Rickey Henderson, Athletics icon and Hall of Famer, dies at 65 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest players in Athletics franchise history and 2009 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, died Friday at 65, NBC Sports California confirmed.
MLB’s all-time leader in stolen bases would have turned 66 on Christmas Day.
Henderson played 25 MLB seasons with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Oakland Tech alum was selected by the Athletics in the fourth round of the 1976 MLB Draft, and three years later, he made his big league debut with Oakland.
It didn’t take Henderson long to establish himself as one of MLB’s best players. In 1980, his first full season, he earned an AL All-Star selection and finished 10th in MVP voting.
Henderson’s first Athletics stint ended in 1984 when they traded him to the Yankees. After five seasons in New York, he was dealt back to Oakland during 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 record, swiping 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 over his head.
Henderson gave a speech to a packed Oakland Coliseum and famously dubbed himself the “greatest of all time.”
The Athletics 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 still stands as the benchmark to this day.
Arguably the greatest leadoff hitting MLB history, Henderson holds the MLB record for most runs scored with 2,295. He also finished with 297 home runs and 1,115 RBI.
Henderson was selected to 10 MLB All-Star Games, won the 1990 AL MVP, earned three Silver Slugger Awards and won one Gold Glove.
The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame inducted Henderson in 2020.
Henderson’s legacy in Oakland was cemented in 2017 with the Athletics renamed the field at the Coliseum “Rickey Henderson Field.” A logo remained on the field until the final game at the Coliseum in September.
The Athletics honored Henderson this past season by giving bobbleheads to fans who attended their Sept. 20. Before the contest, Henderson’s daughter Adrianna threw out the ceremonial first pitch to her dad.
Henderson’s influence on current Athletics continued in recent years, as he provided advice to Lawrence Butler and Esteury Ruiz.
Henderson left a mark on baseball and the city of Oakland that won’t soon be forgotten.
The “Man of Steal,” stolen too soon from the baseball world.
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