1961 National Soccer League
President: Walter Freer
Vice-president: Aldo Cecchi, Montreal
Directors: Charlie Jamieson, Toronto and M. Michalofsky, Toronto
Secretary-manager: Frank Thirkettle
Review of the season
The annual general meeting was held in Toronto on Saturday January 14, 1961. Walter Freer was re-elected as president of the league. Montreal Ukraina and Toronto Tridents were voted out of the league. As the two clubs had finished bottom of the league they had to re-apply for admission to the league and this was unsuccesful for both clubs. In a step to get away from being labelled an Italian club the Hamilton Italo-Canadians informed the league that they would change their name to the Hamilton Steelers. Toronto Sparta were also granted the right to a name change as an Italian group had purchased the club from Czech interests the previous season. The new name was to be Toronto Roma. The Hamilton club also suggested that the Toronto clubs should share the gate receipts for the matches in Toronto. This matter was tabled until the annual meeting was to be convened in Montreal on January 28.
The season opened on Sunday April 23 with Toronto Hungaria defeating Toronto Olympia 6-2 in front of 4,000 fans at Stanley Park.
Montreal Concordia also played in the International Soccer League that was organised by Bill Cox. The club was coached by Skender Perolli. The club won the Canadian Challenge Trophy for the second time in their history when they defeated Vancouver Firefighters in the final.
Concordia’s roster for the Canadian Challenge final was goalkeeper Emilio Svich; fullbacks Hector Lopez and Gabrielle DeToni; half-backs Charlie Horvath, Hector Marinaro and captain Tommy Barrett; forwards Steve Stancik, Hector Dadderio, Joao Jorge, Olivio Lacerda, Tito Maule, Jose Sanchez, Humberto Gambaro and Arpad Kiraly.
Toronto Roma won the league championship on Tuesday September 26 when they beat Concordia 4-1 in the final league game of the season. Concordia declined to take part in the play-offs as its foreign players were about to leave.
Toronto Ukraina captured its fourth National Soccer League title by beating Toronto Hungaria in the Labatts Cup finals. Ukraina won the best-of-three final in two straight games.
After the season Toronto Roma joined the ECPSL. The Toronto White Eagles applied to join the ECPSL, the application was accepted on the condition that the White Eagles operated out of Buffalo. The Polish club officials reluctently accepted this.
Final standings
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto Roma | 24 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 79 | 24 | 41 |
| Montreal Concordia | 24 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 90 | 36 | 36 |
| White Eagles | 24 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 53 | 51 | 26 |
| Olympia-Harmonie | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 57 | 64 | 22 |
| Toronto Ukraina | 24 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 45 | 67 | 19 |
| Toronto Hungaria | 24 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 37 | 63 | 17 |
| Ulster United | 24 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 28 | 84 | 7 |
| Leading goalscorers: | Goals |
| 1. Olivio Lacerda (Montreal Concordia) | 34 |
| 2. Olinto Rubini (Toronto Roma) | 20 |
National Soccer League Play-offs
Play-offs (Round-robin series)
October 3, 1961 Stanley Park, Toronto
Toronto White Eagles 0
Toronto Ukraina 2
October 5, 1961 Stanley Park, Toronto
Attendance: 302
Toronto Hungaria 3
Toronto Roma 0
October 8, 1961 Toronto
Toronto White Eagles 2
Toronto Ukraina 3
October 9, 1961 Toronto
Toronto Hungaria 4
Olympia Harmonie 2
Labatts Cup Finals
October ??, 1961 Toronto
Toronto Ukraina 1
Toronto Hungaria 0
October 22, 1961 Toronto
Attendance: 1,871
Toronto Ukraina 1
Toronto Hungaria 0
Exhibition game
July 13, 1961 Stanley Park, Toronto
Attendance:
National Soccer League All-Stars 3 (Ted Purdon 2, Gordon Bradley)
Hapoel Petach-Tikva 1
Other Leagues and Cups
1961 Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League
President: Harold Ballard, Toronto
First vice-president: John Longworth, Hamilton
Second vice-president: John Parkinson, Toronto
Secretary: Bill Simpson, Toronto
Treasurer: Al Agnelli, Toronto
Directors: Duncan Beattie, Hamilton Steelers; Pete Bosa, Toronto Italia; Steve Stavro, Toronto City; Aldo Cecchi, Montreal Cantalia
1961 Results (incomplete)
May 14, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 5,000
Montreal Cantalia 1 (Ismael Ferreira)
Hamilton Steelers 2 (Peter Smethurst, Jim Smith)
May 20, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 16,509
Toronto Italia 3
Toronto City 2
May 24, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 7,515
Toronto City 5
Montreal Cantalia 1
May 28, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 4,500
Montreal Cantalia 4
Toornto Italia 2
Montreal Cantalia:
Toronto Italia:
May 30, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 10,926
Toronto City 1 (Ambrose Morgan)
Toronto Italia 0
June 1, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Hamilton Steelers
Montreal Cantalia
Postponed because of rain and rescheduled for September.
June 4, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers
Toronto City
June 7, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 6,300
Toronto Italia 4
Hamilton Steelers 1
Sunday June 11, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance:
Montreal Cantalia 2
Toronto City 2
June 17, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 9,431
Toronto City 3
Toronto Italia 1
June 18, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers
Toronto Italia
Standings as of June 24
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto City | |||||||
| Hamilton Steelers | |||||||
| Montreal Cantalia | |||||||
| Toronto Italia |
Leading goalscorers as of June 24
| Goals | |
| Jackie Mudie (Toronto City) | |
| Peter Short | |
June 25, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 2,500
Montreal Cantalia 4 (Juarez Dante 2, Ismale Ferreira, Bobby Johnstone)
Toronto Italia 1 (Claudio Betella)
Sunday June 25, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers
Toronto City
June 28, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 3,500
Referee:
Toronto City 1 (Johnny Haynes)
Hamilton Steelers 1 (Filippo Cannavacciuolo)
July 2, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 2,000
Referee:
Montreal Cantalia 4 (Ismael Ferreira 19:00, Ros Valentino 28:00, Valentino 33:00, Valentino 47:00)
Hamilton Steelers 2 (Peter Smethurst 41:00, Joe Stabellini 72:00)
July 5, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 7,786
Toronto City 1
Toronto City 2
July 6, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Referee:
Hamilton Steelers 2
Montreal Cantalia 1
July 9, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 2,500
Montreal Cantalia 2 (Ismael Ferreira, Juarez Dante)
Toronto City 4 (Allan Harvey 2, Danny Blanchflower penalty, Johnny Haynes)
July 12, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 4,612
Toronto City 2
Montreal Cantalia 1
July 13, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance: 2,000 (rain)
Hamilton Steelers 3
Toronto Italia 2
July 15, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,000
Montreal Cantalia 2
Toronto Italia 1
July 19, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,720
Referee:
Toronto Italia 6 (Bruno Bertolin 2, Graham McInnes 2, Wally Chyzowych, Antonio Sistito penalty)
Montreal Cantalia 3 (Ismael Ferreira, Ricardo Mangini, Jorge Sanchez)
July 20, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Referee:
Hamilton Steelers 2
Toronto City 1
July 22, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 600
Referee:
Montreal Cantalia 3 (Fausto Rosello 2, Rubi Pegorer)
Toronto City 0
July 26, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 8,015
Toronto Italia 1 (Francis Queglia)
Toronto City 2 (Tommy McGlennon, Willie Hubert)
Toronto City’s win took them into a six-point leadership.
July 27, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Referee:
Hamilton Steelers 0
Montreal Cantalia 5
The 5-0 win took Cantalia into second place.
August 2, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,542
Toronto Italia 3 (Bruno Bertolin 2, ???)
Hamilton Steelers 1 (???)
Toronto Italia’s win took them within two points of Hamilton Steelers, who were in third place in the league standings.
August 3, 1961 Hamilton, Ontario
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers 3
Toronto Italia 1
August 6, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance:
Referee:
Montreal Cantalia 1 (Ruben Pegorer 79 min)
Hamilton Steelers 0
This was Cantalia’s fourth straight shutout, taking them into a tie for the league leadership with Toronto City.
August 10, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Referee:
Hamilton Steelers 1 (Keith Vickers 76 min)
Montreal Cantalia 1 (Ismael Ferreira 65 min)
August 16, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance:
Referee:
Toronto City 0
Hamilton Steelers 1 (Jim Smith penalty)
August 17, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Referee:
Hamilton Steelers 3 (Umberto Stabellini 2, Peter Smethurst)
Toronto City 4 (Ambrose Morgan, Tommy McGlennon penalty, McGlennon, Roberto Zanarrini)
Toronto City scored three goals in the second half to win the game.
August 24, 1961 Hamilton, Ontrario
Attendance: 2,000
Hamilton Steelers 1
Toronto Italia 1
August 27, 1961 Montreal
Attendance:
Montreal Cantalia 1
Toronto Italia 1
August 30, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 3,995
Toronto Italia 3
Hamilton Steelers 1
September 7, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers
Toronto City
September 13, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,067
Toronto Italia 5 (Bruno Bertolin 2, Graham McInnes 2, Claudio Betella)
Montreal Cantalia 0
September 17, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance:
Referee:
Montreal Cantalia 2 (Andy Toth, Nick Filippone)
Toronto Italia 0
September 17, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Attendance:
Hamilton Steelers 2 (jim Smith penalty, Peter Smethurst))
Toronto City 2 (Alex Marshall 2)
Final standings
Toronto City won the regular season league championship based on goal average over Montreal Cantalia.
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
| Toronto City | 24 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 45 | 41 | 25 |
| Montreal Cantalia | 24 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 47 | 44 | 25 |
| Hamilton Steelers | 24 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 45 | 50 | 24 |
| Toronto Italia | 24 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 43 | 45 | 22 |
| Leading goalscorers: | Goals |
| 1. Peter Smethurst (Hamilton Steelers) | 16 |
President’s Cup
September 30, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,000
Toronto Italia 1
Montreal Cantalia 1
October 8, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,435
Toronto Italia 1
Montreal Cantalia 2
October 9, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Montreal Cantalia 3
Toronto Italia 0
Montreal Cantalia won the President’s Cup
Exhibition games
June 7, 1961 Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
Attendance: 3,568
Montreal Cantalia 3
Stade de Reims (France) 5
* Taped coverage of the game was shown later that night on CJOH
June 11, 1961 Hamilton
Attendance: 4,000
Hamilton Steelers 1
Stade de Reims (France) 8
June 14, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,000
Birmingham City 2
Stade Reims 1
June 18, 1961 Ottawa
Attendance:
Referee:
Ottawa & District All-Stars 1
Montreal Cantalia 6
June 21, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance:
Toronto Italia 0
Stade de Reims (France) 9
June 22, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Attendance: 3,600
Montreal Cantalia 1
Stade de Reims (France) 4
June 24, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance:
Toronto City 2
Stade de Reims (France) 1
1961 International Soccer League
Montreal Concordia in the 1961 International Soccer League:
Montreal Concordia vs.
June 6, 1961: Montreal Concordia vs. Kilmarnock (Scotland)
June 15, 1961: Montreal Concordia vs. Bangu (Brazil)
Montreal Concordia vs.
1961 Ontario Cup
District qualifiers
Windsor District
Final
Windsor Caboto won the 1961 Ontario Cup
