President: Walter Freer
Secretary-manager: Frank Thirkettle
Annual general meeting
The annual general meeting was held in Toronto on Saturday January 16. Montreal Hakoah F.C. Inc. attended the meeting with the intention of applying for league membership. The re-entry application from Hamilton Cougars was turned down.
Clubs and players
Hamilton Italo-Canadians
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Hamilton Italo-Canadians big star was outside left Phil Cannavacciuolo.
Montreal Cantalia
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Montreal Cantalia were managed by Aldo Cecchi and coached by Skander Perolli. They were strengthened by adding Yugoslavian goalkeeper Carlo Cergolet, who had formerly played for Triestina in the Italian league; Mario Martinelli from Italian side Fiorentina; Yugoslavian international Martin Mattaia and Jimmy Gauld from English team Swindon Town. Marcelo DiCroce returned to the club after spending the winter playing in Italy. Other important returnees were right half Bob Johnstone, a Scottish player who was also famous for being an opera singer; center half Nevio Varglien and Sergio Chiraz.
Montreal Concordia
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The Montreal Canadian Alouettes changed their name to Concordia. Nick Schmidinghen and Joe Slyomovics travelled to Central and South America during the winter and came back with more imports for their team. Notably Hector Lopez, Oscar Garansini, Fausto Rosello, Alberto Martinez and Pablo Centurion. The South Americans they signed were said to having signed two-year contracts and earning $100 a week excluding bonuses. The team was described as a $50,000 team. Notable newcomers were Omar Muraco who had scored 25 goals in 18 games for Deportivo FAS in El Salvador in the 1957-58 season. He played together with fellow Argentines Hector Marinaro, Hector Dadderio and Javier Novello on that team. Muraco had scored 10 goals in 23 games for Huracan in Argentina between 1948 and 1950.
Montreal Hungaria
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Montreal Hungaria were managed by Steve Dancshak. Montreal Hungaria left Montreal on December 28, 1959 for a five-game tour of Bermuda. They started the season with this line-up: DeGoeij; Czekly, Bauer; Wysh, Pfeiffer, Horvath; Kiraly, Benzce, Stankovitz, Wagner, Kenderas. They were later strengthened by goalkeeper Geza Kapocs, who was said to have played with Ferenc Puskas in Hungary, but lately had been playing in Sweden. At the end of the season the goalie returned to Sweden. Hungaria dropped out after the season due to financial problems. They were given a one-year leave to solve their problems.
Montreal Ukraina
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Montreal Ukraina were captained and coached by Zenon “Red” Snylyk. New players included Tibor Dombrowsky from New York Hungaria. Alex Ely, Jorge Sanchez and Bill Krawec were signed from Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals. Returning players from the 1959 season included Bela Zahar, Jim McAulay, Alec Momesso and Stan Palinsky. After the season they were dropped by the league as they had finished second from bottom in the league standings. Bela Zahar joined the Los Angeles Scots.
Olympia-Harmonie
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Olympia-Harmonie spent $400 on imports, one of the few teams to do little importing. A future star was Rolf Hermann, 19 year old, who had come from Germany when he was 14. He had attended Blakelock High School.
Polish White Eagles
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Polish White Eagles signed former Wisla Krakow players Zbigniew Kotaba (center half), Zbigniew Opoka, Edward Szymeczko and Wlodzimierz Kocielny (inside left). Kotaba was a former Polish B international. Other key players included Polish star Stanislaw Domanski; fullback Jim Lindsay, from Scottish League club Airdrie; George O’Hara, formerly of Queen of the South; and forward Ian McLeod. The club struggled economically when the club’s treasurer went missing along with $2,500 of the club’s gate receipt. The treasurer, an out-of-work bricklayer, sent a telegram saying: “I’m leaving Toronto. I will repay the money in instalments.”
Toronto Italia
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Toronto Italia drew its support from Little Italy, described by the Toronto Star as “the Cosmopolitan area bounded by Spadina, Queen and Eglinton, that has become the home for some 150,000 Italians since the war”. Italia signed former MTK Budapest and Toronto Hungaria goalkeeper Steve Fescke from Mexican club Oro. Daniel Guerra and five-year veteran Angelo Romanin covered the fullback positions. Argentinian forward Angelo Pizorno was also signed from Oro of Mexico. German ace Emil Erbach was also signed from a Mexican club. In June Attilio Prior was signed from Lanerossi Vicenza at a cost of $3,000. Italia averaged over 6,000 fans but after the season Toronto Star wrote that “Allan Astri’s $45,000 club lost some $6,000 on the season”.
Toronto Sparta
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Before the season Sparta were purchased by a syndicate of Italian immigrants headed by Ubaldo Giangiulio for $13,650. Having invested more than $50,000 on new imports. Among these were Tito Vega, said to be a former Argentine national goalkeeper; left winger Ernesto Morale, 20 times in the Peruvian national team; Savino Manossi, an inside left from Argentina; Giancomo Pellegrini, from Alianza Lima of Peru; Giacomo Stecher from Milan; inside right Rubi Cerioni from Millonarios; Fiello Flores, a fullback from Mexico City; and right wing Oscar Contrares Rossi of River Plate, rated as one of the fastest player in South America. Argentine soccer star Oswaldo Martinolli arrived on May 6 despite a one year suspension from the Mexican football association. He recieved the suspension following an incident with a linesman in a game involving his team Leon. He had scored 21 goals for Leon in the 1958-59 season. He returned to Leon after the NSL season and scored five goals after his comeback in the 1960-61 Mexican season. Brunello Cocciuti had played seven games and scored a goal for Lazio in the Serie A in 1957-58 season. After two seasons in Serie C he arrived in Toronto and quickly found the nets for Sparta. Sparta averaged 5,000 fans.
Tridents
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Tridents spent in the region of $20,000 on an import program that flopped. They were coached by Alex Skocen. Among the imports were Juan Wareckij and Gregory Budko from Argentina. The Tridents club was voted out of the league after the season had ended.
Toronto Ukraina
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Toronto Ukraina were led by player-coach Ostap Steckiw. Among the new players were goalkeeper Herbert Pohl and Leo Dowhaluk. The club also included the league’s only Iranian player in Antony Parves.
Ulster United
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Ulster United were described by the Toronto Star as “the last English style club in the league”. Bob Kelly’s move to Italia from Ulster United was made permanent. Something that was seen by many as the final blow to Canada’s oldest and most famous club. Had to use oldtimer Walter Mrusek, 240 pounds, in goal.
Review of the season
The 1960 season was supposed to open at Faillion Stadium in Montreal on Saturday May 14 with Montreal Ukraina meeting Ulster United but unplayable conditions forced a postponement.
When Ulster United defeated Tridents 3-1 on July 19, the two teams switched positions. Ulster moved out of the cellar position.
A record crowd of 8,892 watched Sparta beat Toronto Italia 3-0 at Stanley Park on August 10.
Toronto Italia clinched the league championship when the won 4-1 over Polish White Eagles on Tuesday October 4. It was Italia’s first league championship since 1957.
Post season
After the season Toronto Tridents and Montreal Ukraina were voted out of the League.
Toronto Italia goalkeeper Steve Fescke was seriously injured in a car accident in December 1960 and was forced to retire.
Montreal Concordia joined the International Soccer League but continued to play in the NSL. Toronto Italia, Montreal Cantalia and the Hamilton Italo-Canadians joined the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League.
1960 National Soccer League All-Stars
GK Zoltan Vigh, Toronto Italia RB Guilo Neira, Montreal Cantalia LB Charlie Garvin, Toronto Sparta RH Bobby Johnstone, Montreal Cantalia CH Bob Kelly, Toronto Italia LH Tommy Barrett, Montreal Concordia OR Hector Dadderio, Montreal Concordia IR Rubi Cerini, Toronto Sparta CF Osvaldi Martinoli, Toronto Sparta IL Angelo Pizorno, Toronto Italia OL Phil Cannavacciuolo, Hamilton Italo-Canadians
Results and standings
Final Standings GP W L T GF GA Pts Toronto Italia 24 17 4 3 66 31 37 Toronto Sparta 24 15 3 6 60 29 36 Montreal Concordia 24 14 6 4 56 34 32 Montreal Cantalia 24 14 9 1 50 40 29 Montreal Hungaria 24 13 9 2 71 44 28 Hamilton Italo-Can. 24 12 8 4 52 44 28 Toronto Ukraina 24 10 9 5 52 52 25 Polish White Eagles 24 10 10 4 54 51 24 Toronto Hungaria 24 7 9 8 45 53 22 Olympia 24 9 14 1 45 53 19 Montreal Ukraina 24 5 16 3 42 61 13* Ulster United 24 5 17 2 34 81 12* Toronto Tridents 24 2 19 3 28 82 7 * After the season Ulster United changed places with Montreal Ukraina due to Ukraina’s use of ineligible players. Top goalscorers Goals 1. Angelo Pizorno (Toronto Italia) 24 2. Tibor Stankovits (Montreal Hungaria) 23 3. Bill Clark (Olympia-Harmonie) 18
Play-offs
Montreal
October 5, 1960 Montreal
Montreal Hungaria beat
Montreal Concordia
Hungaria advanced to Montreal final
October 9, 1960 Faillon Stadium, Montreal
Montreal Cantalia 4 (Valentino 4)
Montreal Hungaria 0
Cantalia advanced to Championship finals
Toronto
October 8, 1960 Toronto
Toronto Sparta 2
Hamilton Italo-Canadians 1
October 9, 1960 Toronto
Toronto Italia 4
Hamilton Italo-Canadians 0
October 10, 1960 Toronto
Toronto Italia 2 (Bruno Bertolin, Attilio Prior)
Toronto Sparta 1 (Ernesto Morales)
Toronto Italia advanced to the Championship finals
Championship finals
October 16, 1960 Faillon Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Ray Morgan
Montreal Cantalia 2 (Erbach, Valentino)
Toronto Italia 2 (Pizzorno, Galassini)
October 22, 1960 Stanley Park, Toronto
Toronto Italia 0
Montreal Cantalia 0
October 23, 1960 Stanley Park, Toronto
Attendance: 7,000
Toronto Italia 4 (Angelo Pizorno 2, Attilio Tallasinni 2)
Montreal Cantalia 2 (Julio Neira, Ante Kosta)
