Induction introduction by Olivia Patz, his daughter, 2024 Tufts graduate and member of the women's soccer team

"My father, Bob Patz – affectionately known as “Patzy” -- arrived at Tufts in 1983 from Tabor Academy. By his own teammates’ accounts, he didn’t exactly inspire awe at first. Some remember him as a tall, fast, lanky freshman who could talk a little too much for someone who wasn’t making plays yet. A self-proclaimed trash talker before proving himself, Bob didn’t really resemble a future Hall of Famer in those early days.

Unfortunately, just when Bob was starting to make an impact as a sophomore, he suffered a serious back injury that knocked him out for the 1984 season. The team finished winless with a record of 0-7-1.

But things changed quickly after that, for Bob and for the team. Following back surgery, Bob grew into his frame, and he worked hard to add size without losing his quickness or athleticism. He became a human wrecking ball for opposing offenses and, along with his defensive teammates, he helped spark a major turnaround in the Tufts football program during his junior year.

Newly promoted head coach Duane Ford implemented a wishbone offense, and Tufts Football began to find its rhythm. On the defensive side of the ball, players like Bobby Friedman, Mark Micciche, Mark Andon, Jay Calnan, Jim Lyons, and Joe Klein gave up just 11 points per game in 1985, including back-to-back shutouts of Amherst and Colby. The anchor of that defense was Bob. He was practically unblockable, tying the Tufts record with 12 quarterback sacks that season. The team improved from winless the year before to 3-4-1.

The upward momentum in the football program was palpable heading into Bob’s senior year, and the 1986 season proved to be one of the finest in Tufts football history. After dropping the opener to Wesleyan, the Jumbos rattled off seven straight wins to finish 7-1. They captured the NESCAC title and earned recognition as the top small college team in New England. The signature moment came in the much-anticipated showdown with Amherst — dubbed the “Small College Game of the Year.” Tufts won 35–23 in a back-and-forth battle, and Bob’s performance in that game was unforgettable. He had a game-altering six sacks, and that remains the Tufts single-game sack record to this day.

Bob was consistently dominant that season. He finished with 83 tackles and 24 tackles for loss, which are astounding numbers in just eight games. He tied his own record with 12 sacks that season, and that single-season record also stands today. In recognition of his incredible season, Bob was not only named NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, but he was honored nationally with a Kodak Coaches’ All-American award.

I should mention that Bob’s achievements weren’t limited to the football field. He was a standout student in his day, and although I am pretty sure Tufts admissions standards were a little tougher for me than they were for my dad back in the late 20th century, I’m very proud to say Bob regularly earned Dean’s List honors, received a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award, and earned the prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. That’s pretty cool, Dad!

After graduating from Tufts, Bob went on to earn his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1991. He completed his residency at Boston University in 1996 and has spent the last 25 years serving patients as an orthopaedic surgeon. Today, he is the President and Managing Partner of Orthopaedic Specialists of Massachusetts.

So…from a trash-talking freshman and injured sophomore, “Patzy” went on to become a team captain, All-American, scholar, surgeon, and now…a Hall of Famer.

As his daughter and a fellow Jumbo, I’m so honored to induct my dad, Bob Patz, into the Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame!"