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SAINT LOUIS — Seventy-five years ago, on Thanksgiving Day in 1946, the United States had been out of World War II for a year.  It meant a lot of rebuilding, both at home and abroad. 

In the United States, soldiers were returning home and there were places for graduating seniors to go, other than training camps, for service in the European or Pacific theaters.  It gave students an altogether different sense of purpose in the present and for their futures.    

The first Turkey Day Game was held, in 1946, in Kirkwood, of all places.  It was odd because, in football, even years served as Webster home games and odd served as Kirkwood home games.  It was the second of three years needed to build the new football field and stadium in a new area of Webster Groves, called 40 Acres. 

The land was an old quarry used as a brick pit, purchased by the Webster School District, and was subsequently shared with the City of Webster Groves.  The previous field – Kopplin Field – had been located adjacent to Webster High School, but it was being built over with a new school gymnasium.  A year later, the gymnasium would be named Roberts Gym, for the beloved coach and teacher who died that year in 1947.    

The game held at Kirkwood High School Athletic Field had 8,000 spectators in attendance.  It was not exactly seam-bursting, but it was considered a large game.  The game pitted Kirkwood’s Ernie Lyons against Webster’s Ray Moss.

Both coaches later had each school’s football fields named for them. “Impartial” spectators at the game were said to have thought that Kirkwood ran circles around Webster.  In the first quarter, Webster threatened to score on a blocked punt, when the ball was left on the five-yard line.  They were unable to score and Kirkwood moved the ball steadily upfield but obtained no score either.  

In the second quarter, an exchange of penalties gave the Pioneers the ball on their own 46.  It was there that quarterback Ray Schulte faded back and through a deep pass to Charles Meyers, who ran the ball in for a touchdown.  Kirkwood missed the extra point kick.  

After the half, in the third quarter, by the efforts of Jim Tschannen, quarterback Bob Stalhut, and Jim Sprick, who marched the ball down field to the Kirkwood two-yard line.  Bob Stalhut scored the tying touchdown on a quarterback sneak and Jim Sprick kicked the point after touchdown.  

In the fourth quarter, Kirkwood rallied as Art Hebberger did a solo run through the Webster defense, for a major carry down field.  Kirkwood had started the rally on their 23 but could not advance the ball past the Webster 22 and thus ended the Turkey Day Game of 1946, with a 7-6 Webster Groves victory.   

This year celebrates the 112th varsity contest between the 123rd football teams of both schools.  In varsity meetings at the Turkey Day Game, Kirkwood leads the series 42-37-5.  In the record of all varsity games ever played, Webster leads that series 54-50-7 – which, at five games, has not been that close since a hundred years ago in 1921. 

This is the seventh, out of the past eight years, in which the varsity teams will have presented themselves to the field on Thanksgiving Day – last year’s contest having been cancelled due to COVID-19.  You may listen to all of the action as game broadcast regulars and Webster alumni Jim Grillo and Damon A. Patterson bring you all of the action and the best interviews on WOodland 1 Sports at

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