Gridball
Cup

As Gridball expanded globally throughout the 1950s, the opportunity to afford everyone a chance of playing in the Championship simply became too difficult. Qualifying competitions threw up the chance for a team to cause an upset and reach the big time only to be hopelessly outclassed in the main event. 

In 1959 it was decided that the Championship would now be split into divisions, with only twenty-four elite teams playing for the main prize itself. The remainder would have to fight it out for promotion. Those exiled to the new Second Division were outraged. Their number even included former Champion Newcastle! So, the WGF found a compromise in the form of a secondary competition. The Open cup would be a straight knockout cup styled in the manner of English Soccer's F A Cup. No seeding and simply an open draw with a winner stays in policy. The powers that be didn;t actually think it would catch on and would be dropped in a season, but they were proved wrong. The chance of a trophy double captured the imagination of the big teams, the thought of glory for those bubbling under in the title stakes enticed the mid ground elite teams, while suddenly the idea of bringing a big name to a, now, lower division club excited Second Division fans.

The early rounds saw Second Division duo, Edinburgh and Potsdam emerge as the slayers of the elite. The Scots started their campaign with Quinn Gordon's preliminary round goal securing victory in Cardiff before a crushing 4-1 victory in St Louis, while Potsdam humiliated Kingston 3-0 before Johanna Dorst's goal gained victory in Brooklyn. It was ultimately disappointing for the Scots that their cup run would be ended at home by fellow Second Division promotion chasing Nottingham. And by the round of sixteen, it was they and Helsinki who now emerged as the great hopes of the lower echelons. 

The Outlaws booked a quarter final spot with a comfortable 3-1 win in Oklahoma, while the flying Finns used sudden death to oust Monmouthshire through Kylikki Rinne's goal.

The Outlaws were given the better hope with a home quarter final against Liverpool and took the 1951 Champs to overtime before Sally Jellicoe settled it, but Helsinki were the headline writers against a West Ham side laying down strong claims for a Championship and Cup double. Yet again Rinne was the hero, hitting two goals along with a double from Mirja Forsell to stun the London crowd.

The semi final draw paired the two sides still fighting for Gridball '59 as Lanarkshire were given home advantage over Liverpool, making the most of it with goals in each half from March and Butler, while Helsinki gave it their best shot against Cork, coming from two down to draw level with ten minutes remaining only to have their hearts broken by a late Rose Johnson winner.