The Milwaukee Barbarians are proud to announce Joe Schuster and Pat Sharpe as the newest members of the club’s Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Together, they represent what has always made this club special: toughness, loyalty, humility, and a lifelong commitment to Milwaukee rugby.
“Joe Mama” Schuster
Joe Schuster embodies the spirit of the workingman rugby player. Recruited at Derry’s Pub in 1977, Joe quickly became far more than just another new face on the roster.
A dependable prop with grit in the tight and a rare ability to kick penalties and conversions, he made an immediate impact and earned Rookie of the Year in his first season. He went on to serve the club faithfully through 1989, bringing toughness, calm, and consistency every time he stepped onto the field.
But Schuster’s legacy stretches well beyond match day. He served as club Treasurer, helped recruit his brother Bob into the Harlequins family, toured Wales and Scotland with the club in 1985, and became one of the most enduring volunteers in club history.
For decades, Joe has been a steady and familiar presence around Milwaukee rugby, including his long-standing role helping organize the Lakefront 7s. His impact is also deeply personal: after getting sober on April 8, 1984, Joe credited the support of his rugby teammates for helping him stay that way ever since.
That story says as much about Joe as it does about the kind of club he helped build.
Schuster’s full Hall of Fame bio can be found here.
Pat “Sharpo” Sharpe
Pat Sharpe has built his Hall of Fame legacy through service at nearly every level of the game.
His rugby education took shape during the founding years of the rugby club at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he played a major role in the young program’s growth while serving as both Match Secretary and President.
He also helped the club earn University Club Status, a meaningful step that reflected both his leadership and his belief that rugby deserved a strong foundation.
After college, Sharpo brought that same drive to the Milwaukee Harlequins, now the Milwaukee Barbarians, and never stopped contributing.
Over the years, he has served as Match Secretary, General Manager, Director of Rugby, and Coach, while also helping secure fields, training equipment, and key sponsorships.
He has been a vital part of the Lakefront 7s organizing committee, a trusted club leader, a front-row player, a tour organizer, and a lifelong student of the game whose rugby journey has taken him across the Midwest, Wales, New Zealand, and beyond.
His honors as Rugger of the Year in 2013 and Old Boy of the Year in 2023 only confirm what generations of players already know: Sharpo has been one of the great custodians of Milwaukee rugby.
Sharpo’s full Hall of Fame bio can be found here.
Class of 2025
Joe Schuster and Pat Sharpe each gave the club something priceless: years of labor, leadership, friendship, and love for the game.
Their stories are different, but their legacy is shared. Both men strengthened the club not only through how they played, but through how they served.
The 2025 induction class was one of the easiest decisions the Hall of Fame Committee has ever made. Both Mr. Pat Sharpe and Mr. Joe Schuster received unanimous support from the committee and from current Hall of Fame members. Their impact on the club spans generations, and their legacies are woven into the very fabric of our club.
There is something truly special about seeing two of the most influential figures in club history be inducted together. Joe and Pat represent the best of who we are — hardworking, loyal, generous with their time, and deeply committed to the club’s mission. It is fitting that their names will stand side by side in the Hall of Fame, where future players can look to their stories as examples of what it truly means to be a Barbarian.
HOF Committee Chair – Joe Osvatic
The club is stronger because of them, and the Hall of Fame is richer for their inclusion in the Class of 2025.
