In 1929, you would not have wanted to put all your eggs in the Wall Street basket or have been a member of Bugs Moran’s gang on Valentine’s Day. However, you could have enjoyed a movie at the newly opened Fox Theater and on the way listened to your recently-invented car radio. On Sunday mornings, you could have also enjoyed playing corkball at the newly formed Gateway Corkball Club.

At the turn of the 20th century corkball was played in school yards, alleys and even in St. Louis’ local breweries. A broomstick, a piece of shaved cork, and a make-shift plate were all that was needed to start a game. During World War I, at an Arkansas army camp, a group of young St. Louis soldiers would play the game whenever they could. After surviving the war and returning to their hometown, four of the soldiers decided to begin a corkball league. They were John Horan, Al Ulsas Sr, Clarence (Doc) Moehl Sr, and Johnny Jansen. They formalized the game with these adaptions:

• They moved from taped-up corkballs to miniature versions of major league baseballs
• Broomsticks became chiseled pine-bats with specific dimensions
• Playing fields were obtained on Delor Street just west of Grand Blvd. Those fields were only a short distance from Gateway’s current location at Walsh and Ulena and have been for over 70 years.

In the 1930’s, the Gateway League was the stepping stone for many semi-pro ball players like Gene Roberts, Frank Palubiak, Gus Salg, Chick Hammer, Ed Kriegesman, Al LaHay, Walter Kossman, Gus Lambert, Al Alsus Jr, Joe Leaf, and others. In 1936, the Gateway Corkball Club formed six teams of equal strength and were assigned to the following sponsors: Carondelet Brew Company, J. Cizeks Cafe, Columbos Buffet, Neudecks Cafe, Wilkes Tavern, and Gateway Motor Co. Under this system, a member seldom played on the same team or with the same players each season. The 1936 schedule called for 25 weeks of play on Sunday mornings where each team played 3 sets of 2 games each. The season was divided with the two winning teams playing for the championship. This structure remains largely intact today.

The Gateway Corkball Club, from its inception, was much more than just a once-a-week playing league. In 1936, the St. Louis Star Times reported that the Gateway Corkball Club, “is an organization which does not confine its activities to the playing field, for picnics, banquets, and dances are part of the club’s program for the year.” Men coming home from war – WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, and the Middle East – found friendship and fellowship at the Club. And while there are many competitive sports in the world today, few of them exist where a father and son and even a grandfather and grandson can participate together on the same field.

In the 1950’s, members Ben and Ray Goedeker added a Wednesday night league in order for fathers to be able to attend church and spend more time with their families on Sundays. Since that times, 20+ of Ben and Ray’s sons, grandsons, and great grandsons have become members.

Corkball lore passes from one generation to the next. Corkball stars like Tom Niemeyer, who in one season threw 7 consecutive no-hitters, Davey Welker, who won the batting title 17 of the 18 seasons he played, and Ray Kuchno who won 8 catching titles over his 4 decade career still live on. Today, the Gateway Corkball Club boasts 100 plus members. League games are held every Wednesday evening from April through October, culminating in both an All-Star and Playoff Championship at the end of the season. And why you ask? For the love of the game!