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Lou Prato always had a Penn State story to tell.
Prato, who graduated from the university more than 65 years ago, became the preeminent historian on all things Penn State football and sports. The longtime journalist, author, broadcaster and professor was known for leading the creation of the Penn State’s All-Sports Museum at Beaver Stadium and for chronicling the history of the football program.
Prato died in State College on Tuesday. He was 87.
Prato was a fixture at Penn State home football games and was known for his prolific writing and his work with the sports museum, which opened in 2002 (He curated its content and served as its first director). His books included the all-encompassing Penn State Football Encyclopedia, “which traces the legacy” of the program, and “100 Things Penn State Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die.”
He was a humble and willing story-teller to whoever sought his expertise, which included research on subject matters such as the origin of Penn State’s “We Are!” cheer.
Sep 30, 2017; University Park, PA, USA; The Penn State Nittany Lions mascot performs outside of Beaver Stadium prior to the game against the Indiana Hoosiers. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
“Lou Prato was the authority on all things Penn State Athletics history,” Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement. “From the moment I met Lou, I could tell how much sharing the stories of Penn State meant to him and how important it was to him to keep those stories alive.
“His passion for this University was only matched by his love for his family. There will never be another Lou Prato and we will miss seeing him around our Penn State Athletics events. Our thoughts are with Carole and Lou’s children during this difficult time.”
Prato’s career began at The Daily Collegian, where he was sports editor in…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/penn-state-football-historian-celebrating-160440143.html
Author : York Daily Record
Publish date : 2025-02-27 16:04:00
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