Robert "Bob" Cerv (Coach) 1925 - 2017

Coach Cerv’s Facebook Tribute Page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/140046839373942/

Grit, determination, toughness and family – those were the words that resonated again and again Saturday afternoon about Bob Cerv.

The monument for the Weston native was dedicated Saturday at the ballfield. Cerv, who died in April at the age of 91, played Major League Baseball, served his country in the U.S. Navy, coached at the high school and college levels and often returned to his hometown.

A committee has been working on the monument since last year. It stands on the southwest corner of the ballfield, just a short distance from where Cerv grew up.

Among those paying tribute to Cerv during the dedication ceremony was Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Associate Athletic Director John Jentz.

Cerv is the only UNL athlete to have lettered all four years in both baseball and basketball.

The Kansas City Royals also sent a letter acknowledging Cerv's skill and records. Some of the records set when he played for the Kansas City Athletics still stand as records in Kansas City.

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Joe Cerv said his dad would have been pleased to see so many of his family in attendance Saturday.

"For him, it was family first," he said.

Joe Cerv also said the family was pleased to see so many friends and community members turn out for the dedication. He said Weston was always important to his dad.

Not only was Bob Cerv born in Weston, he was baptized in Weston, married in Weston and buried in Weston. Joe Cerv said he always came home to his native Nebraska, and especially to his home town.

"Not many people have that kind of circle in their life," he added.

This is the article about Bob that was in the Wahoo Newspaper on July 15, 2017. Jean Gladhill Trvdy suggested that you might want to take a drive over to Weston during the reunion. She says there is a place to sign in and pay your respects to Bob.

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 Veteran

Date of Birth

May 5, 1925
Weston, Nebraska

Entered into Rest

April 6, 2017
Blair, Nebraska

Mass of Christian Burial Directions

Monday, April 10, 2017 ~ 10:00 a.m.
St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church ~ Weston, Nebraska
Interment at St. John Cemetery ~ Weston, Nebraska
Military Honors by American Legion #308

Visitation & Rosary Directions

Sunday, April 9, 2017
Visitation ~ 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Rosary ~ 7:00 p.m.
St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church ~ Weston, Nebraska

Memorials – in lieu of flowers

Bob Cerv Monument in the Weston Park

Robert Henry Cerv, Sr., 91, better known as Bob passed on to his heavenly host on Thursday, April 6, 2017 in Blair, NE.

Bob was born to his parents Anton and Henrietta (Staska) Cerv on May 5, 1925 in Weston, Nebraska, a small town west of Wahoo, NE.  He served his country in the U.S. Navy during WWII until he was honorably discharged.  On June 5, 1948, Bob was united in marriage to Phyllis Pelton at St. John Nepomucene Church in Weston, NE.

Bob was an eight time letter winner at the University of Nebraska in both basketball and baseball.  He signed with the New York Yankees in 1950.  He played with the Yankees until 1956, and then was traded to the Kansas City Athletics in 1957.  In 1958, Bob hit 38 home runs and was elected to the A.L. All-Star Team.

He went back to the Yankees in 1961 and roomed with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, a great threesome.  He also teamed with Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Bobby Richardson, Elston Howard, and others.  In 1962, Bob’s playing career came to an end as he was released by the Houston Colts.

After baseball, Bob coached at John F. Kennedy College in Wahoo and later Sioux Empire College in Hawarden, Iowa.

He won the NBC Tournament one summer in Wichita, Kansas while managing the Liberal B.J.’s a semi-professional baseball team.  One player stated that Bob was a great coach while sitting on a five gallon pail.  Bob swung a bat that was very similar to a six foot post-unbelievably heavy.

Bob was really a quite modest man about his baseball background and he always said his greatest accomplishment in life was his ten children.

He is survived by children: Sandy Harrington of Lincoln, Karen Chambers of Laguna Beach, CA, Robert Jr. (Mary) Cerv of Alliance, Joseph (Mary) Cerv of Overland Park, KS, John (Maggie) Cerv of Gladstone, MO, Phyllis Willis of Basehor, KS, Dawn (Todd) Ericson of Hawarden, IA, and Melissa (Randy) Lock of Blair; 32 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; sister Bonnie Nelson of Lincoln; brother-in-law Wade (Nancy) Pelton of Texas; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by wife Phyllis Cerv; daughters: Sithay Ann Cerv and Denise Mahoney; sisters: Laverne Richardson and Joyce Kucera.