James Morisette, a 26-year-old Fell?s Point Air Force vet, never met longtime bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks, and is too young to recall the former catcher in his glory days as a player with the Baltimore Orioles. Yet, he said attending Hendricks? memorial service in December changed his life.
“I never realized one person could make such a difference in so many lives,” Morisette said.
Morisette says everyone in Baltimore has “an Ellie story,” and so he has started an online petition urging the Orioles to honor Hendricks 37-year contribution to the organization ? and the community ? by retiring his jersey, No. 44.
A Detroit native, Morisette has always followed the O?s and describes himself as a friend of Hendricks? in-laws, Cookie and Howard Jones. He stresses, however, he did not begin the signature drive at the families behest. The petition, found at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/Professional_Baseball/signatures, was launched following Opening Day and so far has collected 177 signatures.
