RUSTON ? Legendary Louisiana Tech baseball coach Pat ?Gravy? Patterson passed away early Thursday morning.

He was 73.

Patterson coached the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for 23 years and upon retiring in 1990, he was the all-time winningest coach in Louisiana collegiate baseball compiling a record of 741-462.

?The Louisiana Tech family has lost a wonderful person,? said Tech President Dr. Dan Reneau. ?Coach Patterson was a great friend and mentor to countless Tech students over the years, and he will be missed by all of us.?

Patterson led Louisiana Tech to seven NCAA Tournament appearances during his coaching tenure, the last coming in 1987. In 1974, Patterson had the Bulldogs just one game away from the College World Series.

Affectionately known as ?Gravy? by Bulldog fans, Patterson came to Louisiana Tech in 1967 as an assistant football coach. One year later, he was hired as the Bulldog baseball head coach and served in dual roles before finally leaving the gridiron in 1978.

?The entire Tech Athletic family mourns the loss of Coach Patterson,? said Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes. ?We all grieve the loss of such a special man and outstanding coach. Coach Patterson left an unforgettable mark on his players and those of us who were fortunate to know him. This loss is very hard because Coach Patterson was beloved by everyone who knew him.?

Patterson recorded 18 winning seasons in 23 years at the helm of Tech baseball and posted 40-win seasons five times. He was named the conference Coach of the Year seven times and the District VI Coach of the Year in 1974.

?In my eyes, Gravy is Louisiana Tech baseball,? said current Tech baseball coach Wade Simoneaux. ?Anytime anybody mentions Louisiana Tech baseball, his name always comes up. He set the bar so high that it?s not even attainable to do what he did here. He was an idol to me.?

A 1958 graduate of Louisiana Tech, Patterson played football and baseball under legendary Bulldog coaches Joe Aillet and Berry Hinton, earning four football letters and two baseball letters. He went on to earn his master?s degree from the University of Mississippi in 1961.

He began his coaching career in 1958 on the prep level at Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe, then took a job at Shreveport?s Byrd High School in 1963 before joining the Tech athletic department in 1967 as an assistant football coach.

Although he finally left the gridiron in 1979, Patterson did return for one game as interim head coach in 1979, leading the Bulldogs to a remarkable 13-10 victory over rival Northeast Louisiana (now known as UL-Monroe) in his only game as head coach.

?When I came in 1974, he was the first coach I was really involved with,? said longtime Tech broadcaster Dave Nitz. ?He took me in and was always like a father figure to me. He would go on a recruiting trip and take me with him. He was Tech through and through. Nobody loved Louisiana Tech more than he did.?

Patterson served for several years as Tech?s associate athletic director following his retirement from the diamond, overseeing eligibility of athletes and working closely with 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 Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Patterson File

Year Record Pct. Postseason
1968 19-23 .452
1969 17-20 .459
1970 21-18 .538
1971 36-14 .720 SLC Champions, NCAA Regional
1972 34-14 .708
1973 27-17-1 .611
1974 29-19 .604 SLC Champions, NCAA Regional
1975 32-15 .681 SLC Co-Champions, NCAA Regional
1976 20-22 .476
1977 32-19 .627
1978 46-21 .687 SLC Champions, NCAA Regional
1979 32-17 .653
1980 43-24-1 .640 SLC North Zone Champions,
SLC Playoff Champions, NCAA Regional
1981 34-19 .642
1982 40-26 .606 SLC North Zone Champions
1983 20-30 .400
1984 36-23 .610
1985 35-12 .745
1986 36-25 .596 SLC Champions, NCAA Regional
1987 43-14 .754 SLC East Zone Champions,
SLC Playoff Champions, NCAA Regional
1988 42-19 .688
1989 38-20 .655
1990 29-31 .483
Totals 744-

Milestone Victories
1 Tech 13, Centenary 3 Mar. 9, 1968
100 Tech 10, Trinity 2 Mar. 18, 1972
200 Tech 13, NW State 2 Mar. 31, 1975
300 Tech 6, SW La. 3 Apr. 15, 1978
400 Tech 3, Arkansas St. 1 Mar. 22, 1981
500 Tech 5, NW State 4 Mar. 20, 1984
600 Tech 10, Quincy Coll. 1 Mar. 14, 1987
700 Tech 16, Jackson State 4 Apr. 18, 1989
741 Tech 18, Arkansas St. 2 May 11, 1990