Celtic were an undeniably international club at an early age. Having had distinguished tours of Ireland and Europe, the Hoops eventually ventured across the pond on an excursion around America & Canada in 1931.
The tour was as eventful off the pitch as it was on it, with the Scottish Cup trophy going missing in Philadelphia before being recovered, and Willie Maley being very emotional when holding it aloft in front of thousands of adoring fans as the party arrived on US soil.
The Celts played 13 matches on the tour, achieving nine wins, one draw and three losses. The Bhoys scored 48 goals along the way, conceding just 18. However, Celtic should have played 14 fixtures as a match against Newark Americans was postponed. It is a ticket stub ahead of that game which features in today’s photo of the day article:
A ticket stub from the cancelled match between Celtic and Newark Americans, on Celtic’s first tour of the USA in 1931 pic.twitter.com/HJ17xDLdnK
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) December 24, 2021
With the game being abandoned, Celtic concluded the tour with a 4-1 victory over Baltimore a couple of days later…
Celtic concluded the tour a couple of days later. This was in The Scotsman on 2 July 1931 pic.twitter.com/uuvZQvzJih
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) December 24, 2021
And there was further cause for celebration off the field on the way home!
Thousands of fans greeted the 21 Celts returning from tour in Glasgow, but Jimmy McGrory wasn’t there. He left the ship at Moville to get married pic.twitter.com/Rj7wOY9IeQ
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) December 24, 2021
