December 27 (1908)

Future U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Jimmy Roe is born. Roe will become an inside left and play on the national powerhouse Stix, Baer and Fuller/Central Brewers/St. Louis Shamrocks teams in the 1930s. The teams will reach six U.S. Open Cup finals, winning three times, with essentially the same core group of players. Roe often will be the only native St. Louisan on the Stix/Central Brewers/Shamrocks forward line and will be the smallest player on the team. One of his more memorable games will be the U.S. Open Cup semifinals against Sparta of Chicago on March 26, 1933. Roe will score on a drive from outside the penalty area for the game’s only goal. Roe will be called to the U.S. National Team in 1937, but will suffer a career-ending knee injury at age 28 before playing a single game with the National Team.