Slobo Passes
Published by Al Adomite on July 16th, 2008
Any kid growing up in St. Louis in the early-80s had to have known about Slobo. I can remember playing soccer in our front yard and blocking shots to cries of SLOBO SAVE!
Slobodan “Slobo” Ilijevski, 58, a fan favorite on the St. Louis Steamers, died Monday in a Seattle hospital after suffering a rupture of his aorta while participating Saturday in a national soccer tournament in Seattle for the Kutis Over 55 men’s team representing St. Louis.
During his last game, a semifinal match Saturday, he suffered pain after a high ball save and complained of stomach pain and dizziness. After a CT scan, doctors discovered that blood was leaking from a rupture in the wall of his aorta.
Soccer has been talked about in a big way in the metro-east this past year or two. But, the Steamers always seemed to be bigger than all the other attempts to at pro soccer in St. Louis. You just have to admire these athletes, most of whom didn’t make enough in their sport to fully support their families. So different than other sports.
In the Major Indoor Soccer League’s heyday, crowds of 18,000-plus would pack the former Arena and chant “Slobo, Slobo, Slobo!” The Macedonian goalie for the Steamers, the Storm and the Ambush, helped the teams reinvent themselves repeatedly to keep pro soccer in St. Louis. [...]
In 1980, prospects of a better life in the United States looked bleak for the goalkeeper from Yugoslavia; his visa was about to expire and he had two failed tryout attempts with MISL teams in Philadelphia and Chicago. A friend from Detroit had arranged for Mr. Ilijevski to meet Steamers coach Pat McBride. With six goalies already at camp, he knew the odds of getting on the team were slim, but he had only $20, so he took a chance. His visa expiration date was Oct. 30. He signed with the Steamers on Oct. 28.
What an incredible story.
Filed under Breaking News
July 16th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
slobo lived across the street from us as i was 15 i learned so much & went on to play and was very successful he will be missed by me and the rest of st. louis.
RIP