On the death of 65-year-old Rickey Henderson, one of the finest MLB record holders for stealing bases, the baseball fraternity is already mourning him and relaying their condolences. He had dainty speed, fun style, and a huge swagger! He leaves behind a legacy that other generations of baseball fans would recognize.
A Record-Breaking Career
Essentially, Henderson has a 25-year career and his performance centered on how he was a base-stealing machine. It includes; the most career stolen bases (1,406), most runs scored (2,295), and most lead-off home runs (81) in the MLB league history. His base stealing skills earned him the nickname “The Man of Steal” which is a true testament to this player’s ingenious ability to produce runs through speed and wit.
Henderson is originally from Chicago, Illinois born on Christmas Day of 1958 but he was raised in Oakland, California where he developed into the famed player that is familiar to most people. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 1976 and debuted in Major League Baseball in 1979. In the next 20 years, he performed extraordinarily on the field and was voted into the All-Star game 10 times; he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2009. Legacy Beyond the Game
His influence reached much farther than any statistics could indicate. For instance, we still stand in awe of his references to himself in the third person and his playful boasting. Few could match the personality he injected into the game. He set the tone for the new generation through hard work combined with bravado.
In that capacity, Henderson also won two World Series rings- 1989 with the Oakland Athletics and 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Henderson was the American League MVP in 1990. Thus, he was the third man, after Barry Bonds in 1987 and 1993 and Tim Raines in 1987, to mash 28 home runs and swipe 65 bases in the same year.
Homage to Henderson is flown.
After the news reached the baseball universe like wildfire, honors came raining down, recalling not only the phenomenon of athletic sports but also as a teacher and mentor. “Rickey was a gem. There just had never been and never will be anybody else out there with the energy, passion, and excitement for the game like Rickey,” stated former Hall of Famer and manager Tony LaRosa.
Survived by his wife Pamela and their three children, Henderson’s legacy as one of the most electrifying players in baseball’s storied history will forever squash the grief and pain of his loss.
