Tay Baker
Sport(s) | Basketball |
---|---|
Playing career | |
1947–1950 | Cincinnati |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1959–1965 | Cincinnati (asst.) |
1965–1972 | Cincinnati |
1973–1979 | Xavier |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 195–149 (.567) |
Taylor "Tay" Baker is a retired American basketball coach.
He played basketball at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio, graduating in 1945. He played college basketball at the University of Cincinnati beginning as a freshman in 1947; however, after only three games he began an 18-month hitch in the U.S. Army before returning to the school in 1947. He played for three years and was a top reserve for the first Bearcats teams to win 20 games—23-5 in 1949 and, as a senior, 20-6 in 1950. Both seasons, in addition to his sophomore season,[1] the Bearcats were champions of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).[2]
He then was a teacher and coach at three southwestern Ohio high schools—first at Lebanon High School,[3] then Wyoming High School and Miamisburg High School.[4]
In 1959, he became an assistant coach at his college alma mater, Cincinnati, in 1959 under coach George Smith, a post he retained under Ed Jucker. After an assistant coaching career that included four Final Fours and two NCAA championships for the Bearcats,[5] Baker succeeded Jucker as head coach in 1965.
His first team, in 1965-66, won the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) title and played in the NCAA Tournament, where they were defeated by eventual national champion Texas Western (now UTEP). After posting a 17-9 record in 1971-72,[6] Baker resigned as UC coach. In seven seasons coaching the Bearcats, Baker posted a record of went 125–60.[7]
He moved to crosstown rival Xavier University in 1973, where he went 70–89 in six seasons.[8]
Baker later served as executive director and board member of the non-profit Greater Cincinnati Golf Association which, among other functions, runs the local USGA qualifying tournaments.[9][10]
In 1996, he was inducted into the University of Cincinnati Athletics Hall of Fame.[11] In 2007, he was inducted into the Lebanon High School Athletic Hall of Fame.[12]
References
- ↑ "GoBEARCATS.COM Tay Baker Bio - University Of Cincinnati Official Athletic Site University Of Cincinnati". Gobearcats.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ Tales from Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball. Books.google.com. 2004. ISBN 9781582617459. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "Text Timeline". Historiclebanonohio.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ Tales from Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball. Books.google.com. 2004. ISBN 9781582617459. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "UC celebrates 1961 and 1962 national title teams". Cincinnati.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "Tay Baker". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "Tay Baker Cincinnati Bearcats Hall of Fame profile". Cincinnati Bearcats. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "2013-14 Xavier Musketeers men's basketball media guide, page 196" (PDF). Xavier Musketeers. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "Golf at Cincinnati.Com - Your Key to the City". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "Greater Cincinnati Golf Association Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio (OH)". Faqs.org. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑ "GoBEARCATS.COM Tay Baker Bio - University Of Cincinnati Official Athletic Site University Of Cincinnati". Gobearcats.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ↑