Claude Hendrix

Claude Hendrix was born in Olathe in 1889.  In 1908, Hendrix played baseball for Fairmount College (now Wichita State) and was the first Shocker to ever play a professional sport.  Hendrix was a good all-around athlete and a spitball pitcher.

After starting his professional career in Lincoln (NE), Hendrix pitched for Salina in 1909.  The next season he won 17 games in Cheyenne (WY) and was signed by Pittsburgh.  He made his debut with the Pirates in 1911.

In 1912, Hendrix was 24-9 with the Pirates.  His earned run average was 2.59 and he pitched four shutouts.  After winning 14 in 1913, Hendrix jumped to the Federal League and signed with the Chicago Whales.

In the 1914 season, Hendrix won 29 games with a 1.69 ERA and 34 shutouts in 49 games pitched – all marks that led the Federal League.  When the Federal League folded after the 1915 season, Hendrix stayed in Chicago to play for the Cubs.

On April 20, 1916, Hendrix was the winning pitcher in the Cubs’ first game in what would become Wrigley Field.  In 1918, Hendrix won 20 games but pitched in only one inning of the World Series.  He did pinch-hit once in the Series, singling off Babe Ruth.  Ruth’s Red Sox won the World Series. 

Over his ten-year major league career that ended in 1920, Hendrix was 144-116.  Hendrix maintained a home in Olathe until 1923, then moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania.  He died in 1944 at the age of 54.

For more, read Claude Hendrix’s Society for American Baseball Research bio.