Bill Henderson

Bill Henderson (1901-1979)

Teams coached: Baylor Bears
Baylor record: 201-233 (.463)
Overall record: 201-233 (.463)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0  (Runner-up in 1948)
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  3  (1946, 1948, 1950)
• NCAA Tournament Final Four:  2  (1948, 1950)
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  0
• Southwest Regular Season Champion:  4  (1946, 1948, 1949, 1950)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1945-1961	Baylor
1941-1943	Baylor

Bill Henderson Facts

• R. E. Henderson
• Born 1901
• Died July 5, 1979
• Hometown: Ballinger, Texas
• Alma Mater: Howard Payne University (BA, 1925)
• Started his coaching career at Temple HS (TX), winning a state championship title in 1928
• First arrived at Baylor in 1941, coaching the Bears for two seasons before stepping away for two years
• Returned as head coach in 1945, winning the SWC title and reaching the NCAA Tournament in his first year back
  • Would win four SWC titles between 1946-50 and reached the NCAA Final Four in both 1948 and 1950
    • His 1947-48 team reached the title game, losing to Kentucky in Madison Square Garden
  • The on-court success fell off a bit after 1950 and Henderson finished his tenure with a 201-233 overall record
  • Resigned in 1961 after the Bears went just 4-20 (fifth losing season in the previous six years)
• Later spent three years as Baylor’s athletic director (1968-71)
• Inducted into the Baylor HOF (c/o 1966) Texas Sports HOF (c/o 1976) and Southwest Conference HOF (c/o 2013)
• Passed away in 1979 at the age of 78

Bill Henderson Coaching Tree

• Carroll Dawson (Baylor)
• Bill Menefee (Baylor)