Bill Fitch

Coaching career

Fitch began his coaching career as an assistant at Creighton from 1956 to 1958. He then served as head coach at Coe College from 1958 to 1962. At the University of North Dakota, his teams made three NCAA Division II tournament appearances, including a Final Four in 1966. In his only season at Bowling Green, the Falcons won the Mid-American Conference title with an 18–7 record and reached the 1968 NCAA University Division tournament. Fitch coached Minnesota for two seasons, posting records of 12–12 and 13–11.

On March 19, 1970, Fitch became the first head coach of the expansion Cleveland Cavaliers. Their inaugural 1970–71 season ended with a 15–67 record, a mark matched only by the 1981–82 Cavaliers. The team improved to 32 wins in his third season, though they finished last in the Central Division each of his first four years. In 1974–75, the Cavaliers won 40 games and placed third, their first season without a last-place finish.

The following season, 1975–76, became the pinnacle of his Cleveland tenure: the team, known as "The Miracle of Richfield," won 49 games and the Central Division title. Led by Austin Carr, Campy Russell, and Bobby "Bingo" Smith, they defeated the Washington Bullets in seven games to reach the Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in six games after starting center Jim Chones broke his foot in practice. Fitch received the NBA Coach of the Year Award that season.

The Cavaliers made two more playoff appearances under Fitch but did not win either series. After a 30–52 record in 1978–79, he resigned on May 21, 1979.