Joszef Eisenhoffer

According to Andrew Handler in From the Ghetto to the Games: Jewish Athletes in Hungary, Eisenhoffer was a convert to Judaism. An outstanding goal scorer, he relied too heavily on his left foot during his career, but was considered a dynamic player with great explosiveness on the offensive end of the field. Eisenhoffer appeared in eight international games for the Hungarian National team. He played for club teams in Hungary, Austria, the United States, and France.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. 1900 - d. unknown

Career Highlights:
As a member of the Hungarian National team from 1920-1924, Eisenhoffer played in eight international games, but scored seven goals. Eisenhoffer scored an incredible 25 goals in only 29 games for FTC in 1923-24, as a member of club teams Kispest and FTC in Hungary's top league. He later played for the famed Jewish club, Hakoah-Vienna.

After touring the United States with Hakoah in 1926, Eisenhoffer remained in the U.S. to play in the ASL (American Soccer League) for the Brooklyn Wanderers (owned by Nat Agar). In 1929, however, he was suspended by the U.S. Football Association because both the Wanderers and the New York Hakoah claimed he had signed contracts with them. After four months of court cases, Eisenhoffer was ordered to pay a $500 fine and was declared a 'free agent.' He then quickly signed with Agar's Wanderers.

Eisenhoffer was one of the top scorers in the league during his five-year ASL career, with 51 goals in 161 career games. After playing in the U.S., Eisenhoffer continued his professional soccer career in France. In the 1930s, he played with Olympique Marseille in the French League and appeared in the French Cup Finals in 1934 and 1935.

Origin:
Hungary