# Danny Lotz

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{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Danny Lotz
| image =  Danny Lotz 1958.jpg 
| caption = Lotz in 1958
| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|03|30}}
| birth_place = [Northport, New York](/source/Northport%2C_New_York), U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|08|19|1937|03|30}}
| death_place = [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina), U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lbs = 230
| high_school = [Northport High School](/source/Northport_High_School)<br />([Northport, New York](/source/Northport%2C_New_York))
| college = [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men's_basketball) (1956–1959)
| career_position = [Forward](/source/Forward_(basketball))
| highlights = 
*[NCAA champion](/source/List_of_NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_champions) ([1957](/source/1957_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_tournament))
}}
'''Daniel Milton Lotz''' (March 30, 1937 – August 19, 2015) was an American [basketball](/source/basketball) player who was a member of the undefeated [1956–57 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team](/source/1956%E2%80%9357_North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men's_basketball_team). He was the son-in-law of evangelist [Billy Graham](/source/Billy_Graham).

==Early life==
Lotz was a native of [Northport, New York](/source/Northport%2C_New_York). His father, John Lotz, was a street preacher in New York City who held a weekly ministry at [The Bowery Mission](/source/The_Bowery_Mission).<ref name="Decision" /> He had three brothers, including basketball coach [John Lotz](/source/John_Lotz) and Baptist leader [Denton Lotz](/source/Denton_Lotz). Lotz averaged 20 points per game as a junior and 28 as a senior at [Northport High School](/source/Northport_High_School). He was also a standout defensive end for the school's football team.<ref name="Captain" /> He captained both teams to championships.<ref name="HOF" />

==University of North Carolina==
Lotz was ready to sign with [Wake Forest](/source/Wake_Forest_Demon_Deacons_men's_basketball), but was eventually steered to [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men's_basketball) by recruiter [Harry Gotkin](/source/Harry_Gotkin).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Breslin |first1=Jimmy |title=North Carolina Tarheels List Three Natives on Hoop Roster |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kA5WAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA9&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |date=March 2, 1956}}</ref> He was one of many New York players to join [Frank McGuire](/source/Frank_McGuire)'s Tar Heels, including [Lennie Rosenbluth](/source/Lennie_Rosenbluth), [Pete Brennan](/source/Pete_Brennan), [Tommy Kearns](/source/Tommy_Kearns), [Joe Quigg](/source/Joe_Quigg), and [Bob Cunningham](/source/Bob_Cunningham_(basketball)).<ref name="Captain" />

Lotz appeared in 24 games his sophomore year, averaging 1.0 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.<ref name="sportsreference" /> UNC finished the year with a 32–0 record and Lotz picked up two rebounds in the Tar Heels' triple overtime victory in the [1957 NCAA University Division basketball championship game](/source/1957_NCAA_University_Division_basketball_championship_game).<ref>{{cite web |title=North Carolina vs. Kansas Box Score (Men), March 23, 1957 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1957-03-23-kansas.html |website=SRCBB |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref>

McGuire expected Lotz to be the team's [sixth man](/source/sixth_man) during the 1957–58 season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barndollar |first1=Frank W. |title=No Cloud Nine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oG1gAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA31&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Star-News |date=December 21, 1957}}</ref> However, Lotz was forced to miss several games after he broke his leg in the season-opener against [Clemson](/source/Clemson_Tigers_men's_basketball).<ref>{{cite news |title=Lotz Breaks Foot |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k21gAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA31&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Star-News |date=December 8, 1957}}</ref> He finished the season averaging 1.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 18 games played.<ref name="sportsreference" />

Lotz was the only senior on the 1958–59 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team. He nearly did not make the team due to the excellent play of sophomores [Doug Moe](/source/Doug_Moe) and [York Larese](/source/York_Larese). However, he made the squad and was named a team captain. He started the team's first several games, but was eventually moved to the bench.<ref name="Captain">{{cite news |title=North Carolina Captain Natural Leader, Coach McGuire Says |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qgFdAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA16&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |date=January 9, 1959 |work=The Washington Observer}}</ref> He finished the year averaging 3.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game and was awarded the Roy Roberson Jr. Memorial Trophy for "contributing most to the morale of the team".<ref name="sportsreference">{{cite web |title=Danny Lotz |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/danny-lotz-1.html |website=SRCBB |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Salz and Lotz Are Honored |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-I_AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA5&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=The Robesonian |date=April 10, 1959}}</ref>

After his basketball eligibility expired, Lotz earned a football scholarship and played for the [North Carolina Tar Heels football](/source/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_football) team as a defensive end.<ref name="HOF">{{cite web |title=Lotz, Danny |url=https://www.suffolksportshof.com/lotz-danny/ |website=Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref>

==Post-playing life==
In 1963, Lotz graduated from the [UNC School of Dentistry](/source/UNC_Adams_School_of_Dentistry) alongside former teammate Joe Quigg.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Rip |title=Dentists Placed Tar Heels On Map |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BERjAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA13&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Star-News |date=July 5, 1963}}</ref> He began practicing in [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina) after a stint in the [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force).<ref>{{cite news |title=Service Calls |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qt9dAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=The Washington Observer |date=July 13, 1963}}</ref> He served for two years in the Air Force and became a captain. While in the Air Force, he was stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and played in the all service basketball team.

On September 2, 1966, Lotz married [Anne Morrow Graham](/source/Anne_Graham_Lotz), daughter of evangelist Billy Graham.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palmetto News Briefs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=towiAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA12&dq |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=The Sumter Daily Item |date=April 28, 1966}}</ref> The pair had met at the annual [Fellowship of Christian Athletes](/source/Fellowship_of_Christian_Athletes) conference in [Black Mountain, North Carolina](/source/Black_Mountain%2C_North_Carolina) in June 1965 when Graham was 17 and Lotz was 28. They had one son and two daughters.<ref name="Decision">{{cite news |last1=Menges |first1=Jerri |title=Danny Lotz’s Life Marked by Devotion to God’s Call |url=https://decisionmagazine.com/danny-lotzs-life-marked-by-devotion-to-gods-call/ |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=Decision |date=March 1, 2015}}</ref>  Lotz remained active with the FCA and taught [Bible study](/source/Bible_study_(Christianity)).<ref name="Obituary" />

Lotz developed diabetes at the age of 50 and lost sight in one eye and hearing in one ear. He also suffered from heart disease, which required five stents in his arteries, and kidney failure that resulted in dialysis treatments three times a week.<ref name="Obituary" />

On August 17, 2015, Lotz's wife found him unresponsive in their pool. He was taken off of life support two days later and died that same day.<ref name="Obituary">{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Andrew |title=Danny Lotz, Billy Graham’s son-in-law, has died |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article31535537.html |access-date=24 July 2024 |work=The News & Observer |date=August 20, 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{1957 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lotz, Danny}}
Category:1937 births
Category:2015 deaths
Category:20th-century Baptists
Category:21st-century Baptists
Category:American dentists
Category:American military sports players
Category:Baptists from New York (state)
Category:Baptists from North Carolina
Category:North Carolina Tar Heels football players
Category:North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players
Category:People from Northport, New York
Category:Basketball players from Raleigh, North Carolina
Category:United States Air Force officers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Danny Lotz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Lotz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Lotz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.