HARRY PRITIKIN, 85, LONGTIME BOWEN COACH
  The following article was from the Internet Edition
of the Chicago Tribune, Friday, February 11, 1999.

HARRY PRITIKIN, 85, LONGTIME BOWEN COACH

By Noah Isackson

  Harry Pritikin saw plenty of his former high school players and
students.

Whether it was to reminisce over a championship season or catch up
with the coach who had changed their lives, dozens of Bowen High
School alumni kept in touch.

    "He was a father figure," said Dolph Grundman, 58, who played
football and basketball for Mr. Pritikin from 1954 to 1958. "He was a
supportive and kind person who wanted to make sure that young people
were successful."

Mr. Pritikin, 85, a renowned figure in Chicago high school sports,
died of cancer Tuesday, Feb. 8, at his home in Destin, Fla.

"He was one of the great coaches of the times," said Jerome Holtzman,
a former Chicago Tribune baseball writer and now the official
historian of baseball. "He had a lot of fire and he demanded a lot
from his players. He was a disciplinarian."

His accomplishments in 32 years as a baseball, football and basketball
coach at Bowen High included the state baseball championship in 1954,
the Public League baseball title in 1971 and six league championship
game appearances.

Mr. Pritikin was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball
Coaches Hall of Fame and the Illinois Central Officials Association
Hall of Fame for football and basketball. He also worked as a scout
for major league baseball teams.

He is perhaps best remembered for the interest he took in his players'
education.

As a standout basketball player, Grundman remembered feeling a bit
cocky after a particularly good game.

"Coach told me that all the newspapers clippings on my games couldn't
buy me a cup of coffee," Grundman said. "Back then, he was attempting
to put sports in perspective, and I have remembered that for all of my
life."

Mr. Pritikin retired from Bowen in 1978 and recently moved to Florida
to be closer to his family.

"He was as much a mentor to us as he was to his players," said his
daughter Gail. "He would expect you to do your best and he would help
you do it. And he had a terrific sense of humor."

Survivors include another daughter, Carol Pritikin-Ogilvie; and a son,
Jim Kauffman.

A memorial service will be held in Florida.