Kirkwood octogenarian James E. Nolan, 1972 inductee into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame, reminisced recently about his 18 years as a professional soccer player. During his career, Nolan played on four teams which won the National Challenge Cup Championship: 1922, Scullin Steel; 1933, Stix Baer and Fuller; 1934, Stix Baer and Fuller; and 1935, Central Brewing.
Jimmy Nolan, as he was Known professionally, became interested in playing soccer as a youngster at St. James School in St. Louis. “We kicked a can until sixth grade then they gave us a ball,” Nolan laughed.
At the age of 15, Nolan played on the Junior League team that won the 1915 St. Louis Championship. Three years later, he signed a contract with Scullin Steel, one of the four teams in the St. Louis Professional Soccer League.
“The pay was low, but the fringe benefits were excellent,”Nolan said. “You see, Scullin provided jobs for the players, and it was helpful to have an understanding boss when we had to be away for game. However, the players didn’t often miss work to play.
“The league games were played here on Sunday afternoons. We traveled, only, to compete in the Western and National Championship games. At that time St. Louis was the only city west of the Mississippi which had professional soccer.”
The players were paid a percentage of the gate, which was never very much. “Money wasn’t important,” Nolan said. “We played for the love of playing.” His greatest thrill as a player came in 1922 when he played on his first National Championship team, Scullin Steel. Nolan also played in the first National Championship game under lights, in St. Louis at the old Walsh Stadium on Oakland Ave. in 1933.
“They’re all gone now the fields where we played,” Nolan said. “Walsh Stadium is gone; Robinson Field at Vandeventer and Natural Bridge, former home of the Cardinals, is now Beaumont High School. Handlan Park at Grand and Laclede, where the old Federal League played baseball and St. Louis University played football is gone. Sportsman’s Park at Grand and Dodier, where the Cardinals moved after leaving Robinson Field, is gone. They’re all gone.”
Even though St. Louis has a history of good soccer, like many cities in the United States, it has had problems in financially supporting a team. The opposite is true in many European and South American cities, where soccer is the number one sport. Top games draw from 50,000 to 150,000 -- a game in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 drew 220,000 fans.
The Stars, St. Louis’ last professional soccer team, never drew a large following in St. Louis. Two years ago they moved to Anaheim, Calif. The highwater mark in St Louis professional soccer occurred in the period between 1920-1935, when St. Louis teams won five national championships. Nolan was a member of all the winning teams except the Ben Miller team which won in 1920.
At the end of the 1935 season Nolan retired. A year later the St. Louis League disbanded. “My retirement had nothing to do with the league’s folding,” Nolan said. “I never sat on the bench. But I wasn’t indispensable to the league. It was time to retire.”
Nolan continued to work for Scullin Steel during his soccer career, even though he played on other teams. His first job at Scullin was in the foundry. “I earned ten cents an hour and I worked ten hours a day, six days a week.” When Nolan retired from Scullin in 1966, with 53 years of service, his title was vice-president and assistant to the president.
“I’ve had a good life on and off the soccer field.” Nolan said,
In 1943-44 he served us president of the Purchasing Association of St. Louis. The following year he was elected National Director of that same group.
Nolan and his wife, Estelle, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in
August, 1975. They have four children, two boys and two girls. Of their
eleven grandchildren, the four youngest, including seven- year-old twins, are
following Grand. dad’s footsteps on the soccer field.
“It is amazing what they teach these youngsters today. All of them (the grandchildren) are in leagues, and they play in uniforms. I watch them every chance I get,” Nolan said.
Nolan’s upright stride and the spring in his step belie his 80 years. He keeps fit by swimming and walking a mile and a half a day when the weather permits. His interest in soccer continues as he serves on the Committee of the Hall of Fame Soccer Players Association of St. Louis.
“Soccer has been a major part of my life -- it seems as if it was only yesterday that I played,” he said.
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