Our hearts are broken after learning of the passing of Bobby Plager. #stlblues #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/xT7uYShywx. Born: March 26,1941 inKirklandLake,Ontario ca, As Coach: 4Yrs, 499633,131Pts. Maybe theyre trying to tell us something from up above, Bobby said. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. After that, he coached the clubs minor-league affiliates, both as a head coach in Kansas City and as a player-coach in Salt Lake City. Barclay Graham Plager (March 26, 1941 February 6, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach for the St. Louis Blues. . Find out more. It was the first day of the ninth month, so the date didnt have numerical significance, but little did the family know then, the timing would. The deal proved extremely successful for the Blues, for Berenson became the first great offensive star of the newly minted Western Division, while Plager anchored a stingy defence that allowed the fewest goals in the NHL in 1969, the second fewest in 1970, and the third fewest in 1971. Plager came to the Blues from the New York Rangers when the NHL expanded in 1967-68. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. Learn more about merges. With the 1967 NHL Expansion, many new jobs opened up in the National Hockey League, and Plager was acquired with Red Berenson by the St. Louis Blues from the New York Rangers, which held his rights. Hes flying high up there right now, Helen chimed in. Barclay Plager has not been elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Or write about sports? Weve updated the security on the site. Everyone who pulled up began hugging siblings, cousins and grandkids while they waited. This browser does not support getting your location. Player Overview & Base Stats; Game Finder; Streak Finder; Span Finder; News; Career Splits. However, the emotion proved too much and the Blues were beaten by Philadelphia, 4-2. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He received a text message from the Blues that it would be Sept. 1 and passed that along to his daughter, Melissa Briggs, who began the planning. She sent out the emails to warn us, Save the date! Helen said. Those attending are: (back row, left to right) Don McKenney, Al Arbour, Noel Picard, Bill McCreary, Gerry Melnyk, Frank St. Marseille, Ray Fortin, Glenn Hall, Tim Ecclestone, Ron Schock, Fred Hucul, Gordon Kannegiesser, and Larry Keenan. That was number Helen said, starting the sentence. Try again. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Enter Search Term. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. They said it was the hardest toll theyd ever seen a year take on Bobby. Together, the family held a toast to Barclay and each sipped champagne from the Stanley Cup. So perhaps Sept. 1 did have some significance after all. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. This year, it was payback, and it was great. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. He played 263 games in the league, posing four goals, 38 points and 294 penalty minutes. Missing are Barclay Plager and Gord Berenson. Plager's day with the Cup included visits to daughter Melissa Briggs' home and the new Maryville University Hockey Center, where he surprised grandson Jacob Briggs' team, the Chesterfield Falcons, and got an assist from Blues defenseman Colton Parayko hoisting the trophy. I thought, Oh, man, we could have won it way back when.. Picard, who did broadcasting work for the Blues after his retirement, had played one season for Montreal, getting in 16 games for a team that won the Stanley Cup in 1964-65. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/XBWWz2yKom. ", Tweet from @StLouisBlues: If there's anything more St. Louis than @RealTedDrewes from the #StanleyCup, we don't know what it is. He was 46 years old and was an assistant coach with. Try again later. . Oops, we were unable to send the email. Here's what comes next. Dan Kelly gave the eulogy. 1967-68; 1968-69; 1969-70; 1970-71; 1971-72 . Everybody in this city had Noel Picard stories. The years and the decades would go by and the Plager kids and grandkids would hear the courageous stories about their father. Those are the people that got the chance like me but didn't win it. So when we found out we were getting it, I was like, Thats all I need, just one picture drinking out of the Cup.. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Bob Plager was supposed to be the muscle for the Rangers, but for whatever reason, that plan fell short - though he did fill the role of wise-cracking bruiser quite well. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. More Plager Pages. Plager was a member of the inaugural Blues team on Day 1 in 1967, finished his playing career with the Blues in 1977-78 and then hung on in a variety of roles, including a brief stint as head. In the postseason, they took turns visiting his gravesite, leaving Lets Go Blues signs and rally towels on his headstone. He went too soon, thats all., Brothers Bob and Barclay Plager have their numbers retired in the rafters of Enterprise Center. Center Mark Pavelich is playing in Italy and right wing Dave Silk in West Germany . Armstrong declared that Barclay would be the first to drink from the Cup, so after some champagne was poured, he and Bobby tilted it directly over the ground where Barclay has been buried for the past 31 years and gave him a long-awaited sip. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. The operation was successful but a new tumor was discovered later that year. It ended up to be an awesome celebration for all of us. Anyone can read what you share. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. "Thank you," Bob told the team in that moment. He served as the team's head coach but was relieved of his duties in 1979 after the team recorded their worst season in franchise history. His number 8 has been retired by the Blues. Do you have a blog? Originally his rights were held by the New York Ranges, but were acquired with future star Red Berenson by the newly enfranchised Blues in 1967. Join our linker program. You won't find many people the Blues' Stanley Cup title has more meaning to than the Plagers. "He made a proposal, but he's a little more anxious than I am," Poile said. He retired with 231 points (44 goals and 187 assists) in 614 games, all with the Blues. Barclay Plager was born in KirklandLake, Canada. He played in 127 regular-season games and 19 playoff games with the team before being claimed by Atlanta in the 1972 expansion draft. On March 24, 1981, prior to a game with the New York Islanders, Barclay Plager Night was held and his No. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @jprutherford, https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2019/09/03124738/IMG_0825-1-converted-with-Clipchamp-converted-with-Clipchamp.mp4, https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2019/09/03130456/IMG_0840.TRIM-1-converted-with-Clipchamp.mp4, https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2019/09/03140812/IMG_0851-converted-with-Clipchamp.mp4. I think a lot of that has to do with the parents that brought them up, who were Blues fans and made their kids Blues fans. He would play 11 seasons with the Blues before retiring as a player in 1978, but he was so loyal to the Blue Note he never moved back home to Kirkland Lake, Ontario, instead choosing to live in St. Louis and remain close to the team. I cant even tell you how excited I was, Karen said. 8 during a night in his honor against the New York Islanders. Picard made one of hockey's indelible moments possible. Add to your scrapbook. That's where Bob stood, already wearing his Blues Stanley Cup champions hat and taking it all in with tears welling up in his eyes. Oops, something didn't work. All rights reserved. Tweet from @lkorac10: Bob Plager said with his bad shoulder, he can't be lifting the Cup over his head. "Barclay Plager, center ice. He played 11 seasons for St. Louis -- teaming for a stretch with brothers Barclay and Bill -- and later worked . Include gps location with grave photos where possible. "Barc got a hold of me, gave me some tough love initially. NHL President John Ziegler said the NHL spent almost $2 million in legal fees to keep Ralston Purina from moving the Blues to Saskatoon in 1983 . Were just very lucky to be there.. So of course, with my mind, Im thinking, Are they going to put (Bobbys day with the Cup) on a number, like the 8th or the 5th?. But the trio of Plager brothers were better known for their physical play and willingness to stick up for teammates, and that was no better illustrated than in a game in Philadelphia. Bud Light, the Gloria beer, came out in an eight-pack. The only thing that might have made that moment more special is if Barclay and Billy had been there to hoist the Cup with him. They didnt get to really enjoy their dad that much. Barclay Plager weighed 175 lbs (79 kg) when playing. In the postseason, they took turns visiting his gravesite, leaving "Let . Melissa Briggs said it was a pleasure to see her father soak in the experience of St. Louis' first Stanley Cup championship. The Blues released the following statement on the passing of Bobby Plager: "It is unimaginable to imagine the St. Louis Blues without Bobby Plager. LOUIS, FEB. 8 -- The death on Saturday of Barclay Plager, who served the St. Louis Blues as captain, coach and inspiration, has cast a pall over the 39th NHL All-Star Game, to be played here. One of the most important parts of the team in the early days was Noel Picard. Our most heartfelt condolences go out to his brother Bobby and the entire Plager family.". Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Noel Picard was one of the best friends and teammates I had here, Blues defenseman Bob Plager told the team's website on Wednesday night. He reunited with his brothers Barclay and Billy in heaven on March 24, 2021 at age 78. "I thought about him a lot," Bob said of Barclay following the Blues' Game 7 victory against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. On Sunday, Bob was accompanied to the cemetery by his daughter, his grandchildren, Barclay's wife, Helen, and their children and grandchildren. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, he played as Defenseman in the National Hockey League for ten seasons (1967 to 1977) with the St. Louis Blues. Barclay Plager had 231 points over his career. Sorry! Everything that he ever gets kudos for, he passes that on to everyone else around him, which is amazing.. "We go up there and start pushing and shoving. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. On Sunday evening, Bob returned to visit his brother for the first time in awhile. Then Allen was embarrassed again, because he lost the thread of his speech and, since he was not wearing his glasses, could not read it, either . You look up and you know that theyre there and theyre watching, so you give them a little wink and a thumbs-up.. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. "I honestly don't have words for it," she said. Barclay Plager last played in 1977. Catchers once in a lifetime lunge saves Cardinals, Four young people die in Old Monroe head-on crash, Governor threatens to keep Missouri lawmakers in session over transgender rules, Barat Academy in Chesterfield to close after years of financial troubles, Court records online include private information for thousands of Missouri residents, Why some St. Louis-area Roman Catholics are looking forward to parish reorganization. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, he played as Defenseman in the National Hockey League for ten seasons (1967 to 1977) with the St. Louis Blues. He reunited with his brothers Barclay and Billy in heaven on March 24, 2021 . Death In 1984, it was announced that Barclay had an inoperable brain tumor and just six months to live. "I want the best place for our young players' development but we also must look at things from a financial standpoint. When Boston's Bobby Orr shot the puck for overtime goal in Game 4 of the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals to end the series, Picard put his stick between Orr's legs and tripped him, sending Orr flying through the air and celebrating while parallel to the ice. Barclay Plager was 46 when he died Feb. 6, 1988, from a brain hemorrhage. Try again later. Barclay Plager never won a Stanley Cup as a player. If Barc was here, hed have the same answer, Oh yeah, thats blood, but it aint mine.. Well be talking about that forever.. Example video title will go here for this video. His post playing career saw him as an assistant coach for the Blues, as well as a year as Head Coach. I'm just so grateful he's here to see this moment.". NewsNow aims to be the world's most accurate and comprehensive Dnipro news aggregator, bringing you the latest headlines automatically and continuously 24/7. Subscribe to Stathead Hockey: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Hockey Reference Database. We present them here for purely educational purposes. There was a problem getting your location. I couldnt believe that this was actually happening., As the van doors opened, Helen turned and said: I dont know what to expect whatever happens, happens. If you think we're going to party down here, they're partying up there, too.". Billy spent more time with the Blues than any other franchise and engrained himself in the St. Louis community during his tenure. Some of them could be a little crazy, but those were the true ones., Blues talk: The fans remember "One tough cookie". The gravesite of Barclay Plager was decorated with Blues signs and pictures when the family visited with the Stanley Cup. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Noel was such a big, happy-go-lucky guy and enjoyed life. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? by Thats not the first time the Plagers have heard those personal stories in public. ROBERT (BOBBY) PLAGER OBITUARY. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Mr. Plager, who was with the New York Rangers briefly in the fall of 1967, played for St. Louis for 10 seasons and appeared in four All-Star Games. He had 12 goals and 46 assists in his seasons with the Blues and, more in keeping with his style, 540 penalty minutes. Hockeydb.com - Hockey Statistics and History for the NHL and more! Suffering from dizzy spells thought to be the result of an old head injury, Plager was examined by a doctor following his stepping down as coach. It's been great. Meanwhile, a magical moment, one that would eclipse all others, was unfolding in front of them. Moments before, Billy had caught Ray Cullen of the Vancouver Canucks skating with his head down just inside the St. Louis blue line and, like a good Plager, had upended Cullen . There were also framed photos of Barclay and one of all three brothers, including Billy Plager. Capitals Search for Farm. Barclay Plager was then a Blues assistant coach. Barclay Plager had 44 goals over his career. Plager died on Feb. 6, 1988. The time would also pass without a Stanley Cup, and despite being a member of the three Blues teams to play in the Cup final, including the last one in 1970, the family would never get a chance to celebrate one. Plager played 645 games in 11 seasons for the Blues from 1967-78. See the article in its original context from. Post-Dispatch file photo, Billy McCreary (right), the new coach of the Blues, talks over old times with there players who played for him eight years ago when he was coaching at Omaha in the Central Hockey League on Nov. 2, 1971. Resend Activation Email. So they were my family. 8 sweater was retired in 1981, after which he returned to the bench as an assistant coach and even filled in as the interim head coach. Yeah, but Im pretty sure Im 30 years older than you, dude. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Named as an NHL All-Star four times (1970, 1971, 1973, 1974) after his career wound down and he retired, he held the Blues' team record for most games played. "Bryan was my coach in an all-star game and I learned more hockey from him in one day than I did from my own coach in two seasons," MacLean said. NewsNow brings you the latest news from the world's most trusted sources on Dnipro. 8 was retired. Barclay Plager was 46 when he died Feb. 6, 1988, from a brain hemorrhage. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Bobby joked, however, that the stain on the sweater wasnt from Barclay. Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky had an interesting comment today about the upcoming Olympic hockey tournament: "I hope Canada wins the gold medal, because I know a lot of guys have put in a lot of hard work, but the best thing for hockey would be for the U.S. to win the gold medal, because of the extra attention that would be given to hockey in the U.S." . "For me, this is very special, but sitting here and looking at the kids and thinking, 'This is the toughest trophy to win.' Front row, kneeling: Bob Plager, Terry Crisp, Jim Roberts, Claude Cardin, Wayne Rivers, Darryl Edestrand and Seth Martin. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Barclay Plager was born on March 26, 1941. The oldest of three hockey playing brothers (with Bill and Bob), Plager played junior league hockey with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey Association before spending six seasons in the minor leagues, cementing a reputation as a hard-nosed defensive defenceman. The Blues then claimed him in the expansion draft. He had it on when the Blues won the Cup, as well as the day at the cemetery. There was no words to even describe that, Karri said. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Robert Bryant Plager (Saint Louis, Missouri), who passed away on March 24, 2021 at the age of 78. "It was Barclay, Noel, Jimmy Roberts, Dan Kelly, who announced our games, the Solomons owned us. There was a piece of their era in the crowd, as Kevins son Jack, 13, was wearing one of Barclays original sweaters. Transaction information may be incomplete. This is a carousel with slides. 8 was retired. Plager died on Feb. 6, 1988. So Colton Parayko was on hand to help with his grandson Jacob and Jacob's Chesterfield Falcons teammates. St. Louis ran roughshod over the Flyers in the early years." It just goes to show what they did back then and what they still mean to the city.. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Video: Plager mic'd up as Blues win Stanley Cup. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Jeremy Rutherford is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the St. Louis Blues. He is buried in Peterborough, Ontario. He was survived by both of his brothers. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. That was the best hour and a half that weve ever had up there for my family, for my mom, for our Uncle Bob. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. As the group giggled, Sgt.Wetzel, who led the police escort, stood nearby pinching himself. Bobby spent his entire run with the St. Louis Blues alongside his brother Barclay Plager. You look around, you see the smiles, how everybody is taking this all in. People send me cards and pictures in Montreal and I sign them all the time., Noel Picard looks on as Bobby Orr goes airborne after scoring the goal that won the Stanley Cup for the Boston Bruins on May 10, 1970, against the St. Louis Blues at Boston Garden. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Do you have a sports website? Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. An outfield in flux. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Then, 42 years after Barclay played his last game as a Blue, Bobby, accompanied by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, carried the Cup to where the miniature version had sat just three months earlier. All Rights Reserved. We believed we could have won. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. stlouisblues.com is the official Web site of the St Louis Blues. Sign up for the 5 On Your Side Sports Plus newsletter. I didnt expect that at all and I got the chills.. 8 jersey has been retired by the St. Louis Blues, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 7 May 2022, at 23:03. It's just been great. In addition, he is the Blues Insider for 101 ESPN in St. Louis. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. For the players and coaches in the all-star game, it's tough to be here now, especially those of us who played with him." Plager, the youngest brother of Barclay and Bobby Plager, was involved in two memorable moments in Blues' history. He was 46 years old and was an assistant coach with the Blues at the time of his death. He played all 614 games of his NHL career for the Blues. Other Links. When you see the sweater of mine thats down at the rink, with the blood on there, I say, Oh yeah, thats blood but it aint mine, he said. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. (Photo courtesy of St. Louis Blues / blues.nhl.com). N.B. I didnt really realize who my dad was, as far as like people saying, Oh my gosh, your dad is Barclay Plager? said Karen, who was 20 when he died. by or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. The three Plager brothers played together for four seasons in St. Louis, with Barclay and Bob together on the Blues' defence for eleven seasons, then widely seen as the "Plagers' team". Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Billy Plager, brother of Bobby and Barclay Plager, played 127 games for the Blues in the early 1970s. -- When Bob Plager got word of when his day with the Stanley Cup would be, there was no doubt where it was going. Bobby has been here since day one, so hes been a fixture this whole time, Kevin said. 5 for Bobby, the numbers they wore with the Blues and are now retired. "I knew I was going to get my grandson involved with his kids and the kids there, the hockey team, and we had Jimmy Roberts and Noel Picard, Dan Kelly and their family, and the Gassoffs, I wanted them over at the house," said Plager, an ambassador for the Blues who has been with the franchise since it entered the NHL. You can always change this later in your Account settings. An original member of the St. Louis Blues, Plager would take the trophy to the burial place of his older brother, Barclay, who also played for the expansion Blues. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Originally his rights were held by the New York Ranges, but were acquired with future star Red Berenson by the newly enfranchised Blues in 1967. Copyright 1999-2020 St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and the National Hockey League.
Which Of The Following Have Specific Protections Under Loac?, The Last Footwear Company Christchurch, Parks And Rec After School Program, Quotes About Fezziwig In A Christmas Carol, Articles B
Which Of The Following Have Specific Protections Under Loac?, The Last Footwear Company Christchurch, Parks And Rec After School Program, Quotes About Fezziwig In A Christmas Carol, Articles B