Peter "Pat" Stark, who had a highly successful career as a coach and an administrator at the University of Rochester, passed away on June 19. He was 90 years old.
He was the head football coach at the University for 15 years, 1969-1983. In that time, his teams won 69 games in a schedule that featured some of the East's elite football squads. Only one man won more games on the Rochester sidelines – Elmer Burnham, who won 82. Both Stark and Burnham coached a total of 136 games.
Following his retirement from the sidelines, Stark served as an assistant athletics director for external affairs. He helped students with placement for internships and jobs following their graduation.
Stark was instrumental in creating the University's Athletic Hall of Fame. The first class was inducted in 1992. Stark was inducted in 2000. He continued to serve as the Director of the Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Lysle "Spike" Garnish Scholar-Athlete Committee which honors the top senior student-athletes each year.
"Today we say goodbye to our close friend, Pat Stark. He was a leader for all of us in Rochester Athletics," said George VanderZwaag, Executive Director of Athletics. "While our hearts are heavy, we feel lucky to have known him. We celebrate his life, while our thoughts are with his wonderful family. "
His first game as Rochester's head coach was a 20-14 loss to Mount Union at Edwin Fauver Stadium. Rochester won four in a row after that, including victories over New England rivals Williams College and Amherst College. The final record was 6-3. A year later, Rochester lost at Mount Union, then went on a 12-game winning streak from September 26, 1970 through October 10, 1971. The 1970 record was 8-1; the 1971 record was 6-3.
In 2014, the Pat Stark Endowed Fund for Football was created with a gift from Kathleen E. Stark Landers '82 and Peter J. Landers '83 (MS) "in honor of coach Pat Stark to support the programmatic needs of University of Rochester football." In 2009, the Rochester Football Alumni Endowment was created with a gift from Dr. Samuel Shatkin, Jr. '79, P '17, and Joni M. Shatkin P'17 to support the programmatic needs of University of Rochester football.
"In the very first week I was on campus, Coach Stark went out of his way to make me feel welcome and help teach me about the history of the University of Rochester football program," said Rochester head coach Chad Martinovich. "Over the course of my time here, he has become both a friend and a mentor to me. Coach Stark has left a legacy within the U of R athletics department that is unrivaled. It has been a privilege to get to know him over the time I have been a part of this community."
As an undergraduate at Syracuse University, Stark was selected as the All-East quarterback by The Associated Press and United Press International in 1952 and 1953. He was named to the Red Grange All-America Team in 1953. After graduation, he worked as an assistant coach for the Orangemen and was part of the staff when Syracuse won the national championship in 1959.
Stark served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Rhode Island and at Harvard University before he came to the River Campus.
He was awarded the Syracuse Letterwinner of Distinction Honor in 1991 and was inducted into the Syracuse Hall of Fame in 1995. He was named to Syracuse's Centennial Football Team. Additionally, Stark was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Hall of Fame and the Frontier Field Walk of Fame.
Stark directed Syracuse to the Orange Bowl in 1953 where the Orangemen played the Bart Starr-led Alabama Crimson Tide. He played in the East/West Shrine Game after his senior year. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL drafted him in the second round, 19th overall, but he chose enlist in the United States Army. After his stint was completed, he joined the Syracuse coaching staff.
He was an outstanding scholastic athlete and set two state basketball scoring records. He scored 78 points for Vocational High School to set a New York State single-game scoring record. He was all-state in football, basketball, and baseball at Vocational HS. Then he scored 60 points in a game for Staunton (VA) Military Academy to set a Virginia single-game scoring record.
Stark is survived by his wife, Cathy, son Rick '79, daughter Kathleen E. Stark Landers '82, and son-in-law Peter J. Landers '83 (MS). He was the son of Greek immigrants and known as a devoted family man.