▁its ▁first ▁game ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁against ▁Mass illon ▁Ohio , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁professional ▁power h ouses ▁of ▁the ▁day . ▁ ▁Alfred ▁O . ▁G enn ert , ▁a ▁former ▁star ▁for ▁Pr inc eton ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁players ▁whose ▁name ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁prom oting ▁the ▁team , ▁public ly ▁den ounced ▁the ▁una ut hor ized ▁use ▁of ▁his ▁name ▁and ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁professional ▁football ▁in ▁general . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying , ▁" I ▁would ▁not ▁play ▁football ▁for ▁money ▁on ▁Sunday ▁or ▁any ▁other ▁afternoon . ▁I ▁believe ▁that ▁any ▁attempt ▁to ▁professional ize ▁football ▁is ▁a ▁direct ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁best ▁trad itions ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁and ▁should ▁be ▁res ented ▁by ▁all ▁loyal ▁dev ote es ." ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁fol ded ▁within ▁one ▁week ▁of ▁that ▁report , ▁before ▁its ▁first ▁scheduled ▁game . ▁ ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁remained ▁without ▁a ▁professional ▁team ▁until ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants ▁were ▁finally ▁organized ▁for ▁good ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁ ▁Soccer ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁baseball , ▁Stone ham ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁significant ▁part ▁in ▁US ▁s occer ▁history . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁American ▁Soccer ▁League ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁most ▁popular ▁professional ▁league ▁behind ▁major ▁league ▁baseball , ▁attract ing ▁large ▁crow ds ▁and ▁drawing ▁many ▁of ▁Europe ' s ▁best ▁players ▁with ▁its ▁excellent ▁pay ▁and ▁high