Mark Hendrickson
A towering two-sport professional who pitched in MLB and played forward in the NBA, one of the last athletes to pull off that rare double.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American baseball and basketball player·Birthday: June 23·Generation X
Biography
Mark Hendrickson stands as a modern anomaly in an age of athletic specialization. At 6'9", he possessed a frame that could dominate either a basketball court or a baseball mound, and he refused to choose. Drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft, he spent four seasons as a hardworking power forward, battling under the boards for four different teams. But his first love was baseball. After his NBA stint, he committed fully to the diamond, refining his pitching to reach the major leagues in 2002. His sidearm delivery, coming from such a great height, created a difficult angle for hitters. He logged nine MLB seasons as a reliable reliever and occasional starter. Hendrickson's career is a fascinating 'what if' experiment realized, a proof of concept that supreme athleticism can sometimes transcend the boundaries of sport.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mark was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mark Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Mark's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- One of only 13 athletes in history to play in both Major League Baseball and the NBA.
- Played four seasons in the NBA for four different teams after being a second-round draft pick.
- Pitched for nine seasons in MLB, appearing in over 300 games as a pitcher.
- Won a World Series ring as a member of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies (though he was not on the active playoff roster).
Did You Know?
He played college basketball at Washington State University and also pitched for the baseball team.
He was the last athlete to play in both the NBA and MLB, with his final NBA game in 2000 and final MLB game in 2011.
After retiring, he served as a pitching coach in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system.
He was a standout high school quarterback in Washington state.
“Why choose? I got to face Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter.”
