The Hill Visitor’s Guide 026

6 2026 | The Hill Visitor’s Guide & Business Directory continued on page 8 Berra Park & Soccer Immortals By AbbyWojcik Before the playground and field at Macklind and Shaw were developed, the site was one of several “Hill Dumps,” which were open areas once used as cow pasture and a place for disposing ashes and factory waste. It was also a place where children explored, built clubhouses and played sports. Over time, it became a community gathering space for picnics, tournaments, and impromptu games of soccer, baseball, softball and corkball. It was officially named Berra Park in 1965, not for the famous baseball player Lawrence “Yogi” Berra, but for Louis G. “Midge” Berra, the first Italian- American elected to a St. Louis citywide position. His bust stands on the park’s southeast corner as a reminder of his civic accomplishment. Soccer has long been central to life on The Hill. Children learned the game by joining athletic clubs as soon as they could walk. That culture produced legends. In the 1950World Cup, five players from St. Louis made the U.S. team, four of them fromThe Hill.They left jobs as teachers, directors and mailmen to compete in Brazil. The 1950World Cup match between England and America was monumental for both Hill residents and the country. America won 1-0 against an English team widely expected to win; an upset still celebrated in Goalie Frank Borghi of the 1950World Cup team shown above. Midge Berra statue shown below.