March 4 (1907)

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Association Football League champion St. Leo’s has won the city championship by beating Amateur League champion St. Matthews, 3-2, at Christian Brothers College in a game played on March 3. Mounted police intervene several times to chase some of the boisterous crowd of 6,000 off the field. Referee Paul McSweeney stops play until order is restored. St. Leo’s features John “Gas Pipe” Tully, generally considered as the best goalkeeper at the time in St. Louis, and William “Big Bill” Abstein, who will be the first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates when they win the 1909 World Series. The victory over St. Matthews marks the beginning of a dynasty: St. Leo’s will go on to become one of the best teams in the United States during the 1910s. Under the masterful guidance of its coach, Billy Klosterman, St. Leo’s will win 10 city championships and will beat some of the top teams from the eastern United States.