Msgr. Jimmy Johnston Award

2025 Jimmy Johnston Honoree Bill Becher

Inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992, Bill was a north county player from the St. Philip Neri neighborhood. Moving from the Jr Neri Team into the Senior League with St. Augustine, Keeney-Toelle, Garza, Pat Kenny, and L&L, Bill would grow as a player.

Bill’s coaching expertise began in the early 1970’s with the CYC leagues and quickly moved to an new upstart club team called NORCO. NORCO would become a club that would compete with the other major clubs at the time.

Under Bill’s leadership as President, the NORCO Club would grow and be recognized locally and nationally as one of the premier clubs in the St. Louis area. Players routinely graduating from their high school teams would be awarded college scholarships and return to the club to assist coaching the younger players.

NORCO continues to be a force in the SLYSA and SCCYSA Leagues.

Bill would become a St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame Committee member and the service that he has preformed for the organization cannot be measured. We could not think of any other deserving person to receive the Jimmy Johnston Award.

PREVIOUS HONOREES

2024 Joe Clarke 2023 Dr. Abe Hawatmeh, 2022, 2021 and 2020 no honoree due to covid-19 2019 Jim Scott 2018 Jim Nolan 2017 Bob Reid 2016 Bob Brunette 2015 George Mihaljevic 2014 Rich Meisemann 2013 Dave Berwin 2012 John and Pete Traina 2011 Bob Kehoe 2010 Jack Lyons 2009 The Kutis Family 2008 Ray “Goose” Gilliam 2007 Frank Borghi 2006 Jack Mackenzie 2005 Harry Keough 2004 Leo Sanders 2003 Bob Fuchs 2002 Mike Kalist & Paul Scovill 2001 Joe Numi 2000 Msgr. Larry Walsh 1999 Frank Gambaro 1998 Dr. Ed Flynn 1997 Patrick Lee 1996 Charlie Shinabarger 1995 Art Hofer 1994 Jim Dykes 1993 Rev. Larry Herzog 1992 Terry Michler 1991 John Schaper 1990 Rev. Jim Flood 1989 Greg Raftery 1988 Mayor Jim Eagan 1987 Ed Lovinguth 1986 Ebbie Dunn 1985 Larry Walsh 1984 Pete Sorber 1983 Tom Twellman 1982 Bob Guelker 1981 Gene Baker 1980 Pat McBride 1979 Ron Coleman

THE HISTORY OF THE MSGR. JIMMY JOHNSTON AWARD

The 1919-1920 Soccer Season saw the Ben Millers of the Local Amateur League win the National Open Cup Title by defeating a team of professionals from Fore River Mass. The Ben Millers were composed of all native St. Louisans, the first of many National Championships made up of American born players to capture the Cup. The winning goal was scored by the great Jimmy Dunn, as the Millers won 2-1. The captain and halfback was Msgr. Jimmy Johnston (at the time was a seminarian). In 1970, Msgr. Johnston organized a 50th reunion of the remaining member of that squad. They gathered at the Carpenters Hall on Hampton, and had such a great time, they decided to do it again in 1971 and invite other Soccer luminaries of the area to join them. Thus was for the “OLD TIME SOCCER PLAYERS HALL OF FAME IN ST. LOUIS.” Twenty-two stars of the past were inducted on November 11, 1971. Since then, over 900 players, coaches, sponsors, referees and administrators from the past 150 years have been enshrined, many posthumously. In 2003, the organization adopted the name of “THE ST. LOUIS SOCCER HALL OF FAME.” Msgr. Jimmy Johnston was born on December 8, 1896 and passed away June 11, 1979. A memorial plaque in his honor is presented at the Annual Induction Banquet to an individual who has possessed the same passion for the game and has spread the gospel of Soccer to make it the greatest sport in the world.

2025 Jimmy Johnston Honoree Bill Becher

Monsignor Jimmy Johnston