Sign Man, Marty Prather passes away

ST. LOUIS - Heartbreaking news for Missouri sports fans, Marty Prather passed away Sunday from complications of respiratory distress.

Prather was 67 years old. 

He had been fighting the illness for the last few weeks. 

Prather was known as the "Sign Man" for the large signs with clever sayings that he brought to Missouri State, Springfield and St. Louis Cardinals games.

Prather was a big supporter of Missouri State athletics and a season ticket holder to the St. Louis Cardinals.

He created his first signs during the 1985 I-70 World Series between his St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.

Those signs were shown on national television and Prather's notoriety grew from there. 

Marty Prather grew up in Ohio.

He left the Buckeye state to start Domino's Pizza franchises in Springfield, Missouri.

Prather and his partner Art Hurteau opened their first Domino's Pizza franchise in Springfield in 1981.

Prather was a regular at almost every Missouri State football, baseball, men's and women's basketball games.

And was also a fixture at Busch Stadium at St. Louis Cardinals games.   

Prather was the first fan to be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Current Missouri State Athletics Director Patrick Ransdell said of Prather, "He's a life-long Bear.  And he's going to go down in history as one of those fans who everybody knew."

Services for Marty Prather are pending.