“To our sports programs, there is no bigger influence than coach Henderson” – Mayville AD Mark Cooper
By: Mike Gallagher
Sports Writer
MAYVILLE — To former players he goes by “coach”, to former coaching rivals, he is considered a friend, and by members of the communities of Mayville, Fostoria, and Silverwood, he is an everpresent figure.
His name is Curtis Henderson, and Saturday afternoon the community of Mayville honored him by dedicating the Mayville baseball field in his name, and retiring his number 17.
“This is probably the neatest thing that has ever happened to me,” said Henderson, a 1999 Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame inductee. “The hall of fame was nice, but this is special because it is from the community, players, parents, and the community that I have always been a part of.” 
Henderson was hired by Mayville as a teacher in the summer of 1974, and soon became involved with coaching, helping out with the baseball, basketball, and football programs. He was the junior varsity baseball coach for three years, and started coaching the varsity team in 1978, and from 1978 to 2001 he racked up 456 wins, seven league titles, and nine district championships.
The ceremony was held on the varsity baseball field at Mayville High School, and featured speeches from former player Eric Frenzel, former opposing coaches Wayne Turmell of Bad Axe, and Dave Elliot of Reese, athletic director Mark Cooper, and a parent’s view by Stan Brant.
“It was a great ceremony,” said Henderson. “We had everything from younger people, to the players that I had from my very first season. It was just a super, super day.”
The honor was long in the making, and was spearheaded by Frenzel, a former All-State pitcher for Henderson, and the members of the Mayville Alumni Baseball group.
“Eric, and the group had been meeting since September,” said Cooper. “They brought me the idea, and we brought it to the school board, and they were way on board with it. This was very special, and I was just glad to be a part of it.”
“He supported Mayville baseball, and it was our turn as alumni baseball to support him,” said Frenzel. “We wanted the ceremony to represent Mayville baseball and Curt Henderson, and it turned out to be a really nice day.”
Henderson has been a huge influence for the Mayville baseball program, and is credited with starting the Mayville baseball record book, getting his players the recognition they deserved, and putting Mayville baseball on the map, leading the program to regional titles in 1993, and 1995.
“His influence was tremendous,” said Frenzel, the Mayville record holder for wins with 15 in the 1989 season. “Other than my grandpa and my dad, he was it. He taught me how to play the game a step higher, got my name out there, got me my recognition, and me personally I wouldn’t have been an all-state pitcher if it wasn’t for him. It was a big deal, and I thank him every chance that I get.”
“It was always friendly camaraderie and friendly competition, said Reese baseball coach, and fellow MHSBCA member Dave Elliot. “I always enjoyed coaching against him, his kids played hard, and were always classy. It was the way baseball was supposed to be played, and I missed him a lot when he was done coaching. It was a whole different atmosphere playing Mayville.
That atmosphere was a friendy and competitive one, but was also intimidating for visiting teams.
“It became a thing where some teams would already be beat before they even played,” said Cooper. “They knew that they would have to play a Mayville baseball team with him at the helm.”
Henderson however remained humble about his success as a coach.
“People have asked me how I won so much,” said Henderson. “I was blessed with a lot of great players, and some all-state pitchers. I wasn’t the best with the itty-bitty details of pitching, but I think what I was best at was bringing teams together, working together, and getting people in the right spot.”
One memory stood out for Frenzel that defined coach Henderson as a winner.
“There was a rainout at Harbor Beach,” said Frenzel. “We were beating them in the first inning, and it started to rain. We could have finished the game, but the umps called it. We jumped on the bus, and coach goes ‘We’re coming up here tomorrow, and we are going to beat them, and we are going to beat them good.’ I thought to myself ‘Wow, he really wants to win’, and as a player thats what you want a coach to be.”
Henderson continues to be involved with the community that has supported him throughout his coaching and teaching years.
“They’ve done everything for me,” said Henderson. “Everytime I wanted to do a fundraiser, or have work one on the field, all I had to do was ask, and the community was always there to help.”
“ With his involvement with the community, and his involvement with the Lions Club, and all the time volunteering and doing extra to help out,” said Cooper. “He’s a pretty important man.”
Coach Henderson’s Accomplishments
Overall varsity record – 456 wins, 173 losses
League Titles – (7) 1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1999
District Titles – (9) 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000
Regional Titles – (2) 1993, 1995
Final Four Appearances – (2) 1993, 1995
**Inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in June of 1999.**
