King George VI and Joe Mercer
April 29, 1950: The FA Cup Final is played at the old Wembley Stadium in London. Arsenal F.C., of North London, play Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool had won the Football League First Division in 1947; Arsenal, in 1948. Both teams were loaded with good players. Among the '48 Champions for Arsenal was left-half Joe Mercer, a native of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, across the River Mersey from Liverpool. In 1939, he had played for Everton F.C., the blue club in Liverpool, to LFC's red, and helped them win the League title.
In 1946, returning from serving in World War II, Mercer was sold to Arsenal, and was named Captain. He commuted the 200 miles between Ellesmere Port and Highbury, and, at times, even trained with the Liverpool squad. Hard to imagine that would happen after the 1971 FA Cup Final, and certainly after the 1989 League title clincher.
In the 1949-50 season, Portsmouth F.C., of Hampshire on the South Coast, won the League title for the 2nd straight season, finishing tied with Wolverhampton Wanderers on points, but slightly ahead on what was then the 1st tiebreaker, goal average. Portsmouth have not won the League since.
It was one of the closest races in League history: Sunderland were in 3rd, 1 point behind Portsmouth; Manchester United and Newcastle United in 4th and 5th, 3 back; Arsenal and Blackpool in 6th and 7th, 4 back; and Liverpool in 8th, 5 back. Keep in mind that, until 1982, a win was worth 2 points instead of 3. So, under today's rules, Portsmouth would still have won the title, by 2 points over Wolves; Sunderland would have been 3rd, trailing Wolves on goal difference; Newcastle would have been 4th, 6 points back; Man United and Arsenal would have been 7 back, with United edging Arsenal for 5th on goal difference; Middlesbrough in 7th, 8 back; Blackpool in 8th, 9 back; and Liverpool in 9th, 10 back.
Nevertheless, both Arsenal and Liverpool reached the FA Cup Final. Both teams regularly wore red shirts at home -- in Arsenal's case, red shirts with white sleeves. Liverpool wore white shirts for the 1950 FA Cup Final, but Arsenal, for the only time in their history, wore gold shirts -- not yellow.
In addition to Mercer, the most notable players for Arsenal were centre-half Leslie Compton and outside left Denis Compton. The brothers (Les was 6 years older) were something that had become rare, and now would never happen: Both had played for the England national team in both football (soccer) and cricket. Les was generally regarded as the better footballer, and Denis as the better cricketer.
Arsenal were managed by Tom Whittaker, who had played for them in the 1920s before an injury ended his career. He took what he learned from his injury, and became the club physiotherapist -- as he would be called in North American sports, the trainer. He had taken over from George Allison, and won the League title in 1948.
Liverpool were managed by George Kay, returning to Wembley Stadium after playing in the 1st event ever held there, the 1923 FA Cup Final, where he played for West Ham, losing to Bolton Wanderers. He managed Liverpool to the League title in 1947. Interestingly, for the 1950 Final, he dropped left-half Bob Paisley, who would go on to manage Liverpool in its greatest period -- although, oddly enough, the FA Cup was the one major trophy that would elude him in that role as well.
Despite a rainy morning, a full 100,000 people jammed into Wembley. In the 18th minute, Reg Lewis, Arsenal's inside left, scored. He scored again in the 63rd. Arsenal won, 2-0. King George VI presents the Cup to Mercer.
In 1953, Mercer captained Arsenal to another League title. He had hoped to retire, but Whittaker talked him into returning for another season. But near the end of the season, he broke his leg, and that was it for his playing career.
He went into management, and took Birmingham team Aston Villa to the Second Division title in 1960, and to the 1st-ever League Cup in 1961. He went to Manchester City, taking them to the Second Division title in 1966, the League title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969, and the League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. That 1968 title made him only the 2nd man to win the League as a non-managing player and a non-playing manager. The 1st was also an Arsenal player: Ted Drake with Chelsea in 1955.
Perhaps Arsenal should have offered Mercer their manager's job: Whittaker died of a heart attack while still in the office, in 1956; George Swindin, the goalkeeper on their 1948, '50 and '53 trophy winners, succeeded Whittaker, without success; and Billy Wright, a star defender with Wolves, succeeded Swindin, and proved not to be a good manager.
It would take until 1971, under Bertie Mee -- like Whittaker, a former Arsenal physio -- before they won another League title, or another FA Cup. In contrast, Liverpool won the League title in 1964 and 1966, and the FA Cup in 1965.
Alex Forbes was the last survivor of Arsenal's 1950 FA Cup winners, living just long enough to see them win the Cup in 2014.
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April 29, 1950, like all FA Cup Final days, was a Saturday. Debbie Stabenow, former U.S. Senator from Michigan, was born that day.
The NBA Championship was won 6 days earlier, when the Minneapolis Lakers beat the Syracuse Nationals in 6 games. The Stanley Cup was also won 6 days earlier, when the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Rangers in 7 games.
And these 4 baseball games were played:
* The New York Yankees beat the Washington Senators, 6-2 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Allie Reynolds outpitched Ray Scarborough. Joe DiMaggio went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and 2 RBIs. Yogi Berra went 1-for-5.
* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Braves, 2-1 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.
* The St. Louis Browns beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
* And the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 14-6 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.
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