RICH SULLIVAN REMEMBERS

I remember living in a clean, poor city, just coming out of a deep depression - proud people made up of Irish, German, Polish, French, Italians, Chechs, Albanian and Bulgarians, People who were willing to work for low wages to support their families.

I remember a city whose mayor at the time was John Connors. I remember Mayor Connors as a good mayor with a good police department and fire department. The fire chief was Chief Ames and his assistant was Al Martz.

Mayor Connors had a son named Jim, a very nice young man. Jim who in later life became the manager of one of the Veteran's Bridge.

Son Jim dated a good tennis player named Gloria Thompson who practiced tennis every day at Jones Park. Her practice was watched by her father, the park policeman. Jim and Gloria later married and had two sons; one was the great tennis player Jimmy Connors, and the other son was John. John has a gambling boat (The Alton Belle) in Alton.

As a young boy, I also remember walking out to Pittsburgh Lake with my fishing pole, all the way to the Bluffs, where I would spend the day, catching one fish and proudly tying the fish to a string attached to my fishing pole and walking home, the cars passing by blowing horns blowing in approval; hurrying home to show my mother and father, getting their hug. It was at that lake I learned to swim.

At Jone's Park I could swim out to the big stand, which was something for a young boy.

The swimming pool was next to the baseball field we called number 1 Diamond because it had a big stand for people to sit. I remember playing on a good ball team called "Our Pals." We played on this field on Labor Day and had as many as 7,000 people watching our game. This group started out at the age between 11 and 12, who attended St. Elizabeth's Grade School. We were the first team in those days to have uniforms. With the help of a good man named John Costello who worked at the old court house in Belleville. We had a big Stag on the backs of our shirts.

This same team attended Old Central Catholic High School at 6th and Illinois Ave. By the time we got to be juniors and seniors, with the help of a great guy named Art Schatweilen, this baseball team in 1944 & 1945 became the state runners up. This was a great group of boys and those who are still here plan a reunion in the near future.

Some of boys were the Martz brothers, Rich and George. We had Dewey Holten, John Costello, John O'Brien, Ed McDade, Charley Hopkins, Bud Clark, Jack BeIz, Dick Weilmuenster, Kenny Williams, Steve Kokotovich, Art Shildroth and myself, Rich Sullivan. We practiced at Jones Park every Tuesday and Thursday and played our games on Saturday and Sunday. I remember traveling to a small town in Missouri, beating a team than never lost at home. This proved to be a no-no because we needed a police escort to get out of town. I remember that one well because I'm the one who pitched the game.

I remember on school vacation working for the Merchant Exchange, out of St. Louis. I would ride along on the state trucks and sample the grain and then take it back to the state grain inspectors where they would grade the grain for damage.

While riding in the back of the truck I would go from railroad to railroad, some day checking as many as 300 cars of grain a day. The war was going on at the same time and I would see railroad flat cars with bombers that had been returned from Europe that had made raids over Germany and France. The wings had been removed to move the airplanes. I saw large holes from ack-ack and machine gun fire. You would see railroad yards full of battle equipment, tanks, etc.

The Aluminum Ore Company, which employed about 4,000 people at that time, was guarded by armed troops because this plant was one of the top 10 plants on the Germans' list to sabotage. Since then the plant has closed and moved to Arkansas, closer to where the Bauxite is mined.

I also remember Obear-Nester, Key Company, and a lot of other plants. It has been said that at one time in East St. Louis, you could get a job in the morning, quit, and go to work in the afternoon some place else. Those where good times.

I remember Wirt Downing, the great football coach at East Side High School, with its rich tradition. The Turkey Day game with the Belleville Maroons, 10,000 fans in attendance. Most of his players moved on the some big college. One name that stand out was Jack Morton. Jack went to the University of Missouri and played end and made honorable mention All American. Jack was just one of the greats. Another was Hank Bauer, who played for the great New York Yankees. Hank played left field and still holds the record of most home runs hit in World Series Play. I believe that number is 12.

My girl friend, my wife now ... its been 43 year now ... we used to go on a date to the Esquire Theatre and walk home late at night and not worry about any harm coming to us. When I was much younger the Esquire was the State. It used to have attendance prizes of about 10 baskets full of fruit. In those days times were hard and a basket of fruit was appreciated.

The Majestic, boy that was like going to the Fox in St. Louis! Beautiful designs and art. It was great, and you would come out with a good feeling.

Collinsville Avenue at one time was a busy street with a lot of places for entertainment.

I used to go back and drive down 27th Street and other areas to bring back my dreams, my memories. One day as I drove by where my home used to be, it was gone. Someone had it destroyed for cheaper taxes. My home is gone but my memories of good old East St. Louis still are there.