Five lines, scribbled in black ink, take up the last sliver of blank space on the Adidas soccer ball. The message is short and sweet, noting the moment, the man, the night, the place, and the result:
1st Goal
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Tim Parker
Feb. 25, 2023
Austin FC
W, 3-1
Turn the ball around, and there’s the signature of the man, himself—another black scribble on this one-of-a-kind artifact. It’s the ball that Parker redirected off his head and into the goal during St. Louis CITY SC’s inaugural game in Major League Soccer. You can see all of these significant scribbles on display inside the new “Soccer City” exhibit at the Missouri History Museum, where this ball and a diverse assortment of relics and mementos have been thoughtfully curated to tell the story of St. Louis’ rich tradition in the sport.
The exhibit, which opens on Saturday, April 8, and runs through February 18, 2024, touches on many of the milestones dating from soccer’s earliest days in the region—the first recorded game in the city took place in 1875—to the excitement of CITY’s arrival in MLS this year. Sharon Smith, the museum’s curator of civic and personal identity, says the goal is to illustrate how soccer has shaped sporting culture in St. Louis, on and off the pitch.
“We really want people, when they walk in, to understand this notion that St. Louis is a true soccer city,” Smith says.
The background
Vin Ko, St. Louis CITY SC’s director of team operations, approached the museum about a possible soccer exhibit in 2019—around the same time MLS awarded an expansion franchise to the city. Smith wasn’t so sure about the idea. She didn’t understand the rules, couldn’t name any teams, and certainly didn’t know the local lore that would appeal to visitors eager to learn more about the sport’s history in St. Louis.
“I remember thinking, ‘I know nothing about soccer. This is going to be really difficult,” Smith says.
Soon after she met with Dave Lange, author of the book Soccer Made in St. Louis: A History of the Game in America’s First Soccer Capital, and Jim Leeker, president of the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame, Smith began to understand what the sport meant to the region and how the museum could pay tribute to the story. Lange, Leeker, and a long list of other local luminaries helped connect Smith and her colleagues to the key players on the local soccer scene. The resulting collaboration produced an expansive collection of artifacts, and the museum’s extensive storytelling traces the way soccer has shaped neighborhoods and cultures throughout the region.
“Once we pulled together those two guys, they started to contact people,” Smith says. “I’m eternally grateful that we have all of this here.”
On display
There are nearly two dozen artifacts presented for visitors to observe up close. Among the highlights:
- Ty Keough’s 1979–1982 San Diego Sockers jersey
- Taylor Twellman’s 2002 New England Revolution jersey
- Lori Chalupny’s 2015 U.S. Women’s National Team jersey
- Brad Davis’ 2014 U.S. Men’s National Team jersey
- Jan Gettemeyer’s lineswoman jersey from the 1996 Olympics
- Tim Parker’s St. Louis CITY SC jersey from the club’s first home game
- Al Trost’s second Hermann Trophy
- Al Trost’s North American Soccer League cleats from the 1970s
- A ball signed by the 1985 St. Louis Steamers
- Marty Krumm’s 1952 USA Olympic jersey
- Bob Annis’ duffle bag used at the 1948 Olympics and the 1950 World Cup
The exhibit space unfolds thematically. Upon entry, guests are greeted by a quote from Stefan St. Louis, a former player for the St. Louis Ambush and former men’s coach at Harris-Stowe University: ”St. Louis is a true soccer city.” The quote is translated into 19 languages as part of an illustration that takes up an entire wall.
“These languages represent this notion that St. Louis is situated as a soccer city in the international scope of soccer,” Smith says. “From the earliest days, when soccer first arrived here, to today, immigrant groups have been the focus of the sport. Hopefully, some of the folks who have played soccer over the years will find themselves in one of these languages.”
A pictorial timeline follows the rise of the sport in the region, highlighting great teams and key moments from 1875 to 2023. Other parts of the exhibit tell the story of youth and municipal league soccer in St. Louis, the incredible impact St. Louis has made on the college game, the many pro teams that have played here, and the rise of girls’ and women’s soccer. There’s also a play space where guests can try their hand at soccer arcade games, foosball, and Subbuteo, a vintage table-top game where players flick their fingers to move players (and the ball) across the field.
As for Smith, her work on the exhibit has helped her develop a fondness for the sport—and St. Louis’ new home team.
“I am all in with this team,” Smith says with a smile. “I’ve got the MLS Season Pass, and I’m watching games on Apple TV. I was really sad when they lost their first game, even though I knew it would happen at some point. This team is really awesome. They’re making history.”
“Soccer City” opens on Saturday, April 8. On opening day, festivities will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday’s activities include a ribbon cutting with Lori Chalupny, Benito from Club Atletico, and others; a Museum-wide pep rally with the Sumner Dance Team, Parkway Cheerleaders, Parkway Step Team, School of Rock, and Red & Black Brass Band; crafts; Spanish-English soccer storytime; and a soccer workshop with Club Atletico.
