Honoring Number '44', Elrod Hendricks...

Fans of the Black and Orange know all too well that indelible mark that Elrod Hendricks has left on the Baltimore Orioles franchise and in the hearts of fans.

However, one has to ask why the organization has not done more to honor a man who was a fixture for at least four decades?

As a player with the Orioles for nine years, and the bullpen coach for twenty-eight, Hendricks may not have done much with the bat as a player; alas, his superior defense, warm-hearted nature, the love he showed those who attended games, and loyalty to the community made him special in the eyes of all Baltimore baseball fans.

Sadly, Elrod’s coaching tenure came to an end in October 2005, as the team felt that he could not sustain his level of work due to a stroke. He was to be reassigned as a community liaison; however, he passed away a few days before Christmas of that year in Glen Burnie, Md. — only one day shy of his 65th birthday.

His funeral was attended by many of his former teammates, and coaches; however, that winter, only one Oriole on the 2005 team showed up — Melvin Mora.

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