Alex Kramer, who served 5 Pitt football coaches, dies at age 91

Alex Kramer, whose love of Pitt football stretched from the coaching regimes of Jock Sutherland to Pat Narduzzi, died Tuesday. He was 91.

Alex Kramer, a highly trusted and beloved Pitt Football administrator who served five different Panthers head coaches, has passed away at the age of 91.https://t.co/37b7H3Js6p pic.twitter.com/SRmbepbZ9C

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) August 19, 2020

Kramer served five Pitt coaches as director of operations for 17 years, starting with Jackie Sherrill in 1978 until his retirement in 1995. He worked under Foge Fazio, Mike Gottfried, Paul Hackett and Johnny Majors.

Kramer duties included arranging travel, setting up schedules and connecting the football office with other departments on campus.

“He was the guy who put out fires and got things done,” said Pitt historian Sam Sciullo Jr., who was a sports information department assistant in the 1990s.

Sciullo recalled one example of Kramer’s ability to handle problems specific to a football team.

During the 1979 season, Pitt left three days early for a trip to Seattle to play Washington, hoping to get acclimated to the time change on the West Coast.

When offensive lineman Mark May checked into his hotel room, the bed wasn’t big enough to accommodate a man of his size.

After several conversations with hotel officials, Kramer made sure May got the appropriately sized bed.

And Pitt won the game 26-14 on the way to its first of three consecutive 11-1 seasons.

“He was pure Pitt, no ulterior motives,” Sciullo said. “Just, ‘What could I do for Pitt?’ ”

Kramer was the catalyst for Pitt football’s community service efforts, organizing the “John Pruitt Children’s Hospital Volunteer Group” that regularly visited young patients.

Kramer’s love for the Panthers began as a young boy in the 1930s watching coach Jock Sutherland’s teams at Pitt Stadium. He also was a regular visitor to Pitt games and practices in recent years.

He was a Pitt student manager from 1948-51 and roomed with All-American linebacker and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Schmidt.

Kramer served four years in the Air Force before joining the Moon Area School District as a teacher and administrator and then joining Sherrill at Pitt.

He also had a love of history and could speak as eloquently on Sir Winston Churchill’s time as prime minister of Great Britain as he could on Sutherland’s single wing. He earned a master’s degree in history from Pitt in 1961.

Kramer was a member of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee. In 1997, he was named an Awardee of Distinction by the Pitt Varsity Letter Club.

Mr. Kramer is synonymous w/ the University of Pittsburgh & Pitt Football. His energy, passion, & wisdom were a constant & I have nothing but great memories of his telling of stories about the greatness of Pitt. RIP Alex, & my sincere condolences to his family & the Pitt family?? https://t.co/eiAGGrnhCN

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) August 19, 2020

Kramer was preceded in death by his wife, Betty McCormick. The couple had two children, Charles and Michele.

“Alex Kramer is a true Pitt gem,” athletic director Heather Lyke said in a statement. “He proudly represented the University of Pittsburgh as an alumnus, administrator and, of course, as a lifelong Panthers fan.

“I’ll be forever appreciative of his support and contributions as we launched the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame. His knowledge of the university was surpassed only by his love for it.

“I was very blessed to get to know him the past three years. Our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.”

“Alex truly represented what it means to be a Pitt man,” Narduzzi said. “He was incredibly passionate about his university. Alex loved the football program like family, and the many coaches and players he touched felt the same way about him.

“I’ll never forget our dinners together at the annual Pitt Football Alumni Golf Outing, which he never missed.

“The Kramer family will be on our hearts and in our prayers.”

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