It was a landmark game in the history of soccer in this country. It was a turning point. It was a

Cinderella story. It was a turning point. It was a Cinderella story. It was wonderful. I mean, it began to put soccer on the map in the country.

But also, to me, the even more important aspect is the way this team came together.

That was author Jeffrey Douglas and this is founding football.

I've been to St. Louis exactly once for a work trip.

I stayed in a Hilton near the airport. I ate two meals in that hotel

restaurant and traveled to my meeting by cab. Yes, I was definitely lame, but this was over 10 years ago.

And if I had ventured out, which I definitely should have,

but if I had, I would have gone to see the Gateway Arch,

and I probably would have gone to see Bush Stadium.

See, Baseball was my first love. Baseball cards of passion playing the game, My Religion.

When Mitchell and Ness brought back throwback jerseys and fitted hats, they were perpetually on my birthday and Christmas lists.

If memory serves me, I owned a throwback Cardinal's hat at one point, and I know that I definitely owned a St. Louis Brown's hat.

I would have sought out the back stories of Stan Musial and Bob Gibson, the landing spot of Mark

McGuire's recent home runs, and it would have been interesting

to understand where Vince Coleman and before him Lou Brock made base dealing fashionable.

I definitely would not have gone to see the hill.

Nothing in the recesses of my brain would have urged me to check out the birthplace of baseball great

Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola. A hidden piece of baseball history in its own right

would have gone right between my fingers.

And even still if I had visited the hill to check out the city's well-known

old Italian neighborhood, I would have missed the chance to learn about four men arguably more important to American

...