George Hendrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Hendrick |
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Hendrick as a coach for the Tampa Bay Rays, 2011
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 18, 1949 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 4, 1971, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1988, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .278 | ||
| Home runs | 267 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,111 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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George Andrew Hendrick Jr. (born October 18, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1971 to 1988. He was a key player for the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the 1982 World Series.
Hendrick was chosen for the All-Star team four times. He also won the Silver Slugger Award twice. In 1979, he led all major league outfielders with 20 assists. He was the top home run hitter for the Cardinals every year from 1980 to 1983. George Hendrick also won a World Series with the Oakland Athletics in 1972. He was part of the 1986 California Angels team that won their division. He also played for the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Today, Hendrick is a special advisor for the Tampa Bay Rays.
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Playing Baseball: George Hendrick's Career
Over 18 seasons, George Hendrick had a .278 batting average. He hit 267 home runs and had 1,111 RBIs. His career totals included 941 runs scored and 1,980 hits. He also had 343 doubles and 59 stolen bases.
Hendrick played in all three outfield positions. He also played first base. He was known for his strong defense, with a .987 fielding percentage.
Early Career and All-Star Games
George Hendrick started his baseball journey in the minor leagues in 1968. He quickly showed his talent. He was selected as an All-Star four times during his MLB career. He made the All-Star team twice with Cleveland in 1974 and 1975. He was also an All-Star twice with St. Louis in 1980 and 1983.
He was one of the first players to hit 100 home runs in both the National League and the American League. He hit 150 home runs in the National League and 117 in the American League.
Nicknames and Fair Play
George Hendrick was known by a few nicknames. Some called him "Jogging George" or "Captain Easy." This was because people thought he didn't always run plays out at full speed. He was also called "Silent George." This nickname came from his choice not to talk to reporters very often.
A sports reporter named Lisa Nehus Saxon was one of the first women to cover an MLB team. She shared that Hendrick helped protect her from unfair treatment by another player. This showed his good character.
Playing in Other Leagues
Hendrick also played baseball in other leagues. He played winter baseball in Puerto Rico for the Cangrejeros de Santurce club. He won the batting title there in the 1973−1974 season. He also played for the Gold Coast Suns in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989.
Coaching Baseball: George Hendrick's Role
After his playing career, George Hendrick became a coach. He started with the St. Louis Cardinals. From 1993 to 1995, he was a hitting and outfield instructor for their minor league teams. Then, from 1996 to 1997, he became the hitting coach for the main Cardinals team.
After leaving the Cardinals, he coached for other teams. He worked with the California Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1998 to 2005. On November 21, 2005, Hendrick joined the Tampa Bay Rays. He was their first base and outfield coach until the end of the 2014 season. Since then, he has been a Special Advisor to Baseball Operations for the Rays.
George Hendrick's Family Life
George Hendrick has a son named Brian. Brian played college basketball for the California Golden Bears.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
- List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches
