New York Hakoah
American soccer club with three incarnations, rooted in Jewish heritage.
New York Hakoah is an American soccer club from New York City that gets its name from two earlier teams that no longer exist. The word "Hakoah" comes from Hebrew and roughly means "strength," and it is commonly used for Jewish sports and social clubs around the world, a link to the original clubs' Jewish connections. The team has had three separate versions: the first New York Hakoah (1928–1930), a later revival (1956–1963), and a modern club that started in 2009.
The original New York Hakoah was formed in the fall of 1928 by former players from Hakoah Vienna, including Béla Guttmann and Rudolph Nickolsburger, and they played in the Eastern Soccer League. In April 1929, they won the National Challenge Cup, now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The next year, they merged with Brooklyn Hakoah of the American Soccer League to create the Hakoah All-Stars.
The name was brought back just before the 1956–57 season, when a revived Brooklyn Hakoah combined with the New York Americans to form the New York Hakoah-Americans. They changed to just New York Hakoah for the 1962–63 season. The team won the American Soccer League championship three years in a row, for the 1957–58, 1958–59, and 1959–60 seasons. Kurt Lamm coached the team for 7 seasons, including those three straight ASL titles (1956–57 through 1962–63), and he was named ASL Manager of the Year for the 1957–58 and 1962–63 seasons.
The modern club began in 2009 as Sport Club Hakoah Bergen County. Ron Glickman decided to try rebuilding the Hakoah club in Teaneck, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City. Players were found by looking at local college rosters and contacting college coaches directly. At the start of the 2011–2012 season, the club made a deal with Fairleigh Dickinson University to use University Stadium as its home field. Sponsorship agreements were also announced, including a shirt sponsorship from El Al Israel Airlines, along with All Ways Travel and Data Life. Hakoah Bergen County joined the North Jersey Soccer League Premier West Division for the 2011/12 season and finished in fourth place. In August 2012, the club said it would rebrand and carry on the legacy of New York Hakoah.
- field
- Soccer
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Winning the 1929 National Challenge Cup; three consecutive American Soccer League championships (1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60)
Quick Facts
- Clubname
- New York Hakoah
- Fullname
- Sport Club Hakoah New York
- Founded
- 2009; 10 years ago
- Stadium
- University Stadium
- Capacity
- 250
- Chrtitle
- President
- Chairman
- Abbie Wolanow
- Mgrtitle
- Manager
- Manager
- Dov Glickman
- League
- North Jersey Soccer League
- Season
- 2011–12
- Position
- 4th
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first New York Hakoah was formed in 1928 by former players from Hakoah Vienna, including Béla Guttmann and Rudolph Nickolsburger. They initially played in the Eastern Soccer League in the fall of 1928 and won the 1929 National Challenge Cup (now the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup) in April 1929. In 1930 they merged with Brooklyn Hakoah to become the Hakoah All-Stars.
The name was revived just before the 1956–57 season when a revived Brooklyn Hakoah merged with New York Americans to become the New York Hakoah-Americans, then became New York Hakoah for the 1962–63 season. This incarnation won three consecutive American Soccer League championships for the 1957–58, 1958–59, and 1959–60 seasons. Kurt Lamm coached the team for 7 seasons, including those three championship seasons, and was named ASL Manager of the Year in 1957–58 and 1962–63.
The modern club, originally called Sport Club Hakoah Bergen County, was established in 2009 by Ron Glickman in Teaneck, New Jersey. It joined the North Jersey Soccer League Premier West Division for the 2011/12 season, finishing fourth. In August 2012, the club announced a rebrand to continue the legacy of New York Hakoah.
Reader's Guide
New York Hakoah represents a notable thread in American soccer history, particularly for its early success and its connection to Jewish sporting traditions. The original club's 1929 National Challenge Cup victory marked an early achievement for a team composed largely of Jewish immigrants. The later incarnation's three consecutive American Soccer League titles under coach Kurt Lamm demonstrated sustained excellence in the mid-20th century. The club's revival in 2009 as Sport Club Hakoah Bergen County, later rebranded as New York Hakoah, shows an effort to preserve this legacy in a modern context. The club's name, meaning 'strength' in Hebrew, ties it to a global network of Jewish sports clubs. While the modern club operates at a lower competitive level, its existence underscores the enduring cultural significance of the Hakoah name in American soccer.
Did You Know?
- The original New York Hakoah was formed by former players from Hakoah Vienna, including Béla Guttmann and Rudolph Nickolsburger.
- New York Hakoah won the 1929 National Challenge Cup, now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
- The revived New York Hakoah won three consecutive American Soccer League championships from 1957 to 1959.
- Kurt Lamm coached the team for 14 seasons and was ASL Manager of the Year in 1957–58 and 1962–63.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New York Hakoah?
New York Hakoah is a New York City soccer club tied to the Jewish sports community, drawing its name from the Hebrew word meaning 'strength.' The label 'Hakoah' is shared by Jewish athletic and social clubs around the globe, and the New York club has existed in three separate eras: 1928–1930, 1956–1963, and a modern side founded in 2009.
What are New York Hakoah's biggest honors?
The 1928–1930 version claimed the 1929 National Challenge Cup, while the 1956–1963 incarnation swept three consecutive American Soccer League titles in 1957–58, 1958–59, and 1959–60. Those back-to-back-to-back ASL championships remain the club's most celebrated run.
Where did the original New York Hakoah come from?
The first iteration was put together in the fall of 1928 by ex-Hakoah Vienna players, including Béla Guttmann, who wanted to transplant that European club's identity to American soil. It inherited both the name and the Jewish-community ethos of its predecessor.
How many distinct clubs have carried the New York Hakoah name?
Three: the short-lived 1928–1930 team, a second club that competed from 1956 through 1963, and a modern outfit that began play in 2009. Each is treated as its own entity rather than a direct continuation of the one before it.
Why is New York Hakoah important in American soccer history?
It is one of the most decorated Jewish-affiliated sides in the country and a living link to the worldwide Hakoah movement of Jewish sporting clubs. Its late-1950s ASL title streak and the 1929 Challenge Cup win give it a place among the early greats of organized American soccer.
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