Elijah'sMommy
07-26-2004, 08:40 AM
Probably a lot of you don't know who he is, but for anyone who lives or has lived in Phoenix, or has ever been a Suns fan, you know him. I've met Cotton on several occasions and I'm gonna miss his sense of humor and telling it like it is!
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0726cotton-fullobit26.html
While he may be best known as one of basketball's most respected coaches and personalities, those who knew Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons best will remember a caring husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
Fitzsimmons passed away Saturday at the age of 72 due to complications of lung cancer.
As a basketball coach, Fitzsimmons ranks as one of the NBA's all-time best. During a storied 21-year career that began in 1970, Cotton is tied for 10th on the career win list. In eight seasons as a head coach of the Phoenix Suns (1970-72, 1988-92, 1996), Cotton posted the second-highest winning percentage of any coach in team history.
While remaining dedicated to his role as coach, Cotton also carefully nurtured his relationships with his family and friends, especially with his wife of 26 years, JoAnn; his son, Gary; and his grandchildren, Tim and Kelley. JoAnn and Cotton became a true team during several moves around the NBA, always instilling a family atmosphere at each coaching stop along the way.
Cotton's NBA career included coaching stints in Phoenix, Atlanta, Buffalo, Kansas City and San Antonio, and a year as director of player personnel at Golden State. Using his personal approach and positive outlook, he built a reputation for taking over struggling teams and turning them into instant contenders. The 1988-89 Suns made a historic turnaround, soaring from 28 wins to 55 wins. Cotton's efforts with the 1978-79 Sacramento Kings and 1988-89 Suns earned him NBA Coach of the Year honors.
Fitzsimmons' basketball days also included playing high school and junior college ball in Missouri, and playing collegiately at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He began his coaching career in 1958 at Moberly (Mo.) Junior College. His teams won juco titles in 1966 and 1967 and he was named Coach of the Year following each of those seasons. He then moved to Kansas State as an assistant to Fred "Tex" Winter and took over as head coach in 1968. Named Big Eight Coach of the Year in 1970, he led the Wildcats to the Big Eight championship and into the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals.
Fitzsimmons was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988, the National Junior College Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1995 he was named NAIA Alumnus of the Year.
Most recently, Cotton served as senior executive vice president with the Suns, a position he held since 1992. He was a color analyst on the club's radio and TV broadcasts and also worked on national television, where fans across the country enjoyed his broadcasting insights and sense of humor on playoff telecasts.
Fitzsimmons is survived by his loving wife JoAnn, son Gary, grandchildren Tim and Kelley, brother Orland Fitzsimmons, and sisters Joanne Johnson and Carol Lovell. He is further survived by many nieces and nephews. And he will be fondly remembered by all those lucky enough to have known him.
The family of Cotton Fitzsimmons requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions in Cotton's memory be made to the Cotton Memorial/Phoenix Suns Charities at 201 E. Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0726cotton-fullobit26.html
While he may be best known as one of basketball's most respected coaches and personalities, those who knew Lowell "Cotton" Fitzsimmons best will remember a caring husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
Fitzsimmons passed away Saturday at the age of 72 due to complications of lung cancer.
As a basketball coach, Fitzsimmons ranks as one of the NBA's all-time best. During a storied 21-year career that began in 1970, Cotton is tied for 10th on the career win list. In eight seasons as a head coach of the Phoenix Suns (1970-72, 1988-92, 1996), Cotton posted the second-highest winning percentage of any coach in team history.
While remaining dedicated to his role as coach, Cotton also carefully nurtured his relationships with his family and friends, especially with his wife of 26 years, JoAnn; his son, Gary; and his grandchildren, Tim and Kelley. JoAnn and Cotton became a true team during several moves around the NBA, always instilling a family atmosphere at each coaching stop along the way.
Cotton's NBA career included coaching stints in Phoenix, Atlanta, Buffalo, Kansas City and San Antonio, and a year as director of player personnel at Golden State. Using his personal approach and positive outlook, he built a reputation for taking over struggling teams and turning them into instant contenders. The 1988-89 Suns made a historic turnaround, soaring from 28 wins to 55 wins. Cotton's efforts with the 1978-79 Sacramento Kings and 1988-89 Suns earned him NBA Coach of the Year honors.
Fitzsimmons' basketball days also included playing high school and junior college ball in Missouri, and playing collegiately at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He began his coaching career in 1958 at Moberly (Mo.) Junior College. His teams won juco titles in 1966 and 1967 and he was named Coach of the Year following each of those seasons. He then moved to Kansas State as an assistant to Fred "Tex" Winter and took over as head coach in 1968. Named Big Eight Coach of the Year in 1970, he led the Wildcats to the Big Eight championship and into the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals.
Fitzsimmons was inducted into the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988, the National Junior College Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1995 he was named NAIA Alumnus of the Year.
Most recently, Cotton served as senior executive vice president with the Suns, a position he held since 1992. He was a color analyst on the club's radio and TV broadcasts and also worked on national television, where fans across the country enjoyed his broadcasting insights and sense of humor on playoff telecasts.
Fitzsimmons is survived by his loving wife JoAnn, son Gary, grandchildren Tim and Kelley, brother Orland Fitzsimmons, and sisters Joanne Johnson and Carol Lovell. He is further survived by many nieces and nephews. And he will be fondly remembered by all those lucky enough to have known him.
The family of Cotton Fitzsimmons requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions in Cotton's memory be made to the Cotton Memorial/Phoenix Suns Charities at 201 E. Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85004.