Fort Lewis College Athletics

College basketball was certainly good to Don Abbott. First, he earned two varsity letters at Fort Lewis A&M and was named a first-team junior college All-American in 1960-61. He started for the West team at the National Junior College All-Star Game in Cameron, Okla., in 1961.

After leaving Fort Lewis A&M, Mr. Abbott went to Colorado State, where he played one season and saw action in the NIT post-season tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Then, in the winter of 1963, Mr. Abbott returned to the four-year Fort Lewis College and earned another letter in basketball.

All totaled, in two-and-a-half seasons at Fort Lewis College, Mr. Abbott scored 1,080 points-still good for 19th place on the school's all-time scoring list following the completion of the 2010-11 season.

At the 1964 Fort Lewis College commencement, Mr. Abbott became the first student in school history to receive a bachelor's degree.

Mr. Abbott retired from teaching and coaching in 1993 after more than 29 years in education.