The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Broadcast Pioneers member Don Henderson

Broadcast Pioneers member Don Henderson was born in Trenton, NJ where he graduated from Trenton High School in 1952. While at Trenton High, he was a member of the Eastern States Swimming and Diving Championship Teams in 1950, 1951 and 1952. He was also a member of the NJ State Championship teams in the same years. He was selected by the National Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Coaches Association as an All American. In 1952 Don went to the University of Texas on a swimming scholarship. He also played baseball at Texas University.

From 1957 until 1960, Don broadcast on WBUD in Trenton. He did the daily sports show and a two-way telephone show, 2 hours a day, Monday through Friday. During that time he also covered High School football, basketball and also did Eastern Professional Basketball and college basketball.

From 1960 to 1964, Don moved to WTTM in Trenton where he broadcast football and basketball as well as a 2-way talk radio show. At that time, he also broadcast boxing from Madison Square Garden.

During the 1960s, Don had a 2-hour Jazz show which aired from the Club Fifty in Trenton, which he owned with his brothers. The show featured Doc Severinsen, Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Herbie Green and The Art Farmer Quintet. The house band members included Johnny Coates Jr, Tony Di Nicola and John Ellis.

In 1967, Don moved to Channel 29 in Philadelphia to create a new show. It was part of a news block which consisted of two newscasts, 6 pm and 11 pm. He worked with Taylor Grant, Alan Scott, who did the news and Carol Henderson, who did the weather. While at Channel 29, Don created the first two-way talk television show in Philadelphia. He broadcast major college basketball games and interviewed major sports personalities from the Phillies, Sixers, Eagles and the Flyers. He also created the Notre Dame pre-game show with Eagle quarterback Norm Snead. He also did the wrap up show. Don also worked for Channel 17 covering indoor soccer.

At WCAU Radio (now WPHT) Don did two-way talk shows, the Phillies General Manager Show, Pre and Post Phillies game shows, play by play by the Philadelphia Sixers, The Buddy Ryan Show, from the Ribbet and the Mike Schmidt Show. While at WWDB, he did 76'ers basketball and morning sports news. While at WIP, he covered Temple football.

For 16 years he broadcast Temple basketball plus the NCAA Tournament games and the NIT for Temple University. On Prism TV, he broadcast 76'ers basketball play by play and Philadelphia Inquirer Track and Field.

While at Philadelphia Park Race Track along with Hugh Gannon, Don created simulcast betting on TV and he also interviewed the owners, jockeys and trainers.

In Don's retirement, he worked in Sarasota, Florida for Comcast, Channel 19 and WSRQ 1220, and WTNY radio covering sports and entertainment. Currently Don does a two-hour talk Internet blog show once a week on the Fighting Network from Sarasota covering all sports.

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com