Did you even wonder how the Beadling Sports Club started? Here is the story.
The history of The Beadling Club is one of tradition, pride and hard work.
Can you picture it Beadling, PA 1883... Beadling, PA sprung up, as many towns in the area did in the 1800’s, as a result of the prospering mines and railroads. Brothers William, Thomas and James Beadling started the Harrison Mine whose entrance was
(you guessed it) right next to the current day Beadling Sports Club. The main powerhouse and machine shop structure of the mine is in fact the present day Sports Club. The coal mining industry was pivotal in the Club’s development. The Beadlings proved to be hardworking, fair and popular mine owners - traits that were not always present in coal operations. Younger Beadlings and relatives also worked in the mine. As a result, the “Harrison” name soon became a formality; the mine quickly became popularly known as the Beadling Mine and the fast growing settlement became the town of Beadling.
The mine was sold in 1912 to Pittsburgh Coal and continued to run until 1923 when it closed. The closing of the mine coincided with the post-WWI depression. The closing of the mine, though devastating, did not break the community. The Beadling Sports Club was organized in 1937 and, after WWII, they procured the old mine property from Reddog Taylor who had purchased the mine after it closed. After the war, the charter members combined efforts with the returning servicemen and literally built the club. The first several money-raising polka dances were held in the original building that had no heat and a reddog dance floor. Trade skills and many working hours were donated by most men of the town.
Now, 80 + years later, with 1,100 members, the history of The Beadling Sports Club is more important than ever. We continue to grow yet we still hold strong to those core values of the soccer playing miners who founded the club.
If those men back in 1937 could see us now...