Bill Henry (baseball, born 1927)
William Rodman Henry was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he appeared in Major League Baseball between and 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.
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. 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. 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. Bill Henry's story appeared in Sports Illustrated Magazine in Rick Reilly's Life of Reilly column entitled "The Passing of a Counterfeit Bill".
He died of heart problems at the age of 86 on April 11, 2014 in Round Rock, Texas.
