1978 Topps Baseball #30 - George Hendrick

• George Hendrick started the 1978 season with the San Diego Padres and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on May 26 for pitcher Eric Rasmussen. George was unhappy about splitting time with Oscar Gamble. Hendrick was off to a slow start with the Padres but he picked up his offense once he went to St. Louis. George went on to be an important part of the St. Louis offense for several years. I've thought of Hendrick as more of an offensive player, but his fielding percentages and range factors were usually above league average.
• Hendrick was known for not speaking to the press. He had the nickname "Silent George."
• 1978 Stats: 
• San Diego Padres: .243, 3 HR, 8 RBI in 36 games
• St. Louis Cardinals: .288, 17 HR, 67 RBI in 102 games
• Total: .278, 20 HR, 75 RBI in 138 games
• 1978 Highlights:
• Aug 6 - Hit a 2-run home run to lead the Cardinals to a 3-1 win over the New York Mets.
• Aug 25 - Drove in seven runs with a grand slam and a three-run homer as the Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 11-10.
• Sept 15 - Scored the eventual winning run in the 12th inning of a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.