THE 2009 RECIPIENT OF THE MSGR. JIMMY JOHNSTON AWARD IS THE KUTIS FAMILY

After years of sponsoring numerous bowling, softball, baseball and even one basketball team; the Kutis Family was approached to have their name added to a soccer uniform.  It was the mid-1940s that soccer was added to the list of sponsored sports.  Tom Kutis and Tom Kutis, Jr. were somewhat pessimistic about the game and their concerns were justified when a boy broke his leg before a goal was scored and the team was dropped.   
It was not until 1953 that Tom Kutis, Jr. was again asked and approved that the Kutis name be added to a soccer uniform and the rest has proved be one of
the most dominant soccer dynasties in the history of amateur soccer in St. Louis and in the United States. Throughout the years Kutis Soccer Teams have earned National Titles from the Junior, Amateur, Open, Over-30, and Veteran Divisions and at one time dominated the Amateur ranks with National Championships from 1956-1961, an accomplishment no other team has come close to matching.  It was also at this time on the International level that the Kutis Team represented the United States in a World Cup qualifying match and whenever a foreign team would make a United States Tour, a Kutis match was always on their schedule.
One other distinction the Kutis team has is that of the 1971 Amateur Cup Champions coached by Hall of Famer Friedel Geissert. Friedel took the team on a tour of Germany.  The team played to a 7-2-1 record against some of the outstanding soccer clubs in Germany.   Even with his passing in 1977, Tom Kutis, Jr.’s love of soccer continues to grow as his torch was handed to Tom Kutis III, current President of Kutis Funeral Homes. Tom Kutis III continues to share his father’s enthusiasm and support for soccer and sport in St. Louis.    
It would be an almost impossible task to count the number of participants in all of the sports the Kutis Family has touched.  The Soccer Hall of Fame would like to thank the Kutis Family for their contributions to the sport of Soccer.

PREVIOUS HONOREES  

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 Shinabargar
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 amatuer league win the National Open Cup Title by besting 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 Jimmie Dunn, as the Millers won 2-1. The captain and halfback was Msgr. Jimmie Johnston (at that time he was a seminarian). In 1970, Msgr. Johnston organized a 50th reunion of the remaining members 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 born 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, nearly 700 players, coaches, sponsors, referees and administrators from the past 120 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 yearly induction dinner 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.