I still remember when Newark e Benfica starter there soccer program, it was in the late 60's's and the home field was in the Riverbank Park and they use to get nice crowds, they had Rui Sim Sim, the 3 Silva brothers, I believe they had stole the popular SCP Figueiredo, later the Rua brothers also played for theme, o Russo etc etc.
I don't remember the name of the bakery I just remember having to get their sliced bread every morning.
I played my last junior year w/ Newark Benfica, I remember some of my teammates: Al Coutinho and the president's son (Jose Goncalves). We couldn't beat Kearny though. They had one of the best junior team in the state: Queijo, Paulo Soares, Jorge Amaral, John Cunha (luvas-pretas) and Manny Silva. Paulo Soares went on to Portugal and played w/ Caldas, today I hear he's a referee and is very very fat!
goalkeeper for Benfica was my crazy cousin Deitado one of two brothers the played with the origninal Benfica, when I went in the USAF I hear he was the keeper at one of the games, in the old Delancy st, somebody kept and call him names, at half time he just went to the car pick up his gun, told him to stop he didn't he shot him, and injury pretty bad, the last I hear both brothers moved to Florida the other keeper at one time was Pinto da Caixa Geral de depositos from Pardelhas, Murtosa
Newark e Benfica first offices for business was a room at the old Rio Lima's restaurant, today Marisqueira on Madison st.
did you ever hear when Maritimo Murtoense was playing at the field by the Port of Newark, Samuel one of a bunch of players the came from Ovar, got mad at the referee and he ran after the referee with a gallon of wine, I believe he hit the referee with it.
I was still in HS and Sport Newark e Benfica won in Indoor profissional tournament in the old Elizabeth Armory, believe in there second year, Sporting also had won a couple years before with Figueiredo and Ping Pong been one of the best players but Benfica was not supposed to win, the New York Ukraines had a power house team, the coach was Rui Sim Sim, for Benfica and he put my friend from East Side High School Telmo Pires, he came in he most have been 17 years old and with 3 blasts shots we score 3 early goals and won 5-1, the place went crazy and the cars all the way to Newark, those days the players use to get paid Telmo was a 3 letter at East Side HS also starter on the East Side Basketball and hit over 300 with the baseball team he latter played in the NASL for the Connecticut Biccentinals and was a teamate of Eusebio, Simoes and his HS friend Tino Domingues In the old ASL who also played for the Newark Portuguese and leave at Monroe st,
I never heard that story but Samuel was known for always being in trouble. I played with his younger brother Daniel at Kearny Portuguese. I also later became friends w/ his other brother Tony who played at Avanca in Portugal. They are still known as the Nunes brothers and yes they are from Ovar
Funny stories here is one. Anyone that has ever played in LISA knows a goalkeeper from Sporting named "Chipelo". What a keeper he was, but I say what a defense he had. Well, Chipelo could never take a shower with the rest of the players. He allways waited for everyone to get done, and would shower with his underwear. So practical jokers that we were, we hid his clean underwear, and the poor guy would have to go home without them. We did this for almost the whole season, and at the end of the season. We hanged all the underwear we had gathered, on a rope in the dressing room.
I met Chipelo at old club I use to hang with some of american vietname veterans, believe he married Craveiro daughter who also played and coach SCP and later told me he was divorce.
Soccerdude you know Costa you used to call the show, he also played for SCP and was a relative of Telmo Pires, his brother in law I believe was also a goalkeeper, for Sporting and later played in the boys club indoor tournament, with Francisco, Telmo and Manfredi the Seton Hall University coach,
best Own Goal I have ever witnessed: our good friend Braga scoring on his own net from the midfield lobbed the ball on Jose Goncalves (our goalie and ex-Benfica)... You can't beat that!
Rui Sim Sim was my coach in Sporting, this guy was small but man was he a character. God Bless his soul. He married a co worker of my sister, and at young age got hit with Alzheimers, and got pretty bad. After I quit playing we would meet up every now and then at family and friend gatherings. They later moved back to Portugal, and passed away 2 or so years ago. Heres a funny story of Sim Sim. When we played usually at home we played at 3PM. Well we had to report in at 9:30 for a club meal at 10, and walk afterwards. It was his way of getting us focused on the game.
Samuel was one of the main reasons I went to Sporting. We first became friends when I played my first senior game for Elizabeth in Washington DC, he guest played for us. We maintained friends, and at 17 I was selected to the league selection, and played against Naval 1 Maio. Had a good game, and the director from Sporting (the old heavy set guy God, I can't think of his name), talked to me about going to play for Sporting.
Quim Teixeira was also a good coach. Didn't he coach in Portugal? I remember him saying that he either coached or was invited to coach Maritimo (yes, the SuperLiga team)
Ok what is the deal with this league? What tier of the american soccer was this league considered? Why did it fail?
because when in the 60's and 70's we could draw from 300 to a 1,000 fans for a game, in the ASL, special SC Portuguese, SL Benfica and Maritimo Murtoense, I blame in the americanize of ours children they found other things to do on sundays, instead of going to a field on a cold day, they could be home watching the NFL on tv, take the girls to the movies, etc.