Richard Baldwin

Baldwin, Richard E.

Tampa, FL: Born August 24, 1921. Richard E. (Dick) Baldwin, coach, teacher, mentor, husband and father, passed away peacefully on December 8, 2011, in Tampa, Florida, at age 90. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Janet Reitz Baldwin; three daughters, Judy Baldwin, Sandy Thomas, and Debbie Bere; five grandchildren, Richard Baldwin Thomas, Lauren Thomas Compton, Heather Stephanie Ryan, Joe G. Conley, and Cody Richard Conley; six great grandchildren; his brother-in-law, Dr. Philip L. Reitz, and his wife Joanne, and their children. Allan G. "Babe" Baldwin, his younger brother, died in WWII at age 20. Dick and his wife Janet grew up as next-door-neighbors in Olean, NY where their brothers, Philip and Babe, were best friends. Dick played basketball at the University of Rochester and was elected "cage captain" after an unbeaten 1941- 42 season. One newspaper headline read: "The li'l guy with the eagle eye, Biggie Baldwin," because he was the smallest man on the squad and had an uncanny set-shot. The nickname, "Biggie" stayed with him throughout college where he lettered in basketball, football, and golf. During WWII, Dick spent 3 ½ years in the Eighth Army Air Force, as a bombsight mechanic and automatic pilot instructor. In 1947, with a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Rochester, Baldwin was hired at the newly established 2-year State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, now Broome Community College, in Binghamton, NY. Baldwin coached basketball, golf, baseball, and cross country; was a professor of English for 10 years; the Director of Public Relations for 6 years; and the Director of Athletics for 39 years.

Coach Baldwin won 879 basketball games while at Broome, and at one time was the "winningest college basketball coach in history" on any collegiate level, surpassing Adolph Rupp's record 876 wins. Coach Baldwin retired after 40 years, but came out of retirement to coach basketball for Binghamton University for five years, completing his career with 961 wins. He was inducted into five halls of fame: 1984 National Junior College Basketball Hall of Fame, Charter Member; 1988 NACDA Athletic Director's Hall of Fame; 1993 New York State Basketball Hall of Fame; 1995 University of Rochester Athletic Hall of Fame; 2006 Binghamton University Athletic Hall of Fame. He was featured in the February 14, 1994 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Coach Baldwin was a scratch golfer at the Binghamton Country Club where he served as the president and as a member of the Board of Governors. He was the club champion four times. Throughout the years he played in Tampa at the Avila Golf and Country Club with his son-in-law, Rick Thomas. There will be a memorial celebration on April 28, 2012 at 4:00 pm and reception from 5:00 -7:00 pm, at the Broome Community College Richard E. Baldwin Gymnasium. To attend, please call 607-778-5047 or email alumni@sunybroome.edu. In tribute to Dick Baldwin, his wife and daughters have donated an initial gift of $20,000 to the Coach Dick Baldwin Scholarship Fund at Broome Community College. Those who would like to honor the coach, the college, and the memories, are invited join the family in building a scholarship fund in his name. Gifts may be made payable to the BCC Foundation, Inc, and mailed to BCC Foundation, Inc, POB 1017, Binghamton, NY 13902-1017.