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NCAA Champion and Hall of Fame Coach Joe Patacsil Passes Away


Coach Peck

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I regretfully inform the Wrestling Community that Joe Patacsil who won an NCAA Championship while wrestling at Purdue and went on to be a highly successful Coach at Logansport High School has passed away.  Anyone who knew Coach Patacsil knew that he was a great Wrestler, Coach, Teacher, Friend, and especially a great Husband and Father.  When I started my career he was the guy I was chasing in the North Central Conference.  I looked up to him as a role model of what a Coach should be, and I treasure the moments when I was around him.  He was a complete class act.  My words are not good enough to give him his due.  I look forward to seeing him again someday.

 

Coach Peckinpaugh

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Here is his bio from Purdue's website

 

Joe Patacsil

1950 128-Pound Champion

Joe Patacsil was the second Purdue Boilermaker wrestler to claim an NCAA individual championship, winning the 128-pound crown in 1950. A four-year letterwinner for the Boilermakers, Patacsil was a part of three Big Ten team champions, as he helped Purdue win the league title in 1948, 1949 and 1950. Patacsil was a two-time Big Ten champion at 128 pounds, capturing back-to-back titles in 1949 and 1950, and was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year in the year he won his NCAA title. In 1999, Patacsil became the second wrestler to be inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, joining former teammate and fellow NCAA champion Arnold Plaza among the esteemed body of former Purdue athletes, coaches and administrators.

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I only had a few conversations with Coach Patacsil, but each time I enjoyed every moment.  Often, I would ask questions about some of the wrestlers from his era. I have always felt that wrestlers from that time never get the respect they deserve today. I believe guys like Bill Koll, Bill Smith, Arnie Plaza and yes, Joe Patacsil could compete and be successful in today's world. They were tough men, many of them back from WWII, who given current training methods, would be at the top of the heap in today's world.

 

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The North Central Wrestling Officials share in the sympathy of the passing of Coach Joe.

Our prayers are with the family and the Logansport Wrestling Community.

Coach you will be greatly missed.

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