1936 National Challenge Cup

Dewar Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Country	USA
Dates	19 January- 3 May 1936
Defending champions	St. Louis Central Breweries
Final positions
Champions	Philadelphia German-Americans (1st title)
Runner-up	St. Louis Shamrocks
Semifinalists	St. Mary's Celtic Heidelberg S.C.
←  1935 1937 →

The 1936 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. This edition featured the fifth of six consecutive final appearances for Alex McNab's team. The Shamrocks not participating in their local league that year were playing inter city matches with top competition primarily from Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit. One of their only losses during the season was to Heidelberg, eventual Western Final opponents of the Shamrocks. Early in the season Heidelberg took the first game of a three-game set, the second match ended in a draw and McNab's men evened up the series by pulling out a victory in the third game. Both teams eventually made their way to the Western Final, Heidelberg led by the lone scorer for the USA at the 1934 World Cup Aldo Donelli. The Shamrocks with their World Cup veterans including William Lehman, Billy Gonsalves, Werner Nilsen, and Bert Patenaude overcame the Pennsylvanians with a 3-2 aggregate over two games. The final showcased still further US nationals. The Philadelphia German-Americans roster boasted a quartet of their own including Bill Fiedler, Al Harker, Peter Pietras, and Francis Ryan. After a two all draw in the first leg of the final in St. Louis, Philly took home the trophy by blanking the Shamrocks 3–0 in the second leg.

Eastern Division

Western Division

a) aggregate after three games

Final

First game

April 26, 1936

St. Louis Shamrocks ( MO)	2–2	Philadelphia German-Americans ( PA)
Nilsen 8', 68' ( Patenaude)		Richards 10' Fiedler 89' (Regan)

Walsh Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

Attendance: 3,400

Referee: Mike Boylan

Second game

May 3, 1936

Philadelphia German-Americans (PA)	3–0	St. Louis Shamrocks (MO)
Nemchik 25', 34' Richards 69'

Rifle Club Grounds, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Attendance: 8,000

Referee: Gordon

Sources

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch