Players and fans are remembering Coach Robichaux and his legacy on and off the field. His friend and the man who was over the Diamond Club, Craig Melancon, took to the ball field on Monday to remember Coach Robe.
"You're never going to replace him. He's going to be that guy... I'm not sure you want to replace him. His memory will be here forever as long as I'm here," Melancon said.
Robichaux is being remembered as a mentor and a friend.
He died Wednesday morning in a New Orleans hospital, where he was being treated after having a heart attack last week.
A memorial grew outside of Russo Park on Monday. The ballpark and Coach Robichaux go hand in hand. The ballpark is where many people came to pay their respects.
Inside the park Craig Melancon spoke with KATC. You can find him at any home game, behind home plate, row three... Seat 11.
"I came here as a freshman in 1982 and started coming to baseball games when this was much smaller," Melancon said.
The ballpark and the program are much bigger these days thanks to Coach Robichaux. Melancon says their friendship grew from that and they enjoyed spending time together during off season.
"He was more than a coach to me. He was a mentor and somebody I could talk to. It means a whole lot. It's going to be hard. Its going to be rough coming back without him," Melancon said.
Melancon says from here on out he will continue to make every game, only now, with a Coach Robe jersey and a number 36 on his back.
The UL Athletics Department released a statement on Monday, asking fans and the public to keep the Robichaux family and the baseball team in their thoughts and prayers.
