SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -Marty Prather, a mainstay of Missouri sports, known to many as “The Sign Man,” has died.

Prather was placed in Mercy’s Intensive Care Unit earlier this month, battling respiratory distress.

He moved to the Ozarks in 1981 and was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Missouri State University.

Prather started making signs during the 1985 World Series against the Kansas City Royals.

Since then, according to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Prather made more than 700 signs, featuring as many as 1,400 clever sayings.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a fan in 2003.

Prather also owns several Domino’s franchises in the area.

After he was moved to the ICU, fans of Prather made their own signs to show their love and support.

Prather was 67 years old.

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