View source for Pat Patterson (coach)

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pat Patterson
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = James E. Patterson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|3|26}}
| birth_place = [[Delhi, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2007|10|11|1934|3|26}}
| death_place = [[Ruston, Louisiana]], U.S.
| resting_place = Pines Memorial Cemetery in Ruston, Louisiana
| occupation = [[Baseball]] coach at [[Louisiana Tech University]]
| spouse = Glenda Bates Patterson
| children = James A. "Tony" Patterson<br>Lee Ann Teer
| alma_mater = [[Louisiana Tech University]]<br>[[University of Mississippi]]
| footnotes =
}}
'''James Edwin''' "'''Gravy'''" '''Patterson Jr.''', also known as '''Pat Patterson''', (March 26, 1934 – October 11, 2007) was an American [[college baseball]] coach. He served as the head baseball coach at [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana]] from 1968 to 1990, compiling a record of 741–462–2 record. Patterson produced 18 winning seasons in 23 years, and his teams won 40 or more games in five of those years. He was Southland Conference Coach of the Year seven times.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boatright |first=T. Scott |title=La. Tech Legend Patterson shoots wife, self  |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121027008/the-town-talk/ |newspaper=The Town Talk |location=[[Alexandria, Louisiana]] |date=October 12, 2007 |page=B4 |access-date=March 16, 2023 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{Open access}} }}</ref>

In retirement, he often returned as an interim coach. Seven of Patterson's players, including [[Mike Jeffcoat]], [[Phil Hiatt]], and [[David Segui]], reached the majors.

==Education==
Patterson was born in [[Delhi, Louisiana|Delhi]] in [[Richland Parish, Louisiana|Richland Parish]] in northeastern Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1958, playing football and baseball under legendary Bulldog coaches [[Joe Aillet]] and [[Berry Hinton]]. He earned four football letters and two baseball letters and went on to earn his [[master's degree]] from the [[University of Mississippi]] ("Ole Miss") in 1961.

==Coaching career==
[[Image:Pat Patterson Park at LA Tech - Original Facade.jpg|200px|right|thumb|<span style="font-size:100%;">The Pat Patterson Park and J.C. Love Field for [[baseball]] at [[Louisiana Tech University]]</span>]] 
He began his coaching career in 1958 at [[Ouachita Parish High School]] in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] and took a job at [[C.E. Byrd High School]] in [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] in 1963 before he joined the Louisiana Tech athletic department in 1967 as an assistant football coach.

Patterson would serve as both assistant football- and head baseball coach at Tech from 1968 to 1978 and as head baseball coach only until 1990. He subsequently oversaw one more football game, having served as interim coach in 1979, when the Bulldogs posted a 13-10 win over local rival [[Northeast Louisiana University]], now known as the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]], in his only game as head coach.

As head coach, Patterson was named the District VI Coach of the Year in 1974. He led Louisiana Tech to seven [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] Tournament appearances during his coaching tenure, the last in 1987. In 1974, Patterson led the Bulldogs to within one game from the College World Series.

Patterson served for several years as Tech's associate athletic director following his retirement in 1990. In that capacity, he oversaw the eligibility of athletes and monitored NCAA compliance. On three occasions, he was asked to step in as the university's interim athletic director.

He is a member of the [[Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame|Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame]]. A large poster of Patterson hangs on the outfield wall of Louisiana Tech's baseball stadium.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball coach navbox}}
{{Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football coach navbox}}
{{1973 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football navbox}}
{{Southland Conference Baseball Coach of the Year navbox}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Pat}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2007 suicides]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Louisiana Tech Bulldogs baseball players]]
[[Category:Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football coaches]]
[[Category:Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football players]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Louisiana]]
[[Category:University of Mississippi alumni]]
[[Category:People from Delhi, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Baseball coaches from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Louisiana]]
[[Category:2007 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:Murder–suicides in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Suicides by firearm in Louisiana]]
[[Category:American United Methodists]]
[[Category:20th-century Methodists]]
[[Category:21st-century Methodists]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]