Open Cup: Perusing the historic tournament's most successful clubs

US Open Cup trophy

Editor's note: This article originally ran ahead of the 2014 US Open Cup final and has been updated to reflect more recent results. Sporting Kansas City will host the New York Red Bulls in the 104th edition of the Open Cup final on Wednesday night (9 pm ET; ESPN2, ESPN Deportes).



The U.S. Open Cup is more than a century old, spanning several eras in soccer's long, convoluted history in the United States ā€“ and its record books reflect it.


While MLS clubs have seized a near-stranglehold on the Open Cup trophy in the modern era, the names of past winners like Bethlehem Steel, Maccabi Los Angeles, Brooklyn Italians, Greek-American AC, SC Eintracht and McIlvaine Canvasbacks conjure up visions of distant yore, harking back to times when the game inhabited some different spaces in this country than it does now. 


The Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders FC can make a claim to be contemporary ā€œKings of the Cupā€ thanks to their four USOC titles apiece. But they ā€“ along with the rest of today's professional soccer landscape ā€“ haven't quite yet reached the heights scaled by their most accomplished predecessors in this tournament.

Open Cup: Perusing the historic tournament's most successful clubs -

Bethlehem Steel ā€“
whose legacy is savored and celebrated by two-time finalists
, the Philadelphia Union ā€“ and Maccabi Los Angeles remain the most successful teams in USOC history with five tournament championships apiece, while many historians would also place Fall River Marksmen on par with them as the Massachusetts side won five trophies under multiple identities between 1917 and 1931.

After receiving sponsorship from the steel company of the same name, Bethlehem built an impressive streak of dominance on either side of World War I in what was then known as the National Challenge Cup, winning the event in 1915, 1916, 1918, 1919 and 1926 while also finishing as runners-up in 1917.


Their New England rivals Fall River ā€“ another proud representative of an industrial town ā€“ produced similar excellence during the 1920s and '30s despite the recurring financial instability that saw them switch names from United to Marksmen in honor of benefactor Sam Mark in 1922 and later undergo multiple relocations. (Mark, by the way, built his team their own venue just across the state line in Rhode Island, one of the earliest known soccer-specific stadiums in the country.)

Open Cup: Perusing the historic tournament's most successful clubs -

Half a century later, their achievements would be equaled by Maccabi Los Angeles, arguably an even quirkier footnote in the Open Cup's history.


Originally founded as a Sunday league team by Jewish immigrants and Israeli expatriates in Southern California, Maccabi began entering more competitive tournaments in 1971 and over the next decade, they made the National Challenge Cup their own, winning the 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978 and 1981 editions and coming in second place on two other occasions.


The Philadelphia Ukrainians were the Open Cup's heavyweights of the early '60s, winning four times and fielding famous names like Walter Bahr and Walt Chyzowych, while Greek American Atlas Astoria (also known as New York Greek American and still in operation on an amateur basis today) succeeded them with four titles between 1967 and 1974.


Among MLS clubs, only D.C. United (three-time champs), Sporting Kansas City (three Open Cup wins, if you count the 2004 edition claimed by their forbears the Wizards), and the LA Galaxy (two wins) can come close to the Fire and Sounders.


Past U.S. Open Cup Champions


YearChampionRunner-upScore
2016FC Dallas (MLS)New England Revolution (MLS)4-2
2015Sporting Kansas City (MLS)Philadelphia Union (MLS)1-1 (7-6)
2014Seattle Sounders (MLS)Philadelphia Union (MLS)3-1 (AET)
2013D.C United (MLS)Real Salt Lake (MLS)1-0
2012Sporting Kansas City (MLS)Seattle Sounders (MLS)1-1 (3-2)
2011Seattle Sounders (MLS)Chicago Fire (MLS)2-0
2010Seattle Sounders (MLS)Columbus Crew (MLS)2-1
2009Seattle Sounders (MLS)D.C. United (MLS)2-1
2008D.C. United (MLS)Charleston Battery (USL)2-1
2007New England Revolution (MLS)FC Dallas (MLS)3-2
2006Chicago Fire (MLS)Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)3-1
2005Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)FC Dallas (MLS)1-0
2004Kansas City Wizards (MLS)Chicago Fire (MLS)1-0 (OT)
2003Chicago Fire (MLS)NY/NJ MetroStars (MLS)1-0
2002Columbus Crew (MLS)Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)1-0
2001Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)New England Revolution (MLS)2-1 (OT)
2000Chicago Fire (MLS)Miami Fusion (MLS)2-1
1999Rochester Rhinos (A-league)Colorado Rapids (MLS)2-0
1998Chicago Fire (MLS)Columbus Crew (MLS)2-1 (OT)
1997Dallas Burn (MLS)D.C. United (MLS)0-0 (5-3)
1996D.C. United (MLS)Rochester Rhinos (A-League)3-0
1995Richmond Kickers (A-League)El Paso Patriots (A-League)1-1 (4-2)
1994Greek-American A.C. (San Francisco)Bavarian Leinenkugel (Milwaukee)3-0
1993C.D. Mexico (San Francisco)United German-Hungarians (Philadelphia)5-0
1992San Jose OaksVasco de Gama (Bridgeport)2-1
1991Brooklyn Italian S.C.Richardson Rockets (Texas)1-0
1990A.A.C. Eagles (Chicago)Brooklyn Italian S.C.2-1
1989H.R.C. Kickers (St. Petersburg, FL)New York Greek-American2-1
1988Busch S.C. (St. Louis)Greek-American (San Francisco)1-0
1987Club Espana (Washington, DC)Seattle Eagles1-0
1986Kutis S.C. (St. Louis)San Pedro Yugoslavs1-0
1985Greek-American A.C. (San Francisco)St. Louis Kutis2-1
1984A.O. Krete (New York)San Pedro Yugoslavs4-2
1983N.Y. Pancyrian-FreedomsSt. Louis Kutis4-3
1982N.Y. Pancyrian-FreedomsLos Angeles Maccabee4-3
1981Maccabee S.C. (Los Angeles)Brooklyn Dodgers5-1
1980N.Y. Pancyrian-FreedomsLos Angeles Maccabee3-2
1979Brooklyn Dodgers S.C.Chicago Croatian2-1
1978Brooklyn Dodgers S.C.Chicago Croatian2-1
1977Maccabee S.C. (Los Angeles)United German-Hungarian (Philadelphia)5-1
1976San Francisco A.C.New York Inter-Giuliana1-0
1975Maccabee S.C. (Los Angeles)New York Inter-Giuliana1-0
1974Greek-American A.C. (San Francisco)Chicago Croatia2-0
1973Maccabee S.C. (Los Angeles)Cleveland Inter5-3
1972Elizabeth S.C. (Union, NJ)San Pedro Yugoslavs1-0
1971Hota S.C. (New York)San Pedro Yugoslavs6-4
1970Elizabeth S.C. (Union, NJ)Los Angeles Croatia2-1
1969Greek American A.A. (New York)Montabello Armenians1-0
1968Greek American A.A. (New York)Chicago Olympic1-0
1967Greek American A.A. (New York)Orange County4-2
1966Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia)Orange County3-0
1965N.Y. UkrainiansChicago Hansa3-0
1964Los Angeles KickersUkrainian Nationals (Philadelphia)2-0
1963Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia)Los Angeles Armenian1-0
1962New York HungariaSan Francisco Scots3-2
1961Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia)Los Angeles Scots5-2
1960Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia)Los Angeles Kickers5-3
1959McIlvaine Canvasbacks (Los Angeles)Fall River SC4-3
1958Los Angeles KickersBaltimore Pompei (ASL II)2-1
1957Kutis S.C. (St. Louis)New York Hakoah (ASL II)3-1
1956Hammarville S.C. (Hammarville, PA)Chicago Schwaben (NSL)3-1
1955Eintracht Sports Club (New York)Danish Americans (Los Angeles)2-0
1954New York AmericansKutis S.C. (St. Louis)2-0
1953Falcons S.C. (Chicago)Pittsburgh Hamarville2-0
1952Hammarville S.C. (Hammarville, PA)Philadelphia Nationals (ASL II)4-1
1951German Hungarians S.C. (New York)Pittsburgh Heidelberg6-2
1950Simpkins-Ford S.C. (St. Louis)Fall River Ponta Delgada2-0
1949Morgan S.C. (Morgan, PA)Philadelphia Nationals1-0
1948Simpkins-Ford S.C. (St. Louis)New York Brookhattan3-2
1947Ponta Delgada S.C. (Fall River, MA)Chicago Sparta A & BA3-2
1946Chicago VikingFall river Ponta Delgada2-1
1945Brookhatten F.C. (New York)Cleveland Americans2-1
1944Brooklyn Hispano F.C.Pittsburgh Morgan-Strasser4-0
1943Brooklyn Hispano F.C.Pittsburgh Morgan-Strasser3-2
1942Gallatin S.C. (Gallatin, PA)Pawtucket FC4-2
1941Pawtucket F.C. (Pawtucket, RI)Detroit Chrysler4-3
1940Baltimore SC
Chicago Sparta A & BA
(co-champions)2-2
1939St. Mary's Celtic (Brooklyn, NY)Chicago Manhattan Beer1-0
1938Spata A. and B.A. (Chicago)Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic4-2
1937New York American F.C.St. Louis Shamrocks4-1
1936German-Americans (Philadelphia)St. Louis Shamrocks3-1
1935Central Breweries F.C. (St. Louis)Pawtucket Rangers
1934Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C. (St. Louis)Pawtucket Rangers
1933Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C. (St. Louis)New York Americans2-1
1932New Bedford F.C. (New Bedford, MA)Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C. (St. Louis)5-2
1931Fall River S.C. (Fall River, MA)Chicago Bricklayers2-0
1930Fall River S.C. (Fall River, MA)Cleveland Bruell Insurance2-1
1929Hakoah All Star F.C. (New York)St. Louis Madison Kennels3-0
1928New York National F.C.Chicago Bricklayers3-0
1927Fall River S.C. (Fall River, MA)Detroit Holley Carburetor7-0
1926Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA)St. Louis Ben Millers7-2
1925Shawsheen F. C. (Andover, MA)Chicago Canadian Club3-0
1924Fall River S.C. (Fall River, MA)St. Louis Vesper Buick4-2
1923Paterson F.C. (Pateson, NJ)
St. Louis Scullin Steel
(co-champions)2-2
1922Scullen Steel F.C. (St. Louis)Brooklyn Todd Shipyards3-2
1921Robbins Dry Dock F.C. (Brooklyn, NY)St. Louis Scullin Steel4-2
1920Ben Miller F.C. (St. Louis, MO)Fore River2-1
1919Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA)Paterson FC2-0
1918Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA)Fall River Rovers3-0
1917Fall River Rovers (Fall River, MA)Bethlehem Steel1-0
1916Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA)Fall River Rovers1-0
1915Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA)Brooklyn Celtic3-1
1914Brooklyn Field ClubBrooklyn Celtic2-1

*Find more US Open Cup history at ussoccer.com and TheCup.us.