Bethlehem FC resurrection

[davidrpaige]

In preparation of a topic that I'll be starting later, I was reading up on the early years of US soccer. Teams like the Fall River Marksmen, Brooklyn Wanderers, New Bedford Whalers, and arguably the most dominate team in American Soccer history, Bethlehem Steel FC.

As I was digging through various websites of Bethlehem Steel FC photos, I came across this photo:

Well, this gave me inspiration to create a new Bethlehem FC with ties to the past but creating an identity away from the now defunct Bethlehem Steel Co., which went out of business in 2001.

This is what I created:

First off, I'm using the original name of the club that was founded in 1911, Bethlehem FC. It wasn't until 1914 that the team was renamed Bethlehem Steel FC by Charles Schwab, owner of Bethlehem Steel, when he took the team professional.

Along with the diamond crest found in the photo from the 1915 Bethlehem Steel FC team, I also used the Moravian Star in my crest. Having grown up in Bethlehem, the star is one of those symbols that is all over the place in the Lehigh Valley, particularly in Bethlehem. Most people call it the Star of Bethlehem, but many people have Moravian Stars hanging in windows, stylized wind-chimes, lamps, and various other places. Heck, there is a giant Star of Bethlehem up in the mountains just to the south of the city, which they light up during the Holiday season. These are typical depictions of the Moravian Star:

For the kit sponsor I used A-Treat, which is a local, but very popular, soda bottler and distributor.

I also kept the simple style that Bethlehem Steel FC had, black and white and a simple B. The only direct reference to Bethlehem Steel FC is a patch on the arm, which is there for honoring the past and the history that team. I'll probably change the Bethlehem Steel patch to one that goes on the back of the neck.

So what do you think?

[TorinK92]

That crest looks really good on the jerseys, stands out on all three.

The kits are really classy, but I'd get rid of the gradient on the sash of the third.

[davidrpaige]

This better?

I tried a white sash with A-Treat logo in black, but the black sash just stood out more. The ONLY reason I did the gradient sash is that it gave me the ability to have both the black and white elements of their home and away kits.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

I was thinking the third uniform could be steel gray colored, giving a little tribute of sorts for the old Bethlehem Steel.

It's really nice, and it's just really an idea; you don't have to do it.

[davidrpaige]

I was thinking the third uniform could be steel gray colored, giving a little tribute of sorts for the old Bethlehem Steel.

It's really nice, and it's just really an idea; you don't have to do it.

I had thought about that too, doing a grey jersey. I felt there had to be some color somewhere in their kits. The current 3rd kit based off the red I-beam in the Bethlehem Steel logo. Vague basis, but that is the inspiration.

What I need to find is a photo-realistic template of shorts and socks so I can do a full uniform presentation. Right now I just have the jerseys. In the kit scheme the Home is a black jersey, white shorts, and grey socks. Away is white jersey, black shorts, grey socks. The 3rd is going to be the red jersey with the black sash, black shorts, and grey socks (might do a red and black sock, but haven't tried it yet).

While it is hard to tell with these old photos from the 1910s and 1920s, Bethlehem Steel FC supposedly wore black top, white shorts and grey socks. I kept that basic color scheme for the home and away kits. It was the 3rd kit where I felt I need to do more of a "clash" kit.

Your suggestion is a valid one, so I'll tinker with a grey version of the 3rd kit. As I said, I was curious about that too.

[MarkEightThree]

I like the crest, but something about the way the B sits on top of the star just isn't doing it for me.

Do you think other team's supporters ragged on Bethlehem Steel for being named after a corporation the same way we rag on the NY Red Bulls?

I'm joking of course, but it is funny when you think about it.

[davidrpaige]

Difference between Bethlehem Steel FC and NY Red Bull? Bethlehem won.

[davidrpaige]

I like the crest, but something about the way the B sits on top of the star just isn't doing it for me.

Do you think other team's supporters ragged on Bethlehem Steel for being named after a corporation the same way we rag on the NY Red Bulls?

I'm joking of course, but it is funny when you think about it.

I've been playing with the size of the B because that too has been bothering me. On one hand, the B is the most important element of the crest, so it has to have a good size. On the other hand, if the B is obscuring the Moravian Star too much, then you don't know what the Star is. So it is a balancing act that I have not fully come to terms with.

Because of my own indecision, I made this to get opinions.

#1 is the original crest posted. We'll call that one at 100%, to set the standard.

#2 is the B at 90% of #1

#3 is the B at 80% of #1

#4 is the B at 75% of #1

#5 is the B at 70% of #1

Seeing them side by side like this, I'm leaning towards #4. What do you all think?

[davidrpaige]

I was thinking the third uniform could be steel gray colored, giving a little tribute of sorts for the old Bethlehem Steel.

It's really nice, and it's just really an idea; you don't have to do it.

Messed around with a gray version of the 3rd. What do you think?

[Shumway]

I like 4 or 5 for the logo. It looks best with the letter contained within the star shape. The most recent jerseys look great. My only minor gripe with the gray one is that the only red in it is on the stripe. I feel like it could be elsewhere. It makes no sense to add it to the logo but maybe in the sleeve striping?

Also, I love the A-Treat sponsorship. I grew up drinking the grapefruit soda.

[davidrpaige]

...My only minor gripe with the gray one is that the only red in it is on the stripe. I feel like it could be elsewhere...

How about this?

[MEANS]

Having grown up in the LHV I love seeing this.

I think the positioning of the B in the crest works the best in option 5, however before you work on the positioning I think the B need some work done to it, the top and bottom right of the B's curves do not flow too well at this point. I would try to tweak that a bit more and even look at a solid B with no outline at all (solid black)

Love A-Treat as a sponsor, now I'm thirsty for some!

[Dalcowboyfan92]

I was thinking the third uniform could be steel gray colored, giving a little tribute of sorts for the old Bethlehem Steel.

It's really nice, and it's just really an idea; you don't have to do it.

Messed around with a gray version of the 3rd. What do you think?

I like it, maybe you could have a border around the A-TREAT script in the middle of the uniform? I feel like the black script blends into the uniform too easily.

[davidrpaige]

...I think the B need some work done to it, the top and bottom right of the B's curves do not flow too well at this point. I would try to tweak that a bit more and even look at a solid B with no outline at all (solid black)...

I went back and cleaned up the B a bit. Seems in my working a few anchor points got erased. I'm trying two different types of Bs:

I'm liking the more block style B compared to the second one, which is more rounded.

As for it being solid black, it just seems too much black.

I tried the reverse to see how the B would look like without any border, having it all white:

Too washed out. I like the idea of the B being the "source" of the star and having it all white, but it is too washed out. It needs a border. Maybe I can make it thinner, but this is 0.75pt thick now and when I went 0.25pt it seemed too thin.

[MEANS]

Boom! solid black looks much much better! If you size these options down real small (dime size) you'll see the solid black option still holds up where as the others will not, that thin black outline will just disappear and it'll look like a white B on a pale yellow background.

[davidrpaige]

So here is Bethlehem FC with all the tweaks suggested.

[davidrpaige]

So I thought I should work on the back of the kits, just trying to complete the whole design. Here is what I have so far:

The numbers and player names are from the same font that I used to create the B in the crest, although I did further modifications to that B. Still, it was close enough that it feels tied together.

At the neck is a Bethlehem Steel brass tag. I thought it would be cute if the players were "marked" as if they were made of steel. This is a close up of that brass tag:

Again, still keeping the plain and simple look, not that there is a whole lot you can do with the backs unless you were planning to do sponsors there too.

C&Cs?

[kevsim1]

I say make the numbers a bit bigger and move them down

G

That's right, davidrpaige is the poster, and I must say, this is quite the impressive concept. Right now, another little omen to our last hunt. The top 3 posters on the SLH thread. Go find Kevsim1's first post in all of their most recent topics made in the concept forum, except for the #1 Poster's can be in any forum., . Make sure you have the 3 in order! Seeing random words that make no sense? Well, there's 1 clue, using all of those words. All I'll say, is top poster =1st, 4th, 7th etc.

Good luck!

[Jaffa]

I say make the numbers a bit bigger and move them down

I'd agree with that, they're a tad small at the moment - double digits look small enough but if you were to have a single number on there it would really get lost.

Keep the top of the numbers where they are now but make them bigger, I reckon. But that minor quibble aside I think they're a really nice set, davidrpaige.

[davidrpaige]

I say make the numbers a bit bigger and move them down

How does this work?