Charles “Cotton” Nash, a star basketball player and University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Famer, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80. As a basketball player, Nash was a three-time All-American who helped his team win two Southeastern Conference championships. Nash was a versatile athlete who also excelled in baseball and track and field, earning All-SEC Eastern Division honors as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team and participating as a discus thrower in track and field.
Nash was a rarity in American sports history, becoming one of only 13 players to play both in the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons of professional baseball, including three in the MLB with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins as a first baseman and outfielder. Nash also played in the American Basketball Association with the Kentucky Colonels in 1967-68.
Nash was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and earned his famous nickname “Cotton” when an uncle began calling him “Cotton-top” in reference to his bright, blonde hair. Nash played high school basketball in Indiana, where he was coached by former UK men’s basketball two-time national champion Cliff Barker. Nash concluded his high school career at Charles High School in Louisiana, where he was dubbed “The Bayou Bomber” for his basketball prowess.
After being recruited by more than 50 programs, Nash chose to play for Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats. Following his professional basketball and baseball careers, Nash began a career in real estate and also briefly coached minor league baseball. He and his wife, Julie, settled in Lexington, where they bred and owned standardbreds for around 30 years. Nash is survived by his wife Julie, their three children and spouses, as well as nine grandchildren.
Nash’s legacy as a three-sport competitor, as well as his achievements in basketball and baseball, make him one of the greatest all-around athletes to wear the Blue and White. His No. 44 men’s basketball jersey hangs in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, and he has been inducted into both the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. Nash’s passing is a loss for the sports world and the University of Kentucky community, and his impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
