By Perry Green
AFRO Sports Writer
(December 19, 2008) - He’s held phone conversations with the personal secretaries of Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos. He’s even exchanged letters with Bud Selig, commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Now Ralph Jaffe, a longtime educator and activist in the Baltimore community, says he’s prepared to personally travel to Selig’s office in Milwaukee, Wis. if Angelos doesn’t, “do the right thing,” immediately.
Jaffe believes the Orioles have shown, “a lack of respect and sensitivity to the African-American community,” by refusing to retire the jersey number of former player and coach Elrod Hendricks.
And he has a petition with hundreds of signatures to show Selig he’s not the only person in Baltimore that feels this way.
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A Baltimore Orioles fan displays her desire to see former Orioles player and coach Elrod Hendricks’ number retired. Hendricks served more than 30 years with the Orioles. (Courtesy Photo)
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“This came about when I was listening to Nestor [Aparicio’s] station, WNST 1570 AM, and they were talking about Elrod,” Jaffe said. “Here’s a guy who wore the uniform longer than Cal Ripken Jr. as a player and a coach.”
Hendricks only played with the Orioles from 1968-72, but once he retired as a player, he spent 28 years as the Orioles’ bullpen coach, the longest coaching tenure in team history. All together, he served more than three decades with the Orioles, helping them win three World Series titles.
Most believe he would still be serving with the team today, had he not died of a heart attack back in 2005.
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Elrod Hendricks wore an Orioles
uniform for 37 years. He died at age 64.
Associated Press Photo / By Chris Gardner
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The Orioles have honored Hendricks for his great service by inducting him into the club Hall of Fame in 2001, making him the first person still active with the team to be enshrined.
But Jaffe says Hendricks’ legacy deserves more.
“Frank Robinson’s number was retired, Brooks Robinson’s number was retired and I think Elrod’s should be, too, and their only excuse is he was not a great ball player,” Jaffe said.
“But this transcends runs, errors and hits. This has to do with a man’s humanity to the community and he did more to bridge the gap between the Orioles and the community than anybody.”
Jaffe has expressed this concern with the Orioles’ front office, including Greg Bader, director of communications, who wasn’t available when contacted by the AFRO.
According to Jaffe, the Orioles have said they’re considering retiring Hendricks’ number, but won’t say when they’re going to make an official decision.
But some suggest the Orioles have the option to never make an official decision, because Hendricks simply isn’t qualified.
“The Baltimore Orioles only retire the numbers of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Rob Long, a respected sports talk host for WNST 1570 AM. “They haven't retired Cal Ripken Sr.'s number either. Elrod and Ripken Sr. did more than anyone else in this organization, but they just don’t meet the criteria.”
But history shows us that rules can be changed and exceptions can be made, especially for just cause.
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Elrod Hendricks. (AP photo / May 4, 2005)
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Jaffe realized this decades ago when he sparked activism with his Parkville High School 12th grade class, which ultimately led to the introduction of a bill that prohibited the exclusion of guide dogs in certain facilities, “enabling the blind to be more independent.”
“I teach people how to overcome adversity,” said Jaffe, who also recently pushed for a traffic light to be put up at a troublesome intersection in Pikesville.
As far as retiring Hendricks’ number, Jaffe believes the adversity revolves around Angelos.
He’s even sent a letter to commissioner Selig, complaining about the “poor management decisions” made by Angelos and his front office, which resulted in 10 consecutive losing seasons for the Orioles.
Instead of sending a letter this time, Jaffe says he’s traveling to the commissioner’s office as early as February 2009 to tackle adversity in person.
“Mr. Angelos should know, I’m not trying to upset him, or hurt him; I’m trying to help him,” Jaffe said. “I don’t want to see him lose his ownership, but I do want to see him become a better owner.”