Creager retires after 95 seasons in the big leagues.
It was a cool, crisp, day in October when Bob Creager stepped to the plate for the last time. His, was a defiant and audacious career that spanned decades.
Short in stature, hard of hearing, tough, and onery, Creager did not look like the typical big leaguer. What he lacked in skill he made up for with sheer determination, over confidence, and a magical ability to pull off the impossible. No player has played with more grit, determination, or heart than Bob Creager. He will be remembered for his never back down attitude and colorful vocabulary when his team was down.
A shoe in for the Hall of Fame, Creager’s stats were impressive. He played for only two general managers in his career, Irene Tafelski Creager and Janice Wood Creager. He led the league in children (6), step children (4), grandchildren (26), great-grandchildren (43), and great-great-grandchildren (5).
Creager ranks in the top 10 in franchise history for rooster fight raids (1), train vs car auto accidents (1), social club founding (2), and failed attempts at wheelie riding (1).
In his final outing he gave the crowd a good show, taking the game into extra innings before his final at bat in which he knocked it out of the park. Along the way teaching us that character is not defined by the moments when you’re up 3–0, but instead but how you battle when you’re down 0–2. He taught us that when the bad hops come in life to get in front of them and knock them down. And that life is filled with streaks, slumps, and bench clearing brawls and the key to a happy life is to surround yourself with people who will clear the benches when you charge the mound. And thus ends a storybook career filled with highlights that will be passed down for generations to come.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Janice Wood Creager; his children; James G. Creager (Emmie), Richard L. Creager (Kay Lynn), Edwin Randall Creager (Theresa), Stephen C. Creager, and two daughters, Karen Lynn Caskey (Robert), and Patricia Ann Creager (Greg Lamb), Michael Cook, Mark Wood, Rhonda Abbott, and Yolanda “Kattie” Pasha; grandchildren, Jenifer Suoy, Jason Creager, Barbara Walsh, Tom Caskey Jr., D. J. Eaves, Tony Creager, Julie Crabtree, Jeremy Creager, Jackson Lamb, Chris Smith, Corissa Cooper and Jonathan Creager; 14 step grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 15 step great grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at Tuckers Funeral Home in Central City, on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. with Bobby Gene Creager officiating. Burial will follow the service at Old Jackson Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday at 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
