In St. Louis, we fall in love with certain athletes — our guys — because of what they do for us and do to us. They play so hard for our teams and they make us feel these things, these heart-palpitating, goosebump-growing, arm-freezing, David Freesing feelings. But this? This was more than that. Because Bob Plager did these things for us and to us … and then he became part of us. Already part of our hearts, Plager became part of our community, our culture. The former Blues defenseman became the biggest Blues fan (just with better contacts for tickets than the rest of us).
He touched Blues fans in a way even the icons could not. Watching a Blues fan interact with Bobby Plager around town was a beautiful and authentic interaction. He affected the people because he was so sweet and caring and down-to-earth, which is funny because on ice he was so mean and daring and larger-than-life. But both of those Plager personas were fueled by the same traits: pride, spirit and love. He loved the St. Louis Blues. He loved St. Louisans. He was their favorite team’s grandpa.
And he is now gone. Plager was 78 when he died Wednesday in a car crash on Highway 40 (Interstate 64).
