You may not know him by name, but the "Sign Man", aka, Marty Prather,
from Springfield Missouri has been a regular fixture in the old Busch Stadium
since 1983 and he’ll be carrying on his traditional contribution to the
national pastime, in the NEW Busch Stadium this season and hopefully for years to come.
RM: “Springfield Missouri? I guess you have season tickets, because
we see you in the ballpark all the time.”
SIGN-MAN: “Yes, I have had season tickets since 1983. It’s 221 miles from my
house to the Cardinals’ house and I enjoy every minute of it.”
RM: “How games do you make it to St. Louis?”
SIGN-MAN: “Thirty to thirty-five games a season and then to the post season
games.”
RM: “How about the Springfield Cardinals, the Cardinals Double-A
affiliate in your own back yard?”
SIGN-MAN: ‘Season ticket holder there, I probably go there two or three times
a month and then the other times I give the tickets to my people for
incentives.”
RM: “When you think of the great fans of baseball, you have to think
of the Sign Man of the St. Louis Cardinals. So how did the sign thing
started?”
SIGN-MAN: On simple sign in 1985, during the World Series against the Kansas
City Royals, I had sign that said “The Fat Lady is Singing” when the Cardinals
were up three games to one. I think I kind of jinx them. That sign got on
national TV and my Dad saw me down in Florida and I kind of got hooked on
it.
In 1987 I started brining signs for every player, the best part of it now, I
get to meet the players, they wave at meet and some of them come over and
autograph the signs for me.
RM: That’s amazing, because, I actually remember that sign in 1987.
Well “Sign Man” everyone knows who you are, where are your seats in the NEW
Busch Stadium?”
SIGN-MAN: Section 137, which is about half way between first base and the
right field foul pole. About 11 rolls back, about the same place where we were
at before, of course I have to be on the aisle, because I couldn’t hold up these
signs in the middle of row.
RM: Let’s take a look at your signs, we got;
SIGN-MAN: “The Cards are rockin and Rolen”,
RM: I like this one, “With Aaron the Cards are Miles
Ahead”
SIGN-MAN: “We are Eck-static about Eckstein” & “Is this Heaven?
No it’s the New Busch Stadium”
RM: These are great Marty and it’s great to finally get to meet you
and who knows maybe you will get to use that “The Fat Lady is Singing”
sign again, this time with a little better luck.
SIGN-MAN: Thanks, Ray. Let’s keep in touch.
RM: Thanks Marty, have a great day and have a safe trip home after
the game.