Fairview Park, Ohio - Throughout my nearly 40 years of covering and reporting on high school athletics for The Plain Dealer and what is now my 10th school year reporting on Wildcats Athletics for the Saint Ignatius Website, I have and always will boast about my former Plain Dealer colleague Mr. Pat Galbincea.
"The premier wrestling writer in the nation resides at East 18th and Superior," I would tell every young athlete I had the privilege and pleasure of covering.
To say that Pat is synonymous with Ohio's high school and college wrestling would be an understatement.
And I can confidently say that Saint Ignatius' Head Wrestling Coach Mr. Mark Sullivan and Mr. Greg Urbas, the Head Coach of perennial state and national wrestling power St. Edward, would agree with that.
Former Wildcats wrestling, football and baseball great Mike Buddie '89, who knows Pat well, would also echo that sentiment. Pat provided exceptional coverage on Saint Ignatius' 1987 OHSAA state runner-up wrestling team and the 'Cats' state champion wrestling team of March,1988, which brought home the first OHSAA state championship team trophy in the Wildcats' rich athletic history.
For those who didn't see the wonderful and well-deserved news that was reported by The Plain Dealer's Elton Alexander, Pat, who had a marvelous 45 years as The Plain Dealer's high school and college wrestling reporter, along with covering golf and other sports, will be inducted into the Ohio Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his "Lifetime Service to Wrestling."
Currently a young 69, Pat also worked as a police reporter and a general assignment news reporter for The PD.
"This award acknowledges that you are leaving behind a legacy that others admire,'' Leroy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, said to Pat.
When I think of Pat's passionate coverage of wrestling, I always recall how he kept the sport's faithful informed and entertained with his colorful and right on descriptions of the various moves and holds. He can still recite the nicknames that accompany each and everyone of them.
Congratulations to Pat, his family, The Plain Dealer and the entire Ohio wrestling community.