[Ads-l] Earlier U.S. Citation for "Soccer" / "Socker"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is another slightly earlier usage found in a Detroit, Michigan
newspaper which is quoting a London newspaper.

Date: November 13, 1893
Newspaper: The Detroit Free Press
Newspaper Location: Detroit, Michigan
Article: FOOT BALL: Some Epigrammatic Definitions of its Distinguishing Features
Quote Page 4, Column 6
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-socker/200008869/

[Begin excerpt]
London Truth gives a few brief definitions of the distinguishing
features of foot ball. In England the Rugby game is known as the
"Rugger" and the Association game as the "Socker." Here are Truth's
epigrams:
Rugby: A feat of strength. Association: A strength of feet.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sat, Jun 20, 2026 at 5:36 PM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
>
> Would the 1894 and Bill Mullins's find of the 1893 citation count as "US" citations? They are in US papers, but refer to British use of the term.
>
> The 1896 one would seem to be a genuine US use of the term.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Shapiro, Fred" <00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2026 10:51am
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: [ADS-L] Earlier U.S. Citation for "Soccer" / "Socker"
>
>
>
> Here is an earlier U.S. citation for "socker":
>
> 1894 Kansas City Times 7 Jan. 7/5 (Newspapers.com) In England the Rugby game is known as the "Rugger" and the association game as the "Socker."
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ________________________________
> From: Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
> Sent: Friday, June 19, 2026 4:59 PM
> To: American Dialect Society <ads-l at listserv.uga.edu>
> Subject: Earliest U.S. Citation for "Soccer" / "Socker"
>
> The word "soccer" is usually thought of as an Americanism, but it actually originated in England. The earliest known usage, discovered by me in 2021, is from an English school newspaper (Marlburian, Nov. 25, 1885). Today I became curious about what was the earliest U.S. use. In some cursory research, this is the oldest I have found:
>
> 1896 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 27 June 19/3 (Newspapers.com) A determined effort is being made to introduce the scientific and healthful association foot-ball game into Western New York. ... The most admirable characteristic of the "Socker" game is its complete freedom from that element of roughness which does so much to mar all exhibitions of the Inter-Collegiate and Rugby games.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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>
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