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Rickey Henderson
| Rickey Henderson | |
|---|---|
 Henderson with the Oakland Athletics in 1983 | |
| Left fielder | |
| Born: December 25, 1958 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Died: December 20, 2024 (aged 65) San Francisco, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 24, 1979, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 19, 2003, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .279 |
| Hits | 3,055 |
| Home runs | 297 |
| Runs batted in | 1,115 |
| Stolen bases | 1,406 |
| Runs | 2,295 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
MLB records
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2009 |
| Vote | 94.8% (first ballot) |
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (December 25, 1958 – December 20, 2024), nicknamed "Man of Steal", was an American professional baseball left fielder who played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. He is widely regarded as baseball's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner.[1][2] He holds MLB records for career stolen bases, runs, unintentional walks, and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the 10-time American League (AL) All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in walks. In 2009, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Henderson holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982) and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times (in 1980, 1982, and 1983). His 1,406 career steals is 50% higher than the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock. Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland Athletics[3] and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988 to 2011.[4][5] He was among the league's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons.
Henderson was named the AL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1990, and he was twice the lead-off hitter for World Series champions: the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. A 12-time stolen base champion, Henderson led the league in runs five times. His 25-season career elevated him to the top ten in several other categories, including career at-bats, games, and outfield putouts and total chances. His high on-base percentage, power hitting, and stolen base and run totals made him one of the most dominant and innovative players of all time. He was further known for his unquenchable passion for playing baseball and a buoyant, eccentric, and quotable personality that both perplexed and entertained fans. Once asked if he thought Henderson was a future Hall of Famer, statistician Bill James replied, "If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers."[6]
- ^ Bloom, Barry M. (January 12, 2009). "Henderson, Rice earn Hall passes". MLB.com. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
- ^ Davis, Nate (April 18, 2001). "Henderson tops list of leadoff hitters". USATODAY.com. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
- ^ "Oakland A's All-Time steals leaders". Oakland.athletics.mlb.com. Retrieved May 30, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Jeter passes Rickey as Yankees' steals leader". New York Yankees.
- ^ "New York Yankees All-Time steals leaders". Newyork.yankees.mlb.com. Retrieved May 30, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ James, Bill (2001). The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. Free Press. p. 654. ISBN 0-684-80697-5.
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