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Respected wrestling journalist Pat Galbincea of Ohio, 72, passed away this week in Ohio

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by USA Wrestling

Photos courtesy of The Plain Dealer.


USA Wrestling is saddened to hear that Pat Galbincea, 72, retired Cleveland Plain Dealer sports reporter and one of the most respected wrestling journalists in the nation, passed away this week.


“Pat Galbincea made a huge difference for the sport of wrestling, not only in Ohio, but also around the country,” said Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling Director of Communications. “Galbincea was an excellent reporter, always making sure his work was completely accurate, and often finding the great human interest stories that people love to read. He had a passion for wrestling, and set a high standard. Even better, he was a wonderful person who was enjoyable to work with and made a huge impact in the lives of others.”


The Cleveland Plain Dealer published a wonderful tribute to Pat Galbincea today. Ohio is one of the most important wrestling hotbeds in the nation, and Galbincea was the journalist who told the stories of wrestling athletes for more than four decades.

The Plain Dealer: ‘He was an icon’: Retired Plain Dealer wrestling writer Pat Galbincea dies


“Pat was a generous soul, a passionate, proud and dedicated journalist and a wonderful ambassador for The Plain Dealer who was known in every community we covered and well beyond,” said Plain Dealer Editor Tim Warsinskey.


Galbincea was inducted in the Ohio Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2017, receiving its “Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award. As reported by the Plain Dealer, Galbincea had been inducted into the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Hall of Fame this year, but the ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19.


Galbincea won the 1994 Amateur Wrestling News Bob Dellinger Award winner as the nation’s best wrestling reporter, as well as a number of other journalism awards.


He worked for the Plain Dealer for 45 years, not only covering wrestling but many other sports, and also was a police reporter and general assignment reporter.


During his tenure with the Plain Dealer, Galbincea covered all of the most important wrestling events in the state, on both the high school level, including the Ohio High School State Championships, the Ironman Tournament and many others. He was also an expert on college wrestling. He was a regular fixture at the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, not only covering the athletes who competed for colleges from Ohio, but also covering the wrestlers from Ohio who left the state to compete in other universities. When possible, Galbincea also covered major USA Wrestling events, writing stories on the Ohio athletes who wrestled on the national and international levels.


He was the second iconic wrestling journalist who has passed away this week. Longtime Des Moines Register reporter and renowned wrestling historian for the state of Iowa, Dan McCool, passed away earlier this week also.

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