More than 600 people gathered at Monona Terrace Tuesday night in honor of the retirement of UW-Madison Athletic director and former UW-Madison football, basketball and baseball star, Pat Richter.
Keeping in the spirit of the night, the program did not begin until the assembled crowd watched the thrilling conclusion of the Badger men's basketball game. Once the Badgers defeated Michigan State in overtime, the tribute to Richter began.
Richter will end his 15-year term as athletic director April 1. Praise for his accomplishments during his tenure at UW-Madison came from many sources. Gov. Jim Doyle, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig and Green Bay Packer President Bob Harlan spoke on his behalf.
Richter was credited with ushering in vast gains in all sports programs, especially football, solving the money woes of the athletic department and building new athletic facilities.
UW-Madison football Head Coach Barry Alvarez, former chancellor David Ward and Richter himself all referred to the Badgers' 1993 win over Michigan State in Japan to secure a Rose Bowl Berth as a highlight of the past 15 years.
Former chancellor Donna Shalala spoke of her decision to hire Richter.
\It was high-risk, high-gain,"" she said. Speaking of the atheltic program Shalala added, ""Lots of people in our community thought we could get better, and we did.""
Alvarez was effusive in his praise of Richter.
""He's set the bar very high,"" Alvarez said. ""He's left a very good foundation.""
Doyle spoke of a time when he was young and Richter was then in high school.
""For a kid my age, he was a legend,"" Doyle said. Richter was an all-state athlete in high school and went on to earn nine letters at UW-Madison and played for the Washington Redskins.
A surprise in the evening came in the form of a call from UW-Madison men's basketball coach Bo Ryan. Along with congratulating Richter, Ryan quipped ""If I had Richter [in the basketball game] I think we could have pulled it off in regulation.\
