John Hendry was an outstanding four-sport performer during his years at Napa High School. In addition to being a starting end on the football teams of 1954 and 1955, a pitcher-first baseman on the 1955 and 1956 baseball teams and a record-setting high jumper on the 1955 and 1956 track teams, Hendry was the starting forward on the 1954-55 and 1955-56 Indian basketball teams. Hendry’s basketball performance in his senior year at Napa High earned him the team Most Valuable Player award. He was elected captain of the basketball team and he was awarded a basketball scholarship to Stanford University where he continued his athletic career in baseball and basketball. As a senior at Stanford, Hendry was again selected captain of the basketball team. As a defensive specialist on the Stanford five, Hendry once guarded the great Jerry West in a game Stanford played against West Virginia University. Hendry was an excellent student. After graduating from Stanford, he went on to Hastings Law School and passed the California Bar Examination in 1964. He practiced law in the San Jose and Monterey areas for many years before his retirement. Hendry was a premier student athlete at Napa High who used his academic and athletic prowess to succeed at the major college level and to experience a successful working life in his chosen career.
