George Hendrick
Encyclopedia
George Andrew Hendrick Jr. (born October 18, 1949 in Los Angeles, California
) is a former major league
outfielder
for the Oakland Athletics
, Cleveland Indians
, San Diego Padres
, Pittsburgh Pirates
and California Angels
. However Hendrick is best remembered as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals
, for whom he played for from 1979–84. He was a key player on the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals World Series team
. Today Hendrick is currently the first base and outfield
coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
, a position he has held since 2006.
In an 18-season career, Hendrick posted a .278 batting average
with 267 home run
s and 1111 RBI
. His career stats include 941 runs
, 1980 hits
, 343 doubles
, 59 stolen base
s, and a .329 on base percentage
in 7129 at-bats
. He was the first MLB player to wear his pant legs down to his ankles and was nicknamed "Jogging George", "Captain Easy" and "Silent George" for his longstanding policy of not talking to the media.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) is a former major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. However Hendrick is best remembered as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, for whom he played for from 1979–84. He was a key player on the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals World Series team
1982 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
. Today Hendrick is currently the first base and outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, a position he has held since 2006.
In an 18-season career, Hendrick posted a .278 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 267 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 1111 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. His career stats include 941 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 1980 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 343 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 59 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, and a .329 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
in 7129 at-bats
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. He was the first MLB player to wear his pant legs down to his ankles and was nicknamed "Jogging George", "Captain Easy" and "Silent George" for his longstanding policy of not talking to the media.
Transactions involving Hendrick
- On March 24, 1973, the Oakland A's traded him with catcher Dave DuncanDave Duncan (baseball)David Edwin Duncan is an American former professional baseball player and current pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
to the Cleveland Indians for catcher Ray FosseRay FosseRaymond Earl Fosse is a former professional baseball player who was a catcher in the Major Leagues. He was drafted in the first round of the 1965 amateur draft by the Cleveland Indians. Fosse also holds the distinction of being the Indians' first ever draft pick, as 1965 was the first year of the...
and shortstop Jack HeidemannJack HeidemannJack Seale Heidemann is a former right-handed Major League Baseball shortstop who played from to with the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers. He attended Brenham High School. He is also the uncle of Brett Bordes, a minor league pitcher in the Baltimore...
. - On December 8, 1976, the Cleveland Indians traded him to the San Diego Padres for outfielder John GrubbJohnny GrubbJohn Maywood Grubb, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter, who also occasionally played at first base...
, catcher Fred KendallFred KendallFred Kendall was a catcher for parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox....
, and infielder Héctor TorresHéctor TorresHéctor Epitacio Torres Marroquin is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played all or part of nine seasons in the majors, between and , for the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays...
. - On May 26, 1978, the San Diego Padres traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Eric Rasmussen.
- On December 12, 1984, the St. Louis Cardinals traded him with catcher Steve Barnard to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher John Tudor and outfielder (later) catcher Brian HarperBrian HarperBrian David Harper is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career and is currently the manager of the Chicago Cubs' AA club, the Tennessee Smokies.-Minor leagues:Harper was drafted by the California Angels in...
. - On August 2, 1985, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded him along with pitchers John CandelariaJohn CandelariaJohn Robert Candelaria . He attended The Caton School P.S. 249. Nicknamed "The Candy Man," is a former professional left-handed pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles...
and Al HollandAl HollandAlfred Willis Holland is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who mostly pitched in the Major Leagues from to ....
for infielder Mike Brown, pitcher Pat ClementsPat ClementsPatrick Brian Clements is a retired professional baseball player who played eight seasons for the California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.-External links:...
, and a player to be named later (Bob KipperBob KipperRobert Wayne Kipper is a former middle-relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who was the eighth player drafted in the 1982 draft. He had signed to play baseball at Nebraska before his selection. He played from 1985 through 1992 for the California Angels , Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins...
) to the California Angels.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI