The Cott Family
One of the most prolific and competitive families in Western New York history, Orval, Sr. and his sons Ed, Orv, Jr. and Marty made their names on the ball diamond, the hardcourt and the gridiron.
Orv, Sr. attended East High School and was first-team All-High in baseball, basketball and football as a junior and a senior. He attended Niagara in 1938 to play basketball, however he switched gears as a freshman and signed a baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He later played for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers organizations. In 1941 the Lovejoy resident was drafted into the Army. After his military service, he played three years of professional basketball with the NBA Syracuse Nationals and later in the New York State Pro League. Cott also served as a scout for the New York Mets and Houston Astros. Orv, Sr. passed away at the age of 85 in 2003.
His oldest son Edward was a four-year member of the baseball team and a three-year player on the basketball squad at the Nichols School. He was an All-Ivy League catcher at Cornell, before signing a contract with the Washington Senators, where he hit .231 with three home runs in his only minor league season. He is a member of the Nichols and WNY Baseball Hall of Fame.
Orv, Jr. was All-High in two sports at Hutch Tech High School, leading his team to Yale Cup championships from 1965-67. He continued his baseball career at the University at Buffalo where he played from 1970-72, set numerous records and hit .427 as a senior. Later, he joined his older brother in the WNY Baseball Hall of Fame. Orv, Jr. has dedicated his life to helping Buffalo inner city youth, teaching and coaching at Emerson High School for 30 years and working with Buffalo PAL, Gloria Parks Community Center and coordinating Gus Macker 3 on 3 Basketball. He also went on to successfully officiate high school and college basketball.
Marty was All-High in two sports and four-time Yale Cup Champion at Hutch Tech. He led Yale Cup basketball in scoring in 1968 and, in addition to being first team All-WNY that season, was selected by The Buffalo News to the first team of its all-1960’s basketball quintet. Marty chose baseball over basketball, was the 3rd overall pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft and signed with the Houston Astros as a catcher/first baseman. Marty hit .232 with 14 home runs and 105 RBI in 199 minor league games, including two games at the AAA level.
