Rickey Henderson, the greatest base stealer in baseball history, has died. He was 65.
Henderson, who stole 1,406 bases during a Hall of Fame career that included stops with both the Yankees and Mets, died Friday after a battle with pneumonia, TMZ reported Saturday.
“For all his controversy, you have to say that Rickey Henderson was one of the greatest players of all-time, if not the greatest,” Hall of Fame Daily News baseball columnist Bill Madden said Saturday afternoon. “The all-time stolen base leader, the all-time runs leader. He was the complete package and made every team he was on better.
“And while he may have given many a manager headaches, and he had his issues with the media, when he got into the Hall of Fame he was like a new man. He loved everyone, the fans and media alike. I think everyone who knew him will greatly miss him.”
The leadoff speedster nicknamed the ‘Man of Steal’ was a 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion (1989 with the Oakland A’s; 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays), won the AL MVP in 1990, earned three Silver Sluggers and one Gold Glove before ending up in Cooperstown’s Class of 2009. He also holds the MLB career mark for career runs (2,295).
“Faster than a speeding bullet, scored more runs and stole more bases than any player in history,” is how the text of Henderson’s Hall of Fame plaque begins.
He also ranks 27th on baseball’s all-time hits leaderboard with 3,055. Only Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski and Pete Rose played more games than Henderson’s 3,081.
“It’s ironic now, looking back, that Rickey once said ‘Don’t need no press now,'” legendary News columnist Mike Lupica said after learning of Henderson’s death. “It was a day when he didn’t want to talk. But the truth is, as much as he really did love to talk, is that he never had to say a word, because his incredible talent for baseball shouted at us from the time he was a kid. A streak of light with power. And style.”
Late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner once said: “There was only one Rickey Henderson in baseball.”
“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time. I’m not sure there’s a close second,” said ex-A’s general manager Billy Beane when Henderson went into the Hall of Fame.
Henderson, who was born Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson in Chicago and then moved to Oakland as young boy, had a knack for swiping bases from the day he first arrived in the major leagues after being a fourth round pick of his hometown Athletics in the 1976 MLB draft.
“If my uniform doesn’t get dirty, I haven’t done anything in the baseball game,” Henderson famously quipped.
He broke Ty Cobb’s American League stolen base record (96) with 100 during his rookie season and then broke the single-season record held by Lou Brock (118) in 1982 when he stole 130 bases on the season. He led the American League in steals 12 times.
It was during Henderson’s second stint with the A’s that he broke Brock’s all-time mark. His 939th stolen base came against the Yankees on May 1, 1991.
“Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing, but today, I am the greatest of all time,” Henderson said that day as he stood next to Brock.
A first ballot Hall of Famer who earned 511 of 539 votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America, Henderson played for nine teams during a career that spanned a quarter century.
In addition to his 14 seasons with the A’s, Henderson spent four-plus seasons with the Bombers and two with the Mets.
“Though he spent just four and a half seasons in pinstripes, Rickey left an indelible mark on our record book, and he entertained us not only with his baseball talent, but with a no-nonsense personality and knack for showmanship that were ahead of its time,” the Yankees said in a statement.
Henderson, who was acquired by the team on Dec. 5, 1983, batted .288 (663-for-2,302) with 513 runs, 119 doubles, 16 triples, 78 home runs, 255 RBI, 326 stolen bases, a .395 on-base percentage and an .850 OPS in 596 games with the pinstripers. Four of his All-Star selections came while he played for the Yankees.
“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with,” teammate Don Mattingly said. “He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways. It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”
“People always ask me who was the best player I’ve played with,” Willie Randolph added. “I played with so many tremendous players through the years that I hate picking just one. But pound for pound, Rickey Henderson was the greatest player I ever played with.”
Henderson, who would have turned 66 on Christmas Day, was traded back to the A’s in June 1989 for outfielder Luis Polonia and a pair of pitchers.
He also played for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Blue Jays, Anaheim Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
