Madison, Wis. - The Wisconsin Athletic department is mourning the passing of former long-time sports information director, Jim Mott, who died Sunday in Madison. Mott, 79, worked in the UW sports information office for 36 years. (see funeral arrangements below; complete obituary).
A former manager for the men’s basketball team from 1951-52, Mott joined the sports information office as a student assistant in 1953 and became a full-time assistant in 1954. He took over as the director of men’s sports information in 1966 and served in that capacity until retiring in 1990.
Mott served as president of the national organization for sports information, (CoSIDA) from 1972-73, and was named to its Hall of Fame in 1979. He was honored with the Arch Ward award as the top SID in the nation given to a person who has brought prestige to the sports information position in 1986. He was inducted in the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.
Among his many career highlights was serving as the press liaison for the 1980 U.S Olympic Hockey “Miracle on Ice” team, which won a gold medal in Lake Placid. He earned several other awards and honors including the Madison Pen and Mike Club (now Madison Hall of Fame) Pat O’Dea ward in 1995 and was the National W Club Man of the Year in 1991. He entered the Madison Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
Known for his collection of Badger statistics held in his memory, one of the favorite activities at booster club functions throughout the years was “Stump Jim Mott”. Members would ask Mott an obscure question or stat, and Jim would always come up with the correct answer. He had an uncanny ability to recall the most minute data about his beloved Badgers.
He co-authored two books, On Wisconsin, a history of Wisconsin football, published in 1977, and On Wisconsin! -- The History of Badger Athletics 1896-2001, published in 2001.
Mott was a fixture in the press box and on press row for many years even after his retirement. He earned his bachelor degrees in zoology (1954) and journalism (1956) from UW, and never strayed far from campus. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dorothy (Dot), and three sons, all UW graduates, Bill, David and Eric.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, June 26, 2009 at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Ave., at 11:30 a.m. with Pastor Bill White officiating. A memorial gathering will be held at the church on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services.
Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road
(608) 238-3434
www.cressfuneralservice.com
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
JIM MOTT, Administration, 1954-90
• Served with distinction as the school’s Director of Men’s Sports Information from 1966-90 after working as an assistant director in the Badger publicity office from 1954-66
• President of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in 1972-73
• Inducted into CoSIDA’s Hall of Fame in 1979
• Won CoSIDA’s 1986 Arch Ward Award, given to a person who has brought prestige to the SID position
• Worked as the press liaison for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, which won a gold medal
• President of the Madison Pen and Mike Club from 1972-73
• Given the Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Association Friend of Basketball Award in 1986 and the Madison Pen and Mike Club’s Pat O’Dea Award in 1995
• Named National W Club Man of the Year in 1991
• Earned a “W” award as the senior manager of the men’s basketball team in 1951
• Received bachelor degrees in zoology (1954) and journalism (1956) from the UW