord was the second son of Thomas and his Wife, Ann. He was working as a Coal Miner when he began his football career keeping goal for his local side Shankhouse who played their league matches in the Northern Alliance. Known as the Black Watch This club entered the FA Cup in 1892 and surprised all concerned by reaching the first round proper but were beaten, 4-0, by Notts County at Trent Bridge. The local scout persuaded Ord to sign for Everton following his…
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Searching For The Blues Baseballers
07
Oct
By David Prentice
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1930-1939, 1940-1949, Articles, David Prentice, History, ,

Searching For The Blues Baseballers

Everton baseball team circa 1945 Featuring Gordon Watson of EFC and Theo Kelly as trainer wearing hat The Everton team you've never heard of as Blues search for sporting pioneers Everton were once a leading name in trying to establish a popular American sport on Merseyside  Because Everton have diversified into other sports in their long sporting history - and the Everton Heritage Society - the group of historians which seeks to research and chronicle all elements of the football club, is interested in discovering more about one particular diversion. Baseball. The Toffees have flirted with another sport with American…
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Architect of His Own Success: Samuel Bolton Ashworth
07
Oct
By Jamie Yates
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1900-1909, Articles, History, Jamie Yates, Members Work, Players, ,

Architect of His Own Success: Samuel Bolton Ashworth

Samuel Bolton Ashworth was an amateur left-half of the early 1900s. Born 11 March 1877 in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, the son of a Mr. Thomas Ashworth who served as manager of Glebe Colliery, and Betsy Bolton; he was one of 10 children and played youth football with a succession of local sides in the Staffordshire leagues, before joining Football League founder members Stoke City for the 1901/02 season. In two seasons at Stoke, Sam Ashworth made 39 league and cup appearances, filling each of the half-back roles, but never scoring a goal – he never troubled the scorers once in his…
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Jack Search – “Gentleman Jack” – Everton Director
27
Sep
By Steve Zocek
4 Comments
1970-1979, 1980-1989, Articles, Directors, History, Members Work, Steve Zocek

Jack Search – “Gentleman Jack” – Everton Director

Jack Search was born in 1915 above his father’s jewellers shop number at 87 Wavertree Road. He attended Brae Street School before heading to Liverpool Institute. In 1932, Jack left Liverpool Institute to further his studies at Liverpool Technical College where he did an engineering course for another 4 years. Jack was always a keen footballer since playing at school. His senior career began in 1933 when he played for Collegiate Old Boys. He was also a member of the old Liobians team at Liverpool Institute. Jack went on to represent Cheshire and he started attracting interest from other teams.…
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The ECWC Final of 1985 in Rotterdam and the thoughts of Michael Konsel of Rapid Vienna
08
Jul
By Steve Zocek
1 Comment
1980-1989, Articles, History, Interview, Members Work, Steve Zocek, ,

The ECWC Final of 1985 in Rotterdam and the thoughts of Michael Konsel of Rapid Vienna

Everton’s only success in Europe came on 15 May 1985 at the De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam. Everton’s passage to the final could have faltered at the first hurdle with a two-legged affair with the Irish part-timers University College Dublin providing the opposition. Graeme Sharp, Everton’s saviour that night with the winning goal, once said that it was the trickiest tie of all the rounds to the final, stating that Everton could so easily have been knocked out, with the woodwork saving Everton. Had the ball gone in UCD would have had a priceless away goal. With Inter Bratislava, Fortuna…
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29
May
By Tony Onslow
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1910-1919, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

Only Once a Blue (Part 11): Thomas Mayson

Due to the disruption that followed World War One, Tommy Mayson slipped unnoticed by the local press into the ranks of Everton Football Club in June 1919. He was born 8 December 1886 at Whitehaven in Cumberland and was the second child of John, a plasterer, and his Irish-born wife, Sarah. 1891 Census The 1891 census (above) found the family living in the Northumberland village of Mickley, but by 1901 they had settled in the Byker area of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Young Tommy began his football career with Walker Parish Church – who were members of the Northern Alliance League – where…
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29
May
By Tony Onslow
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1910-1919, 1920-1929, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow, ,

Herbert Rigsby & Alex Wall, the Zingari Blues

Herbert Rigsby was born on 22 July 1894, in the model village built by philanthropist William Hartley, to house the employees who worked in his fruit preservative factory at Fazakerley. His Surrey born father, Allen, worked at this location, as a foreman, while his mother Frances, looked after the villa that had been allotted to them. The 1911 census revealed that Herbert was living with his parents at that location and was working as a railway clerk. He was playing amateur football with Zingari League side Marine when he joined the army, at the Old Haymarket in Liverpool on 22…
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07
May
By Richie Gillham
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1930-1939, Articles, Caribbean, Everton Clubs Abroad, History, Members Work, Richard Gillham

‘King’ Charles: Everton (Trinidad and Tobago)

Alfred Charles (Southampton Strip) Alfred Pious Charles was born in Trinidad & Tobago, 11 July 1909. He received his prestigious royal nickname from a 1931 match report when in 1931 the Touring Trinidad & Tobago national team played British Guiana: ‘Playing at centre-half. He shone like a beacon in that position and so amazed the Guianese that they christened him "King Charles". Alfred was very highly regarded in his school days at Newtown Boys’ RC – he was head and shoulders above other boy footballers in Port of Spain. In 1929 he joined the Port of Spain Football League side,…
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07
May
By Tony Onslow
1 Comment
1878-1889, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

Only Once a Blue (10) Charles McGoldrick

Charles McGoldrick was born on 30 November 1865 at 38 York Terrace in Everton and baptised at the church of Our Lady Immaculate. This being the case, his birth might well have been attended by the future director of Everton Football Club, Doctor James Baxter. He was the first child of Denis, an Irish born warehouse man, and his Preston born wife, Mary. McGoldrick was first reported to be playing football on Walton Stiles, for the Stanley club, but by September 1886 had signed for Oakfield Rovers. Formed by members of a Wesleyan Methodist community they had, that year, opened…
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