Death is never something that people enjoy hearing about or especially having to write about. And if you are a fan of the Phoenix Suns then this death might hit you a little harder than the rest of us.
Former Suns draft pick Floyd Kerr has passed away. And if you haven’t heard of Kerr, he has a very interesting story.
Per Wiki:
After completing his career at Colorado State, Kerr was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the third round of the 1969 NBA draft, with the 30th overall pick. His brother Lloyd was also drafted by Phoenix, with the 39th pick in the same draft.
Floyd Kerr was also drafted by the Los Angeles Stars of the American Basketball Association in the 1969 ABA Draft. Despite not playing football, Floyd Kerr was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive back in the 16th round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Kerr played one season with the Harlem Magicians and another professional season in Belgium winning the European championship. Kerr played for the Utah Stars in the pre–season in 1971.
Kerr’s former teammate, Doug Peden was also from Indiana and remembered a story about the Kerr brothers that remains an Indiana legend. Peden said this week, “My hometown, Marion, played South Bend Washington in the afternoon game of the semi-state round of the state basketball tournament. I hadn’t moved to Marion yet, but the stories of that game made me have to ask Floyd what went on. Supposedly one of the Kerr brothers was in foul trouble in the first half and the Marion fans thought that the Kerr twins switched jerseys at halftime. Then I asked Floyd about it, he said “no,” of course and I figured out soon Floyd was left-handed, and Lloyd was right-handed. I could not convince my friends in Marion that nothing happened, so to this day they think the Kerr twins pulled a fast one.”
Bob Caton, another teammate of Kerr’s said this week, “When I first arrived as a freshman, Floyd and Lloyd were juniors, so for my first two years at CSU I had a steady time of guarding them in practice. It was an education. But both of them were so willing to help me and the younger players.”
In 2004, Sports Illustrated ranked him 75th among the 101 most influential minorities in sports.
He was 76 years old.
