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To a man, former players will tell you that Bob Plaskas the baseball coach wasn’t a yeller or a screamer.
The accomplishments of this athlete, teacher, coach and administrator are worth shouting about, however.
A life well lived for Plaskas included a successful 33-year career in education, featuring stints at West Aurora and Oswego. He’s in the Hall of Fame for both schools.
Plaskas, who successfully lobbied the administration to finally start a baseball program at West Aurora in 1969, didn’t need to pump up the volume. He had “the look” to command respect or send a message.
Chuck Day, a two-year starter in the outfield for the Blackhawks in 1974 and 1975, explained.
“We all knew the coach stare,” Day said. “He would never raise his voice or yell. You got that impression that he was disappointed in you, standing there with his arms folded across his chest giving you the look. You never wanted to disappoint the man.”
Mike Golich, a sophomore reserve in 1973, started at second base and then third base the next two seasons.
“Get the look and you knew you were in trouble,” Golich said.
How did that work for Plaskas?
Pretty darn well as he capped an incredible eight-year run by guiding his team to the state finals in Peoria four straight years from 1973 to 1976.
Joe Thorgesen, who coached Kaneland to back-to-back state football titles in 1997 and 1998 in his own storied career, was an outfielder on the 1973 and 1974 teams and still marvels at the feat.
“Remember, there was just one class back then,” Thorgesen said. “You had to win something like six games to go downstate. Talk about amazing.”
It’s just one of many highlights for Plaskas, who died Aug. 28 at home in Oswego at age 81.
His family home on the Fox River at 55 N. Adams Street that Plaskas lovingly called “The Ponderosa” will be the site of a celebration of his life. It will begin at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, hosted by his wife Margaret and sons Aaron and Rob.
“We’ll go until whenever,” Aaron said. “We’ll have food, a microphone and amp for anyone who wants to speak and activities available for the kids, too.”
Bob Plaskas played football, baseball and wrestled in high school, graduating in 1960 and wrestling on scholarship at Northwestern, winning one Big Ten title.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1964 and a master’s degree in 1966 from Eastern Michigan, where he was a graduate assistant for the baseball team.
Dave Rowell was a first-year teacher and coach under Plaskas in 1973 and later led the program for 20 years.
“He was very cerebral and could get into the kids’ minds in a good way,” Rowell said. “Bob was a psychologist of sorts, especially with the pitchers. And soliciting input from a lot of people, he would always ask, ‘Well, what do you think?'”
In 13 years at West Aurora, Plaskas also chaired the social studies department before returning to Oswego in 1979 as athletic director until 1988. He taught American History until his retirement in 1999.
Hiring Karl Hoinkes
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to lead the school’s football program in 1981 may have been one of the best moves Plaskas made as athletic director.Hoinkes, an Iowa graduate from Pennsylvania who had been teaching in Geneva and assisting legendary coach Jerry Auchstetter for five years, built the program into a powerhouse. He became the winningest coach at the school, winning two state titles and making it a perennial playoff qualifier.
“He was just a great guy and always a straight shooter,” Hoinkes said of Plaskas. “He let his coaches coach.
“I told him we had to get lights because high school football is supposed to be played on Friday night.”
Plaskas spearheaded the drive to get lights, improve the weight room and name the stadium for legendary coach Ken Pickerill, who had coached Plaskas in football and wrestling.
“I can still see Bob and me working with a jackhammer in one of the holes for the light poles, trying to break through some rock down below,” Hoinkes chuckled.
Aaron Plaskas remembers traveling to the stadium as a youngster with his mom to check on his dad.
“It was a sight to behold,” Plaskas said. “We were one of the last schools around to get lights. I remember him climbing up a post, installing light bulbs, and coach Pickerill doing the same on the other side of the field.”
Doing whatever it takes, like so many pioneers.