native) and 230 RBI. In nine postseason games, he had .273, 2 HR, 10 RBI. In 602 games as a catcher, Hendricks collected 2783 outs, 228 assists, 31 double plays, and committed just only 29 errors for a significant .990 fielding percentage. Hendricks was a big star in Puerto Rico. He played for 17 seasons with the Cangrejeros de Santurce and occupies third place on the all-time list in homers with 105. Coaching career Hendricks became a fixture in Baltimore by holding the position of bullpen coach for 28 years, the longest coaching tenure in Orioles history. Hendricks was noted for consistently wearing shin guards in the Orioles bullpen, even when he wasn’t actually catching a potential relief pitcher. His contract was not renewed for that position as of October 2005, in part because he had a mild stroke in April. The 2005 season marked the 37th that Hendricks served in a Baltimore uniform as a player or coach, another club record. He also had the longest active coaching streak with one club among all major league coaches. After his stroke, Hendricks was reassigned to another position within the organization, one that would enable the club to take advantage of his huge popularity within the Baltimore community; along with his loyalty to the "Oriole Way" and to the traditions of baseball, he was a tireless signer of pre-game autographs and a general good-will ambassador. He was slated to be the host for the 2006 Baltimore Baseball Cruise aboard The Golden Princess. Death Elrod Hendricks died of a heart attack in Glen Burnie, Maryland, one day shy of his 65th birthday. The Orioles wore the number 44 on the sleeves of their jerseys in 2006, to honor Hendricks. Although the number has not been officially retired, no Oriole player has worn it since Hendricks had died. In 2007, St. Frances Academy in Baltimore started an annual baseball tournament in his name. References External links Retrosheet obituary 1940 births 2005 deaths Baltimore Orioles coaches Baltimore Orioles players Charros de Jalisco players Chicago Cubs players El Paso Sun Kings players Major League Baseball bullpen catchers Major League Baseball bullpen coaches Major League Baseball catchers Major League Baseball players from the United States Virgin Islands McCook Braves players New York Yankees players People from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Seattle Angels players Syracuse Chiefs players Wellsville Braves players Winnipeg Goldeyes players United States Virgin