Rickey Henderson, track and field icon and Hall of Famer, dies at 65 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Ricky Hendersonone of the The best players in the history of the Athletics franchise. and 2009 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, died Friday at age 65, NBC Sports California confirmed.
MLB’s all-time leader in stolen bases He would have turned 66 on Christmas Day.
Henderson played 25 seasons in the MLB with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels. Anaheim and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Oakland Tech alum was selected by the A’s in the fourth round of the 1976 MLB Draft and three years later made his major league debut with Oakland.
It didn’t take Henderson long to establish himself as one of the best players in the MLB. In 1980, his first full season, he earned a selection to the American League All-Star Game and finished tenth in MVP voting.
Henderson’s first season with the A’s ended in 1984 when he was traded to the Yankees. After five seasons in New York, he was returned to Oakland before the 1989 season. That year, he helped Oakland beat the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
During his second tour of duty in Oakland, Henderson broke Lou Brock’s all-time stolen base recordstealing his 939th base against the Yankees on May 1, 1991. That produced one of the most iconic moments in baseball history when Henderson pulled the third base bag out of the ground and held it above his head.
Henderson gave a speech to a packed Oakland Coliseum and He called himself “the greatest of all time.”
The A’s traded Henderson again in 1993, this time to the Blue Jays on July 31, and he won his second World Series title a few months later.
Henderson finished his MLB career with 1,406 stolen bases, which remains the benchmark to this day.
Arguably the greatest leadoff hitter in MLB history, Henderson holds the MLB record for most runs scored with 2,295. He also finished with 297 home runs and 1,115 RBIs.
Henderson was selected to 10 MLB All-Star Games, won the American League Most Valuable Player in 1990, earned three Silver Slugger Awards and won a Gold Glove.
The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame joined Henderson in 2020.
Henderson’s legacy in Oakland was cemented in 2017 with the Athletics changed the name of the field to the Coliseum “Rickey Henderson Field.” A logo remained on the field until the final game at the Coliseum in September.
The A’s honored Henderson last season by giving away dolls to fans who attended the contest on September 20. Before the contest, Henderson’s daughter, Adrianna, threw the ceremonial first pitch to her father.
Henderson’s influence on today’s Athletic continued in recent years, as provided advice to Lawrence Butler and Esteury Ruiz.
Henderson left a mark on baseball and the city of Oakland that will not soon be forgotten.
The “Robbery Man”, stolen too soon from the world of baseball.