This Month in St. Louis History

Madame Walker, Ozzie Smith
and the Post-Dispatch

One of the first black woman millionaires, one of St. Louis' best baseball players and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch were born in December.

The millionaire was Madame C.J. Walker. She was one of the first American women of any race or rank to become a millionaire by her own efforts. She was born Dec. 23, 1867, in Delta, Louisiana.

She lived in St. Louis for 18 years where she learned business skills that made her rich. While here, she supported herself and her daughter with work as a washerwoman. She lived in The Ville area.

She made her fortune in women's cosmetics, the same field that yielded another black St. Louis woman millionaire, Annie M. Turnbo Malone.

Ms. Walker and Malone developed conditioning treatments that helped black women to straighten their hair.

Malone was in business first. But, Walker spread her business across many parts of the country. Her primary manufacturing plant was in Indianapolis. She also moved to other cities such as Denver to set up distribution systems.

Her Walker System was spread to Europe when famed singer Josephine Baker used Walker's products to produce her dramatic hair styles. Incidentally, Baker also was a former St. Louis resident.

An editorial columnist said in 1919 that it was a "noteworthy fact that the largest and most lucrative business enterprises conducted by colored people in America have been launched by women--namely Madame Walker and Mrs. Malone."

One of Walker's skills was in promotion and marketing. She developed crews that sold the products door-to-door. Also, she and her sales crews stressed virtues of "cleanliness and loveliness" as being important to the success of women.

She achieved her rise from poverty to riches in a fairly short life. She died in 1919, at the age of 51.

Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith born in 1954

Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith was born in Mobile, Ala., on Dec. 26, 1954. But, most of his fame came from his time in St. Louis as a member of the baseball Cardinals.

In 19 years in major league baseball, he won 13 Gold Glove Awards as the premier defensive shortstop. He set records in assists, double plays and total chances.

Later in his career, he developed as a good offensive player. He ended with over 2,400 hits and 500 stolen bases.

At age 6, Smith's family moved to Los Angeles. After he wasn't drafted out of high school, he attended California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The Detroit Tigers drafted him after his junior year.

But, he didn't sign a contract and went back for his senior year in college. Then, the San Diego Padres drafted him and he signed for $5,000.

He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1981 season. After the Cardinals won the World Series in 1982, Smith became baseball's first $l million shortstop.

Smith retired after the 1996 season. He still lives in St. Louis.

Post-Dispatch begins in 1878

Hungarian immigrant Joseph Pulitzer purchased the bankrupt Evening Dispatch on Dec. 9, 1878, for $2,500. Three days later, he merged the Dispatch with the struggling Evening Post.

The first issue of the Post-Dispatch was four pages and circulation was reported at 4,020.

Joseph Pulitzer went on to become one of the nation's most well-known publishers. He also established the Pulitzer Prizes, which go annually for the best journalism in the country.

The Post-Dispatch has survived numerous competitive challenges. It is now the only daily newspaper in St. Louis. It is published seven days a week.

 

From "St. Louis 365"

1904 World's Fair closes, KMOX begins

The World's Fair closed on Dec. 1, 1904, after 20 million people had viewed its attractions. And, on Dec. 11, 1904, radio station KMOX was awarded its call letters.

In a unique sports note, Al "The Mad Hungarian" Hrabosky was traded on Dec. 8, 1977. He had argued about Cardinal manager Vern Rapp's ban on facial hair. Hrabosky is back in St. Louis as one of the broadcasters for the baseball Cardinals.

These are just some of the 155 items of St. Louis history listed in the December chapter of "St. Louis 365". That's the book of historical items compiled by local historian Joe Sonderman.

(This book is available in local book stores or at www.booksonline.com. Sonderman has given Young Saint Louis.com permission to quote from his book.)

Here are 10 of the December entries from "St. Louis 365":

Dec. 1, 1904: The greatest period in St. Louis history came to an end, as the World's Fair closes. A crowd of 100,000 watched as David Francis, president of the exposition, said "farewell to all thy splendor" and threw the switch. The band played "Auld Lang Syne" as the lights went down. More than 20 million people had seen the fair.

Dec. 1, 1958: "Phil the Gorilla," one of the largest gorillas on record and a beloved resident of the St. Louis Zoo since 1941, died of ulcerative colitis. Zoo employees took Phil to the city scales in a truck. The truck was weighed with Phil, then without him. They calculated Phil's weight at 776 pounds. Schwarz Studios stuffed Phil, and he stands today in the Safari Shop near the South Gate of the Zoo.

Dec. 3, 1918: The terrible flu epidemic reached its peak in St. Louis. That day alone, 1,467 new cases were reported. In all, 1,700 people died of the flu in St. Louis. The toll would have been much higher if the city health commissioner had not ordered the schools and business closed early in the outbreak.

Dec. 4, 1877: Voters in St. Louis County voted to accept a donation of 100 acres of land from Ralph Clayton and the family of Martin Hanley for a new county seat. The city and county recently had separated. The value of the land was put at $300 per acre. The land is now prime Clayton real estate.

Dec. 8, 1698: The Reverend Francois Ste. Cosme and two other missionary priests celebrated mass on the banks of the Mississippi at Cahokia. Five months later, they established Holy Family Church. Mass has been celebrated regularly at Cahokia longer than any place in the United States. The first church burned in 1783. But, the one built on the same foundation in 1799 still stands today.

Dec. 8, 1977: The Cardinals traded pitcher Al Hrabosky to the Royals for Mark Littel and Buck Martinez. The "Mad Hungarian" whipped Cardinal fans into a frenzy with his Fu Manchu mustache and stalking routine behind the mound. Hrabosky clashed with new manager Vern Rapp, who had banned facial hair.

Dec. 11, 1925: The U.S. Department of Commerce assigned the call letters "KMOX" to the station sought by a group of civic and business leaders. Kirkwood Mayor R.L. Jacobsmeyer said the call letters stood for "Kirkwood, Missouri's Christmas Gift to the World." The first transmitter was located in Kirkwood, and KMOX would begin broadcasting on December 24, 1925.

Dec. 18, 1936: The Eugene Field home at 634 South Broadway opened as a children's museum. The home was once part of a row of 12. It was barely saved from the wrecking ball by two St. Louis businessmen.

Dec. 21, 1847: The first telegraph message was sent to St. Louis. A message from Louisville was sent to the offices of the Missouri Republican (newspaper) via the newly-opened East St. Louis telegraph office. The messages were sent across the river, allowing the paper to boast that it could publish the news from the East Coast almost to the moment the paper was published.

Dec. 26, 1932: The Arena was the site of the only recorded professional hockey game played on natural ice. The Arena investors couldn't pay the electric bill. So, the management of the St. Louis Flyers opened the doors and windows so the ice would freeze.