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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Lou Henson had a distinguished coaching career,
3especially at the University of Illinois, one of the premier
4universities in the world; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Beloved couple Lou Henson and his wife Mary were
6deeply involved in the Champaign-Urbana community and
7throughout the State of Illinois; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Lou Henson contributed a large amount of his time
9and resources to charities and organizations in the State; and
 
10    WHEREAS, As a result of nearly 800 wins as a college coach,
11of achieving Big 10 and Big West Championships, and of playing
12in two NCAA Final Four Championships with Illinois and New
13Mexico State, Lou Henson has been inducted into the Illinois
14Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate
15Basketball Hall of Fame; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Lou Henson is one the top 20 winningest college
17basketball coaches of all time; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Lou Henson had basketball courts at both Illinois
19and New Mexico State named in his honor; he is one of two
20coaches ever to achieve that kind of recognition; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Lou Henson coached one of the most exciting teams
2in the history of college basketball, the 1989 Flying Illini,
3which was comprised entirely of Illinois-born players who had
4graduated from high schools in Illinois, which included
5Chicago, Jacksonville, Aurora, Alton, and Matteson, among
6others; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In 1962, Lou Henson refused to accept the head
8coaching position at Hardin-Simmons University until the
9trustees agreed to desegregate the school, the basketball team,
10and the coaching staff, demonstrating leadership when it was
11not fashionable; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Upon Lou Henson's death, tributes from around the
13country from players, coaches, fans, and neighbors described
14him as a man of great faith, a man defined by patience, a man
15always willing to talk to a stranger, a man never given to
16swearing or demeaning his players, and a man who showed respect
17to everyone; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
19HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
20we honor the life of Coach Lou Henson and recognize the
21contributions he made to the State of Illinois, and we support
22his nomination for inclusion in the Naismith Memorial

 

 

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1Basketball Hall of Fame; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3delivered to the Selection Committee of the Naismith Memorial
4Basketball Hall of Fame.