James 'Pat' Patterson, 73; Was Louisiana Tech Baseball Coach - Dies In Murder-Suicide
Bill Schenley
Photo:
http://www.latechsports.com/images/hof/pat%20patterson.jpg
FROM: The Monroe News-Star ~
By T. Scott Boatright
RUSTON, La.,
Former longtime Louisiana Tech baseball coach
James "Pat" Patterson, overcome with grief for a
wife stricken with Alzheimer's, shot her and then
himself this morning, Lincoln Parish authorities
say.
Patterson, 73, coached at Tech from 1968-90,
compiling a record of 741-462. Wife Glenda, 71,
had reportedly moved into the Arbor House
assisted-care facility near Ruston a few weeks ago.
There, both of their lives tragically ended in a
murder-suicide.
"This is something we've never dealt with," Arbor
House owner Joanne Caldwell-Bayles said. "You
hear of it happening sometimes, but never around
here."
No one else was injured, according to a sheriff's
department release. Funeral arrangements were
incomplete on Thursday evening under the direction
of Kilpatrick's Funeral Home of Ruston.
"This is a terrible tragedy, and the Louisiana Tech
family has lost two wonderful people," Tech
President Dan Reneau said. "Coach Patterson was
a great friend and mentor to countless Tech
students over the years, and he and Glenda will be
missed by all of us."
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Department received
a 9-1-1 call from the Arbor House, located on U.S.
80 East of Ruston, at 7:14 Thursday morning as
the first shots rang out. While deputies were en
route, Patterson then turned the gun on himself.
"Unless you've really seen Alzheimers, you can't
really grasp what it becomes," Caldwell-Bayles
said. "The ones it really hurts are the ones who
have to watch their loved ones slip away. He was
grieving."
At Tech, the coach also affectionately known as
"Gravy" recorded 18 winning seasons in 23 years
and posted five 40-win campaigns. He retired in
1990 with the all-time record for career wins in
Louisiana college baseball.
"In my eyes, 'Gravy' is Louisiana Tech baseball,"
current baseball coach Wade Simoneaux said.
"Anytime anybody mentions Louisiana Tech
baseball his name comes up. He set the bar so high
it isn't even obtainable to do what he accomplished
here. He was an idol to me."
A seven-time conference Coach of the Year,
Patterson led Tech's baseball team to seven
NCAA tournament appearances, with the last
coming in 1987. In 1974, Patterson guided Tech to
one of its best seasons ever, bringing the Bulldogs to
within one game of the College World Series.
"When I came (to Tech) in 1974, he was the first
coach I was really involved with," longtime Tech
radio broadcaster Dave Nitz said. "He took me in
and was always like a father figure to me. . He was
Tech through and through. Nobody loved Louisiana
Tech more than he did."
Patterson, a 1958 Louisiana Tech graduate, was a
decorated letterman in both football and baseball.
Later, he earned a masters degree from the University
of Mississippi in 1961.
Early coaching stops included Ouachita Parish
High School and Byrd High School in Shreveport.
He then rejoined Tech's athletics department in 1967
as an assistant football coach.
Patterson would serve as both football assistant and
head baseball coach at Tech from 1968-78. He
subsequently oversaw one more football game,
serving as interim coach in 1979 as the Bulldogs
posted a 13-10 win over rival Northeast Louisiana,
now known as the University of Louisiana at
Monroe.
He worked as Tech's associate athletics director
following his retirement from coaching baseball,
focusing on athlete eligibility and NCAA compliance.
On three occasions, Patterson also stepped in as the
university's interim athletics director.
"The entire Tech Athletic family mourns the loss of
Coach Patterson and his wife Glenda," said current
Tech athletics director Jim Oakes. "We all grieve
the loss of such a special man and outstanding coach
. This loss is very hard because Coach Patterson
was beloved by everyone who knew him."