That's a Howie Carr-ism. "Patches" is the title of a 1970's AM radio R&B song by Clarence Carter, in which a dying father expressed his hopes for his son to carry on the family name and tradition.
OK, thanks, I remember the song.
Oh, that song. I thought it was the other Patches song, by Dickey Lee. "Down by the river .... that flows by the coal yards ... stand wooden houses with shutters torn down ... lived a young girl everybody called Patches ... Patches, my darling of old Shantytown."
Couldn't figure that out with Patches Kennedy, since the Patches in that very sad song is a girl. She is found floating face down in the dirty old river and the guy singing the song, who was supposed to marry her next June, even though his family said she would disgrace and shame him, says at the end "Patches, I'm coming to you." *sniff*