Penn State broadcaster George Paterno dies at 73
<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news/ap/20020623/ap-obit-georgepaterno.html" target="_blank">http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news/ap/20020623/ap-obit-georgepaterno.html</a>
June 23, 2002
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- George E. Paterno, a longtime Penn State football broadcaster and brother of coach Joe Paterno, died Sunday, several days after he suffered a heart attack. He was 73.
Paterno started working for the Penn State football radio and television broadcasts as an analyst in 1976, one year after retiring as football coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y.
He began as an analyst on delayed television broadcasts of Penn State games and moved to the radio booth in 1988.
But Paterno is best remembered for his six years working alongside Fran Fisher. From 1994-99, Paterno and Fisher kept fans informed on the Penn State Sports Network, calling the action for Penn State's 12-0 Rose Bowl season in 1994 and four consecutive New Year's Day bowl victories. Paterno and Fisher's last game together was Penn State's 24-0 victory over Texas A&M in the 1999 Alamo Bowl.
Paterno and Fisher retired before the 2000 season and were replaced by the current radio team of Steve Jones and Jack Ham.
Paterno was raised in Brooklyn, where he and his brother were football standouts at Brooklyn Prep. Both brothers played football at Brown University. After graduating from Brown in 1950, George Paterno joined the U.S. Marine Corps for two years. He then worked in the youth division of the New York Police Department for almost five years.
Paterno then returned to Brooklyn Prep as a faculty member and assistant football coach, helping Prep earn two undefeated seasons over four years. Paterno moved on to Clarke High School in East Meadow, N.Y., where he joined the faculty and helped the football team to a 14-2 record as an assistant for two years.
In 1964, Paterno returned to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy as an assistant coach. One year later, he was named head coach. He directed the Merchant Marine Academy to a 46-32-3 record over nine seasons (1965-68 and 1971-75). His work there was interrupted by a two-year stint as a defensive coordinator at Michigan State under Duffy Daugherty.
Paterno left coaching following the 1975 season and served as an associate professor in physical education at Kings Point before being named assistant athletic director in 1982. A year later, he was named the acting athletic director, remaining in the position until 1986.
Memorial services in the State College area are scheduled for Tuesday at Our Lady of Victory Church. Services in Kings Point, N.Y., are scheduled for Wednesday at the Mariners Memorial Chapel on the campus of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Edit: sorry, I don't normally edit, but this was a little over the line. If you need to talk about it, pm me..-p5
<small>[ June 23, 2002, 10:54 PM: Message edited by: p5mmr9 ]</small>
