Burr Carlson

Burr Richard Carlson (January 19, 1928 – September 4, 2018) was an American basketball player and coach who was the head coach of the UConn Huskies men's basketball team from 1967 to 1969.

Early life Carlson was born in Bethel, Connecticut, on January 19, 1928, to Burr Oscar and Mary A. (Donlon) Carlson. From 1945 to 1946, Carlson served in the United States Navy. In his one season for the Huskies, he averaged 12.6 points per game, 14.5 rebounds per game, and 1.5 assists per game. He led the Yankee Conference in total rebounds, rebounds per game, and field goal attempts and was named to the 1952 All-Yankee Conference basketball team.

Carlson was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the fifth round of the 1952 NBA draft. He was a member of the New Britain Rams of the Eastern Basketball Association during the 1953–54 season. He then joined the Nassiff Arms team of the Manchester Rec Basketball League. He was a member of the Nassif Arms team that beat the National Basketball Association's Milwaukee Hawks in 1955. From 1955 to 1959, he was a member of the Manchester Green Manor Pros. He was an all-Connecticut Basketball Association first team selection in 1957–58.

Coaching Carlson began his coaching career in 1952 as the assistant basketball coach at Windham High School in Windham, Connecticut. In 1956, he was hired as a drivers education teacher and assistant basketball and baseball coach at Rockville High School. He resigned in 1957 to accept a position in West Hartford, Connecticut. He was the assistant varsity basketball coach at Hall High School until 1959, when he became the head coach at the newly-established Bristol Eastern High School.

In 1964, Carlson returned to UConn as assistant basketball coach. He was promoted to head coach in 1967 after Fred Shabel took an administrative position with the university. The Huskies went 11–13 in Carlson's first season, then fell to 5–19 in 1968–69. On February 16, 1969, Carlson and his assistant, Jack Coniam announced their intention to resign at the end of the season.

Personal life On July 11, 1953, Carlson married Carol Ann Dixon at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, Connecticut. They had two sons – Richard and Gary.

Later life After leaving UConn, Carlson spent twelve years as a guidance counselor at Windsor High School in Windsor, Connecticut. He also owned and managed apartment complexes in Vernon, Connecticut.

Carlson died on September 4, 2018 in Naples, Florida.