James A. Fritsche (December 10, 1931 – February 28, 2019) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player.Jim Fritsche
basketball-reference.com. Retrieved on February 14, 2013. Fritsche was selected in the first round of the 1953 NBA draft (7th overall) by the

Minneapolis Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers franchise has a long and storied history, predating the formation of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Founded in 1947, the Lakers are one of the NBA's most famous and successful franchises. As of summer 2012, th ...

after a collegiate career at

Hamline University Hamline University is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1854, Hamline is known for its emphasis on experiential learning, service, and social justice. The university is named after Bishop Leonidas Lent Hamline ...

. He played two seasons for three teams, the Lakers, Baltimore Bullets and

Fort Wayne Pistons A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

. Fritsche died on February 28, 2019 at age 87.

References

1931 births 2019 deaths American men's basketball players Baltimore Bullets (1944–1954) players Basketball players from Saint Paul, Minnesota Centers (basketball) Fort Wayne Pistons players Hamline Pipers men's basketball players Minneapolis Lakers draft picks Minneapolis Lakers players Power forwards (basketball) {{1930s-US-basketball-bio-stub