Bob Paul dies at 93

Bob Paul Jr., one of the founding fathers of the Big 5, passed away on Saturday at the age of 93.

Paul was the director of sports information at Penn from 1953-61 when, according to Ed Fabricius who succeeded him in that position, he and Penn athletic director John Rossiter laid down the plans for a basketball league for the city's five major colleges.

"They didn't call it the Big 5, [Inquirer writer] Herb Good did that, but they put it in motion," Fabricius said.

Paul went from Penn to work for the Amateur Athletic Union in New York for 2 years, then joined the United States Olympic Committee as its director of information and later special assistant to the executive director. He worked for the USOC in Colorado Springs, Colo., from 1963-1990.

Paul was a tireless researcher and historian, who could always be counted on for supplying reporters the exact information they needed on any topic. He and Olympic film historian Bud Greenspan were honored at last winter's Olympics in Vancouver with the International Society of Olympic Historians' highest honor.

During the Munich Games in 1972, Paul, Jim McKay and Roone Arledge of ABC Sports were recognized by the German government for their work during the Israeli hostage situation.

Paul was a native of suburban Philadelphia, and graduated from Penn in 1939. He served in the Navy during World War II.

The cause of death was complications from pneumonia.

He is survived by a son, Bob Paul III; a daughter, Regina; and four grandchildren. Services will be private, but a memorial service is being planned.