Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

When Patrick Krupper graduated from Boswell High School in 1943, he might have hoped to go on to college to further his studies and athletic career, the latter having brought him football stardom. A state championship in wrestling, and, ultimately. PIAA District Five Hall of Fame induction.
 
Virtually all male high school grads in that time, however, first reported to World War II military duty. For
Krupper that brought action in five Third Army European combat campaigns under the command of General George Patton Normandy, Northern France, the Battle of the Bulge, the Rhine, and Germany/Central Europe.
 
In 1947, Krupper got his opportunity to enroll at then Indiana State Teachers College and, along with double-majoring in geography and social sciences, embarked on a three-sport athletic endeavor that brings him to today's Hall of Fame induction.
 
 
First-team in football, wrestling, and baseball each of his four years, Krupper became a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference wrestling championship runner-up as a freshman (for Coach Lew Shaffer), IUP football's leading ball carrier his sophomore and junior seasons (for George Miller. Peck McKnight and Sam Smith), a clutch hitter and leading base-stealer in baseball, and then as a senior was named the college's outstanding all-around athlete.
 
After graduating, and while completing a 1960 master's degree at Penn State, Krupper devoted 32 years (1952-86) to teaching and coaching football and wrestling at Jenners-Boswell (which became North Star) High School, from which fellow IUP Hall of Fame 1999 inductee Wally Blucas graduated in 1966.
 
Krupper completed credits and workshops at 12 universities from Princeton to Oregon in earth sciences, conservation, geology and anthropology. He was honored by the National Council for Geographic Education and spent a summer in India.
 
Married to the former Helen Thomas, originally from Indiana (Pa.), Krupper has two sons, Patrick John and John Paul, both teachers, a daughter, Susan, and five grandchildren. An active member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church, he is an American Cancer Society volunteer and has devoted service to Boswell area Little League baseball, among other concerns.