Bill Henry (baseball, born 1927)

William Rodman Henry (October 15, 1927 – April 11, 2014) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he appeared in Major League Baseball between 1952 and 1969 for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Houston Astros. He was nicknamed "Gabby" by teammates for his quiet nature.[1]

Bill Henry
Pitcher
Born: (1927-10-15)October 15, 1927
Alice, Texas
Died: April 11, 2014(2014-04-11) (aged 86)
Round Rock, Texas
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 17, 1952, for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
June 16, 1969, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
Win–loss record46–50
Earned run average3.26
Strikeouts621
Saves90
Teams
Career highlights and awards

After playing college baseball for the Houston Cougars, he began his career for the Red Sox in 1952, and was primarily a starter for the team.[2] Henry was the first from the University of Houston's baseball history to make it to the Major League. After a two-year absence from the Major Leagues, he returned to MLB as a relief pitcher for the Cubs in 1958. He would only make 2 starts the rest of his career.

As a reliever, Henry amassed 90 saves. He appeared in the 1960 All-Star Game, and pitched in the 1961 World Series while on the Cincinnati Reds.

Henry was released by the Houston Astros on June 28, 1969, ending his Major League career.

Henry was a victim of identity theft and his death was erroneously reported in August 2007 in a news story that was widely circulated.[3] He was contacted by baseball historian David Allen Lambert who first reported his false death report to him. He resided in Deer Park, Texas, near Houston.[4] Bill Henry's story appeared in Sports Illustrated Magazine in Rick Reilly's Life of Reilly column entitled "The Passing of a Counterfeit Bill" (September 24, 2007, p. 76).

He died of heart problems at the age of 86 on April 11, 2014 in Round Rock, Texas.[5]

See also

References
  1. Spink, C.C. Johnson, pub., The 1965 Official Baseball Register. St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1965, page 234
  2. "Bill Henry Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  3. "Untimely death". Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
  4. MyFox Houston, Houstonian, Former MLB Pitcher Bill Henry Still Alive, 2007-09-05, retrieved 2007-09-06
  5. The Pasadena Citizen, Pasadena community loses a sports legend: Bill Henry dead at 86, 2014-04-16, retrieved 2014-04-22
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