A man with a unique instrument has died in a Cincinnati college of education.
Tay Baker, an Ohio Basketball Hall of Famer, died on Sept. 29.
The 1945 Hamilton High School graduate would eventually play basketball for the Cincinnati Bearcats, then serving as their head coach. He later moved to Victoria Parkway and the Xavier Musketeers, which is hard to find in today’s college basketball world.
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After a stint in the Army, Baker played for Coach John Wiethe’s UC Bearcats between 1947 and 1950. He was then the head coach at Lebanon, Wyoming and Miamisburg High School before returning to UC as an assistant to George Smith.
Baker saw the UC Bearcats in the first
When UC head coach Ed Jucker left, Baker became head coach in 1965 and went 125-60 through 1972 with a .676 winning percentage, which is actually higher than Mick Cronin’s .668 (although Cronin coached more games).
Former UC basketball coach Tay Baker (left) is joined by former player Rolando West (center) and Claude Rost at the Bearcats’ weekly gathering on May 17.
“We were all resourceful,” Baker said of the college model at the time. “We have to teach 12 hours. I was also the first year there and I had a track and cross country team. I left after the first year when we were doing pretty well in basketball.”
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At Baker’s point, George Smith, who was recruited by Oscar Robertson and later became the athletic director, also served as a football assistant for one year. Before becoming a two-time national champion basketball coach, Jucker coached the baseball team for six years. One of the most notable players was a freshman basketball player who could throw a baseball faster than most: Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.
Tay Baker succeeded Ed Jucker (right) who succeeded George Smith after the 1959-60 UC basketball season. Jucker won the national championship the next two seasons and became the national runner-up in 1965. Baker took over when Jucker left in 1965.
That’s Baker in the top years
Baker twice won 21 games with the Bearcats, 21-7 in 1965-66 as the Missouri Valley Champions and 211-6 in 1969-70. The team made the Mideast Regional in 1966, but lost to Texas-El Paso in overtime and Southern Methodist in the consolation game.
Former Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Tay Baker (right) sits with one of his former players, Dick Bouldin at a gathering at the Indian Mound Cafe in Norwood on June 6.
In 1959-60, Oscar Robertson was a quarterfinalist, then part of back-to-back national championships under Ed Jucker in 1961 and 1962.
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In March 1970, the Baker Bearcats lost in the NIT to a young Army coach named Bob Knight.
Baker never had a loss at UC, but Gale Catlett was hired in 1972.
DECEMBER 1, 1973: Xavier Gunners coach Tay Baker.
Baker back in Muskie blue
After a year away from coaching post-UC, Baker returned to the bench, but it was amazing at Xavier. Through 1979, he was 70-89 and in all likelihood will remain the only head coach to lead both teams in the (Chili’s Skyline) Crosstown Shootout series.
“They called and really struggled at the time while still playing in the old (Schmidt) Fieldhouse,” Baker said.
He rarely missed UC home games later in life and still appeared at Xavier’s games.
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“I feel very welcome on both sides,” Baker said in an interview in 2023. “However they play against each other, I want to see a real good basketball game.”
In his 90s, Baker was playing ball up to four times a week. He also participates in periodic breakfast meetings of some players at McDonald’s on Mitchell Avenue in St. Bernard or lunches at the Indian Mountain Cafe in Norwood.
That gave him time to speak out about recent developments in college basketball.
“There’s no such thing as basketball,” Baker said at the time. “Those guys are all professionals. They make money. The game is different now because of the three-point shot. Some parts are much better. I have no doubt that they are better athletes and better shooters. If they can’t shoot the three, they can’t play!”
The inquirer will hear information about the duties of Coach Baker as the details are supplied.
This article first appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: When Baker dies at 99, he is the only UC Bearcats coach, the Xavier Musketeers