Rickey Henderson, the best base stealer in Major League Baseball historical past and one of many sport’s most enduring gamers, has died, Major League Baseball confirmed Saturday. Henderson was 65.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred known as Henderson the “gold normal of base stealing and leadoff hitting” in an announcement Saturday that expressed the league’s condolences Saturday.
“Rickey epitomized pace, energy and leisure in setting the tone on the prime of the lineup.” The Athletics, who subsequent season will play in Sacramento after transferring from Oakland, stated Henderson was “undoubtedly essentially the most legendary participant in Oakland historical past.”
A star highschool athlete in Oakland, Calif., Henderson was drafted in 1976 by the Oakland Athletics and made his MLB debut three years later, at simply 20 years previous. After 10 All-Star appearances, World Series championships with Oakland and Toronto and a profession practically past evaluate, his last MLB sport got here in 2003, at 44.
Nicknamed the “Man of Steal,” and recognized for sometimes referring to himself within the third particular person, Henderson ranks first all-time with 1,406 stolen bases, in addition to 2,295 runs scored. His reward of pace and anticipation on the bottom paths was instantly obvious when, in his first full season in 1980, Henderson stole 100 bases to interrupt Lou Brock’s MLB single-season report.
Eleven years later, after he broke Brock’s profession report, Henderson stood on the sphere in Oakland and left little doubt about his place.“Lou Brock was the image of nice base stealing,” Henderson stated, holding a microphone. “But at this time, I’m the best of all time.”
But Henderson was a feared leadoff hitter not solely due to his pace, however his persistence on the plate to get on base. In 2001 whereas taking part in for San Diego — one of many 9 groups he performed over a 25-year profession — Henderson handed Babe Ruth as MLB’s all-time walks chief. He now sits second, behind Barry Bonds, however Henderson stays the chief in unintentional walks drawn, with 2,129.
After main MLB in runs, stolen bases and on-base proportion in 1990, and tying his profession excessive with 28 dwelling runs, Henderson was named essentially the most priceless participant of the American League.
Upon profitable the dignity, Henderson instructed reporters on the time that, in his opinion, he had performed higher in at the least three different seasons.
Henderson was best-known for his 4 stints taking part in with the Athletics, who have been one thing of a hometown crew for Henderson, who was born in Chicago however spent highschool in Oakland. A subject close to his highschool, Oakland Tech, nonetheless bears Henderson’s identify. The Athletics received the 1989 World Series with Henderson hitting .441 in the course of the postseason, together with 9 walks.
Henderson is one among simply 33 gamers with 3,000 hits. In 2002, one 12 months after he joined that unique membership, Henderson tried to work his method again to the majors by way of the minor leagues, first on a minor-league take care of Boston.
In 3,081 profession video games, Henderson racked up 13,346 plate appearances, marks that solely Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski and Henry Aaron have exceeded in MLB historical past.
“There was just one Rickey Henderson in baseball,” George Steinbrenner, the previous Yankees proprietor, as soon as stated, in accordance with the Baseball Hall of Fame. “He was the best leadoff hitter of all time.
In 2003, with MLB curiosity slim, he performed for the independent-league Newark Bears. He ultimately latched on with the Dodgers, his last MLB crew.
Dave Winfield, a former teammate of Henderson’s, posted information of Henderson’s dying on Instagram.
“I nonetheless can’t imagine I’ve misplaced one among my favourite teammates and nice good friend Rickey Henderson. Rest in peace,” Winfield posted.