Galt soccer team recognized for Olympic glory

Years after they made history, a football club from Galt is getting recognition. CTV’s Karis Mapp has more.

A soccer team from Galt received provincial recognition at Cambridge City Hall, more than 120 years after winning an Olympic gold medal.

A commemorative heritage plaque now sits at Dickson Park to commemorate the success of Galt Football Club (F.C.) in the early 1900s.

“It was a Canadian team that was a world beater,” said John Ecker, Ontario Heritage Trust’s chair.

“This was a fantastic group of Canadians who really dominated the soccer world.”

The team was founded in 1880 with most of the players coming from Galt Collegiate Institute. They were later nicknamed the ‘Porridge Eating Invincibles’ due to their Scottish roots.

“Galt was one of those small rural settings here along the Grand River, and it was home to a lot of people who came from other countries, largely Scotland. They had a real passion for football and it just seemed to come together with great talent and great leadership to make it all happen,” Ecker said.

The squad won the first five Ontario Cups before showing off their talents at the 1904 Olympics. It was at the St. Louis Summer Games where Galt F.C. won the first-ever gold medal awarded for the sport of football.

To keep their legacy alive, the heritage plaque that shares the story of the team’s humble beginnings was unveiled Thursday afternoon.

“It’s tremendous for us to be a part of this whole project. Working with Ontario Trust is very important to retain and preserve the heritage of the game of soccer,” said Ron Smale, the president of Ontario’s Soccer Hall of Fame.

The heritage plaque is one of over 1,300 across the province, but the team’s success continues to mark milestones.

“Sport is clearly a part of Ontario’s heritage, and I just learned recently that this is, in fact, our first plaque to date to celebrate soccer,” Ecker told CTV News.

The legacy continues

Galt F.C. was re-established in 2019, bringing in new athletes who keep the name alive.

“We wanted to create an affordable community soccer program. It was about having something that was high value for families. Affordable, accessible, but also something fun,” explained current Galt F.C. owner Mark Anderton.

“We started with 25 kids our first year. Now, we’re over 150 kids consistently really enjoying the program.”

He added the plaque being displayed at Dickson Park will serve as inspiration for some of his young athletes who still practice there now.

“I think it’s going to be incredibly validating for those kids. They’re going to realize that it’s not just about them and what they’re doing. They’re going to realize that they’re part of something bigger,” he said.

Anderton also received a surprise recognition Thursday, when his club was inducted into Ontario’s Soccer Hall of Fame.

“This was the place to do it. Celebrating with Ontario Heritage Trust, Galt Football Club and all the history associated with it. They deserve to be in the hall,” Smale said.

“I hope that long after I’m gone, it’s still continuing and there’s still a football club in the area,” Anderton concluded.