James "Jimmy" Adams
James Adams was a mason to trade and it was as such that he worked on first settling in Kearny, "Scotstoon" in New Jersey, USA. He arrived there with a wife, Fanny, and four Scots-born children just as the 19th had become the 20th Century. They were to have one more child in the States. And Jimmy was then to work as the Janitor and from at least 1929 be the football coach at Kearny High School, if not he directly then it later to be a major cog in the revitalisation of American soccer. It would be pivotal in preserving football, indeed fitba', as an American sport and produce Tony Meola and John Harkes, who, with Tab Ramos from neighbouring Newark , would form the spine of the re-emergent U.S. national team at the 1990 World Cup and again in 1994.
Jimmy Adams was born in Edinburgh in 1864 and he would die at the age of seventy-eight in Kearny in 1943. But in the meantime he would have a footballing career back in Britain, for he played on both sides of the border, that lasted a dozen years and changed the game forever, more so in modern football than he could have imagined. Many matches, too many matches, in non-league competition are decided in what might be dubbed the Adams Way.
Both Jimmy's parents were from the hamlet of Wilkieston by East Calder. But they had married and settled in Edinburgh, he a Baker. And was in the centre and around the west-side of the city that young James grew up, learning his football, joining Hearts in 1885 at 21 and a right-back, having play the junior game with Leith, junior side, Norton Park.
Described at Hearts as a tackler, fast and a "rousing captain", he was to spend nine seasons with what would in 1886 become the Tynecastle club, winning the Scottish Cup in 1891 and being thrice capped, in 1889, 1892 and 1893. But it was during that run to Cup victory that he was to make his pivotal mark on the game's rules. In the quarter-final against East Stirlingshire he used his fist to prevent a certain goal. It would have been in the area, had there been one. It would have been a penalty had they existed but whilst the idea had been mooted, by an Irish goalie, William McCrum, and rather derided, the suggestion had been deferred. So nothing came of it, presumably a free-kick was given, coped with and Hearts progressed 1-3. But when a similar foul was committed in a FA Cup quarter-final two months later events moved fast. By the beginning of June the law had been changed and not the penalty-spot but the penalty-line had been implemented. Moreover it was just five days later the first penalty was scored, again in Scotland, in a match between Airdrieonians and Royal Albert. A problem was solved, a solution amended when the penalty cum goal area came in 1902 into being, both changing 'keeping forever and giving up the spot, but there are now downsides - the scourges of playing for penalties and the penalty shoot-out.
But back to Jimmy. Even at almost thirty he was in 1894 signed by Everton and in two seasons made forty appearances at Goodison. He then returned for a single season at Hearts and then one more at St. Bernard's by which time he was almost a decade married and with children. In 1889 still in Auld Reekie he had married Fanny Stirling MacGregor and, clearly, once his football-playing was over, a decision was made that emigration would be best for them and family. They sailed in 1901. They did not return. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery by Kearny.
Birth Locator:
1864 - 6, Home St., Tollcross, Edinburgh
Residence Locations:
1971 - 26, Rose St., Edinburgh
1981 - 18, High Riggs, Edinburgh
1889 - 12, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh
1991 - 124, George St., Edinburgh
1901 - 17, Millar Crescent, Edinburgh
1905 - 69, Pomeroy Ave., Kearny, New Jersey, USA
1910 - 5b, Devon St., Kearny, New Jersey, USA
1915-20 - 10, Halstead St., Kearny, New Jersey, USA
1930-43- 419, Devon St., Kearny, New Jersey, USA
Death Locator:
1943 - 419, Devon St., Kearny, New Jersey, USA
Grave Locator:
Arlington Cemetery, Arlington by Kearny, New Jersey, USA
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