Baseball teams pay tribute to Hendricks

Former Tillsonburg baseball player Chuck Hendricks was honoured with a replica of his jersey fastened to the fence of the Sam Lamb Diamond. Left to right are: brother-in-law and Old Sox player Dave Pittock, daughter Nadine Jendricks-Sena, Old Sox player Glen Rohrer, wife Pat Hendricks and daughter Melissa DeWachter. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Family and a handful of baseball fans gathered recently to pay tribute to Chuck Hendricks.

A sign with Hendricks’ jersey was hung on Sam Lamb Field on Oct. 10. He passed away March 25 of this year.

Hendricks played third base with the Red Sox, and with the Old Sox.

“He played softball in between,” said Pat Hendricks, his wife.

In this case, softball means fastball. Hendricks won the world senior championships with the Toronto Gators in 2013.

“It was like the seniors Olympics,” said his daughter Melissa Dewachter.

He played catcher when playing fastball. Besides Toronto, he played fastball in Norwich, Owen Sound and St. Thomas.

Hendricks owned J/E Bearings and lived in town. His dedication to baseball meant travelling out of town for practices for the teams he played for in other centers. He won the Canadians in 1992/93 in fastball.

After Hendricks won with the Gators in 2013, he retired from playing, but coached the Straffordville U-18 team.