Sheldon Benjamin Govier (born 11 January 1876 in
Coatbridge
Coatbridge ( sco, Cotbrig or Coatbrig, gd, Drochaid a' Chòta) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
; died 1951 in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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), also known as Ben Govier, was an American
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
center halfback who spent his entire career in the United States, primarily with
Pullman F.C. Pullman F.C. was one of the dominant American soccer teams of the early twentieth century. Established in 1893 as the Pullman Company team, it was an inaugural member of the Chicago League of Association Football before moving to the Association ...
He is a member of the
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 and currently located in Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The Hall of Fame honors soccer achievements in the United States. Induction ...
.
Youth
Govier was born in Scotland to English parents. They moved to
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
,
Cambuslang
Cambuslang ( sco, Cammuslang, from gd, Camas Lang) is a town on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater Glasgow, Scotland. With approximately 30,000 residents, it is the 27th largest town in Scotland by population, although, never having had a ...
when he was three and he played schoolboy football at Hallside Primary. His parents left Britain in 1891 and settled the family in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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. His father died within months of their arrival in Chicago and Govier, fifteen years old at the time, went to work for the
Pullman Company
The Pullman Company, founded by George Pullman, was a manufacturer of railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Through rapid late-19th century d ...
. He eventually played for the company team,
Pullman F.C. Pullman F.C. was one of the dominant American soccer teams of the early twentieth century. Established in 1893 as the Pullman Company team, it was an inaugural member of the Chicago League of Association Football before moving to the Association ...
His younger brother, Sheldon William, was eight when they arrived in Chicago. Sheldon W. later both worked and played for Pullman, but became better known for his involvement in Chicago politics. Biographies of the two men frequently intermix their biographical details.
Career
When Govier began playing for Pullman, it competed in the Chicago League of Association Football. He gained his first start with the team when he was fifteen. He then moved to Thistles. In December 1896, Govier moved to the St. Louis Cycling Club of the St. Louis Football Association. As late as 1900, Govier would play for Cycling Club if called upon. In 1901, Govier briefly played for Chicago in a four team league created by baseball owners. The league lasted a few games before collapsing. In 1905, he was captain of the Chicago All Star team which defeated the touring Pilgrim's team. He played one season each for Wanderers, Woodlawn and Buxton Red Sox before rejoining Pullman. In 1917, Pullman disbanded and Govier moved to Joliet F.C. before retiring in 1918. He was inducted into the
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 and currently located in Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The Hall of Fame honors soccer achievements in the United States. Induction ...
in 1950.
Sheldon Govier
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 and currently located in Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The Hall of Fame honors soccer achievements in the United States. Induction ...
His son, Benjamin Govier, Jr., also played in the Chicago leagues.
References
External links
Ben Govier: Captain Pullman Football Club
Spalding's Official "Soccer" Football Guide 915-1916 season*
1904-05 Cycling Club with Govier; ''see p. 32''
Association Foot Ball Guide, 904-1905 season Spalding's Athletic Library, scan via CARLI Digital Collections
{{DEFAULTSORT:Govier, Sheldon
1876 births
1951 deaths
American men's soccer players
National Soccer Hall of Fame members
Soccer players from Chicago
Pullman F.C. players
Footballers from Coatbridge
Scottish emigrants to the United States
Men's association football central defenders
Footballers from Cambuslang
Scottish men's footballers
Scottish people of English descent
American people of English descent