College Notes:  Hendy MMA Hall of Fame Bound

March 21, 2012

By John Garner Jr., Cape Cod Times

Playing for his celebrated father and alongside two brothers, John Hendy was a two-sport standout at Massachusetts Maritime Academy during its golden age of athletics during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Hendy, son of the late Commodore William Hendy, will join four other inductees to be enshrined into the MMA Athletics Hall of Fame on June 2.

A native of Sandwich and a 1982 MMA graduate, Hendy compiled a career .319 batting average and helped lead Bob Corradi's baseball team to its best four-season mark in school history with an impressive 98-43-1 (.694) record.

The versatile Hendy also stood out on the soccer field for the Buccaneers, as he and his two brothers played for their father during the fall seasons.

John and the elder Hendy become the first family members to be enshrined in the Academy's Athletic Hall of Fame.

“It's certainly a thrill and very humbling to be honored next to my father, whom I played for about 90 percent of the time (in both sports) from little league to college,” Hendy said. “I also enjoyed playing for Coach Corradi, who's become an institution at Mass. Maritime.”

Hendy is the only student-athlete in academy history to be selected Academic All-America, as he was honored during his senior year after leading the MMA baseball team to a school-record 28 victories and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England championship in 1982.

“I have a lot of great memories from my days at Mass. Maritime,” Hendy said. “We had to battle cold, windy conditions during a short season in the spring and always had to dress warm. But we worked hard and enjoyed some success.”

Joining Hendy as 2012 MMA Hall of Fame inductees are former football standouts Bob Long '81, Derek Gagnon '94, Nate Gravelle '94 and David Burrill '02

“The contributions these five individuals have made to the tradition of Massachusetts Maritime Athletics are something the entire Academy takes great pride in,” Corradi said. “Their legacy of excellence has made them an integral part of our athletic family, and I congratulate them all on this great honor.”

With the addition of the latest class, the MMA Hall of Fame will boast 65 inductees. For more information on the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, contact the Massachusetts Maritime Department of Athletics at 508- 830-5053 or log on to www.mmabucs.com.