Century-old soccer artifacts preserve Prince Albert’s link to Scotland

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Wanting to learn more about the sport, he borrowed a copy of Saskatchewan Soccer, written by John M. Dewar in 1985. While reading, he came across the name Norman Sheldon, one of the Prince Albert players from the 1921 match. Dayton’s father-in-law recognized the name and knew one of Sheldon’s sons lived near St. Louis, Sask.

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The ball used in the 1921 game between the Prince Albert All Stars and the Scottish National Team during a friendly match at the exhibition grounds. (Image Credit: paNOW Staff/Nick Nielsen)

The connection led to a meeting with Sheldon’s son, who entrusted Dayton with the artifacts in hopes they would be preserved.

“We sat down, he started discussing all these things about the game and remembering bits and pieces. So he discussed the ball and he gave me the ball. The game was at the armories, and he said there was between 2,000-2,100 people actually at the game all around, and they were wearing suit and tie and it was like a big thing back then.”

The leather ball bears the signatures of every player who took part in the match. Inside, a golf ball can still be heard rattling around; it’s a superstition the Scottish players believed brought good luck.

The collection also includes the cleats worn by Sheldon, who was born in Glasgow before moving to Prince Albert in 1906. He continued playing locally until 1926 and became one of Saskatchewan’s most accomplished soccer players.

According to Saskatchewan Soccer, Sheldon was the province’s only player selected for Canada’s 1912 tour of England. He also represented Canada on the All-Canada XI that faced the touring Scottish side in Ottawa on July 9, 1921. Despite arriving after a train wreck delayed the team’s trip and left the Canadians without a practice, they lost just 1-0.

Sheldon was inducted into both the Prince Albert and Saskatchewan sports halls of fame before his death in 1974. His son has also since died.

A photo of the Prince Albert All Stars that played against the Scottsh National Team in 1921. (Image Credit: paNOW Staff/Nick Nielsen)

The Scottish National Team. In no particular order and according to canadiansoccerhistory.com, the players were: James Brownlie, William Bulloch, John McCormack, W. McAndrew, Craig Brown, James Scott, Neil McBain, Doug Thompson, Andy Wilson, Jim McMenemy, Alf Bennett, R.M.B. Orr, Jimmy Gordon, Joe Low, Willie Rankin, and Tom Maxwell. (Image Credit: paNOW Staff/Nick Nielsen)

More than a century after the Prince Albert match, Dayton hopes the artifacts can help reconnect descendants of the players on both sides of the Atlantic.

“It’d be nice to hear from (their relatives), and if we could do some research on the guys (who signed) the ball and we get contact with some of the family over there. Some of the family here that actually played the game would be fantastic. I would actually like to do a game.”

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com