Patrick Reusse: Parade and dedication leave many touched

Danube, Minn., used a reunion weekend to honor to one of its finest athletes by preserving Bob Bruggers' name and memory on the gym where he once lit up the court.

By Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune

Last update: July 14, 2007 - 11:28 PM

DANUBE, MINN. Bob Bruggers made a trip to Minnesota in the winter of 2005-06 to visit his mother, Nettie, at her residence in Willmar. Rod Black, the long-serving coach of the Danube Hawks, arranged for an informal reunion of Bruggers and several teammates from the glory days of the early 1960s.

This set in motion a plan to get Bruggers back to town for this weekend, when his Class of 1962 would be holding a 45th reunion, in conjunction with Danube's annual Fun Days celebration.

Once Bruggers was committed, the civic leaders decided that he must serve as grand marshal for Saturday afternoon's parade. The next problem was finding a proper conveyance from which Bruggers could wave to the home folks.

Someone remembered that Karen Schwartz, wife of '62 graduate Vernon, had a nice ride. She was called at her Twin Cities home and asked to serve as Saturday's chauffeur.

And that's how Bob Bruggers came to make the quick loop around Danube while perched on the back of a black 2002 Mercedes convertible.

"They just asked me to be here early in the afternoon," Bruggers said. "I didn't know I was going to be the grand marshal."

There was a larger surprise for Bruggers later on Saturday, when Black, Mayor Chad Kohls, a number of Danube residents and the Class of '62 reunion participants gathered at what served as the town's school for more than 50 years.

In 1988, former 2-12 Conference rivals Danube, Renville and Sacred Heart merged into the Renville County West district. The high school went to Renville. Two years ago, the middle school closed in Danube.

Kohls and various townspeople have pledged to keep up the building as a community center. Bruggers was asked to be there at 4 p.m.

The main feature inside was the gym where he starred for the Hawks, scoring 2,364 points in a high school career that ended with him leading Danube to back-to-back state basketball tournaments in 1961 and 1962.

When Bruggers and others showed up at the school building on Saturday, there was a covering above the front door. The mayor made a short speech, the covering was pulled away and a metal sign in the Hawks' old colors of maroon and gold read:

"Bob Bruggers Auditorium."

Bob's mother was there, and so was his younger sister Carol. Quite a few people were choked up over this scene, including Bruggers.

He had left Danube for the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1962. He played freshman football and also freshman basketball with Lou Hudson and Archie Clark.

"I was getting bigger this way, not this way," said the 6-2½ Bruggers, first holding a hand to his side, then above his head. "I saw the handwriting on the wall. I concentrated on football."

Bruggers played three years for the Gophers as an end, then spent six seasons (1966-71) with the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers as a linebacker. He was traded to Cincinnati in 1972 and was cut at the end of training camp.

Bruggers had roomed with Wahoo McDaniel for three years in Miami. Wahoo had gone into pro wrestling. He encouraged Bruggers to do the same.

Bob was doing well with this until Oct. 4, 1975. He was flying on a small plane from Charlotte to Wilmington, N.C., with fellow wrestlers Johnny Valentine, Tim Woods and a young guy named Ric Flair.

The pilot, Joseph Michael Farkas, had misjudged the fuel and the plane went down short of the runway. Valentine, Flair and Bruggers all suffered broken backs. Farkas died from his injuries.

Bruggers never wrestled again. He spent a couple of years in litigation, received a settlement, went into the restaurant business with a partner and came out on the short end.

"Mostly, I've been a bartender in Fort Lauderdale for the past 20 years," he said.

Bob Bruggers has had his setbacks, including the death of longtime companion Donna Logan a year ago from cancer. But all memories are happy here in Danube, where what you could find often on Saturday was an old-timer pointing to the back of the black convertible and saying to someone younger, "That's him. That's Bruggers. Best ever."

Patrick Reusse can be heard weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP at 6:45 and 7:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. • preusse@startribune.com