William Fitch (born May 19, 1934 in Davenport, Iowa) is an American former NBA coach who has been successful in making teams playoff contenders throughout his coaching career. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Davenport is a City along the Mississippi River in the American state of Iowa. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Before entering the professional ranks he coached college ball at the University of Minnesota, Bowling Green State University, the University of North Dakota, and his alma mater, Coe College. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities ( U of M or The U) is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. Bowling Green State University (BGSU is a public four-year institution located in Bowling Green Ohio, USA, about 20 miles south of Toledo Ohio on The University of North Dakota ( UND) is a Public university in Grand Forks North Dakota, USA. Coe College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids Iowa. Fitch's teams twice qualified for the NCAA tournament.
Fitch was a former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor,[1] a fact that Larry Bird credited in his book Drive: The Story of My Life as an important reason for Bird's own strong work ethic. A drill instructor (or Drill Sergeant) is a Non-commissioned officer in the Armed forces with specific duties that vary by country Larry Joe Bird (born December 7 1956 is a retired American NBA Basketball player widely considered as one of the best players of all time and one of the top
During his 25-year pro coaching career Fitch repeatedly was hired in an attempt to improve failing teams. As of 2004 Fitch ranked fifth among all NBA coaches in all-time number of victories (with 944) but also ranked second in all-time losses (with 1,106) behind Lenny Wilkens. Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens (born October 28 1937 in Brooklyn, New York U He was awarded as the NBA's Coach of the Year Award twice and he guided Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and the rest of the Boston Celtics to the 1981 NBA championship, defeating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the finals. The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. For other people of the same name see Kevin McHale (disambiguation Kevin Edward McHale (born December 19 1957 is an American former Robert Lee Parish (born in Shreveport Louisiana) is a retired American Basketball center. The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each June The Houston Rockets are an American professional Basketball team based in Houston Texas. From Boston, Fitch went on to coach the Rockets where he led a team featuring Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson to the 1986 NBA Finals where they were defeated once again by Bird's Celtics, 4 games to 2, for the NBA championship. Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born on January 21 1963 is a retired Nigerian American professional Basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season.
Fitch also coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional Basketball team based in Cleveland Ohio. The New Jersey Nets are a professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic During his first year with the Cavaliers, the team lost its first 15 games.
Notes
- ^ Charley Rosen. True tales from the camp fires. ESPN. com. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies
External links
| Preceded by Bob Shulz |
Coe College Men's Basketball Head Coach 1958–1961 |
Succeeded by Don King |
| Preceded by Louis D. Coe College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids Iowa. Bogan |
University of North Dakota Men's Basketball Head Coach 1962–1966 |
Succeeded by Jimmy Rodgers |
| Preceded by Warren Scholler |
Bowling Green State University Men's Basketball Head Coach 1967 |
Succeeded by Bob Contbear |
| Preceded by John Kundla |
University of Minnesota Head Basketball Coaches 1968–1970 |
Succeeded by George Hanson |
| Preceded by initial coach |
Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach 1970–1979 |
Succeeded by Stan Albeck |
| Preceded by Dave Cowens |
Boston Celtics Head Coach 1979–1983 |
Succeeded by K. C. Jones |
| Preceded by Del Harris |
Houston Rockets Head Coach 1983–1988 |
Succeeded by Don Chaney |
| Preceded by Willis Reed |
New Jersey Nets Head Coach 1989–1992 |
Succeeded by Chuck Daly |
| Preceded by Bob Weiss |
Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach 1994–1998 |
Succeeded by Chris Ford |
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