Rickey Henderson, Baseball Hall of Famer, all-time MLB stolen base king and player widely-regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter ever, has died at the age of 65.
Fellow Hall of Famer Dave Winfield confirmed Henderson's death to the New York Times. A cause of death has yet to be announced.
Henderson played for nine franchises over his 25-year MLB career, including four different stints with the Oakland Athletics. He won two World Series and was named AL MVP in 1990. A 10-time All-Star, Henderson was the AL stolen base leader 12 times, surpassing 100 steals in a single season on three occasions — the only player to ever achieve that feat.
In May 1991, Henderson's base-stealing prowess earned him a place in baseball history when he swiped his 939th career base, breaking Lou Brock's record. Henderson would end up with 1,406 stolen bases following his final MLB season in 2003, reinforcing the nickname "Man of Steal."
OTD in 1991, Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock's all-time record for stolen bases 🐐 pic.twitter.com/bF5WtnOLka
— Athletics (@Athletics) May 1, 2023
It wasn't just his feet that allowed Henderson to find success — he also did it with his bat. Henderson hit 297 home runs, drove in 1,115 runs and batted .279 in 3,081 games played. Of those 297 home runs, 81 came to lead off a game, an MLB record.
He also set MLB records for runs scored (2,295) and unintentional walks (2,129).
"If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game," Henderson once said.
An impactful player all over the field
Henderson was born on Christmas Day, 1958 on the way to the hospital, which later led to him saying, "I was already fast. I couldn't wait."
After moving to Oakland when he was a child, Henderson became a multi-sport star in baseball, basketball, track and football. After turning down multiple scholarships to play football in college, he signed with the Athletics in 1976 after being drafted in the fourth round.
Three years later, Henderson made his MLB debut. In his first full season with the A's, he broke Ty Cobb's AL stolen base record with 100 steals and followed that up two years later with 132, the first record previously held by Brock (118) that Henderson would break.
Henderson would play his first six MLB seasons in Oakland before being traded to the New York Yankees. He would return to Oakland in a June 1989 trade that would help boost the A's towards a World Series title. Henderson stole 52 bases, hit nine home runs and drove in 35 runs in 85 regular season games after the deal.
In the playoffs, he batted .441 with three home runs, eight RBI, 11 stolen bases and 32 total bases, earning ALCS MVP honors along the way to his first championship.
Rickey Henderson took his game to another level during the 1989 postseason 🔥 pic.twitter.com/veYVvGNQVH
— Baseball’s Greatest Moments (@BBGreatMoments) December 14, 2024
Henderson's play in the 1989 postseason continued into the 1990 regular season where he won AL MVP after batting .325 with 65 stolen bases, 28 home runs, 119 runs scored, and 61 RBI.
Henderson would leave Oakland for a second time in July 1993 when he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. Unlike the first time he was dealt, he struggled in Toronto, hitting .215 in 44 regular season games as he dealt with a broken bone in his hand. His issues at the plate continued into the postseason as he hit .170 in 12 games with two RBI and three stolen bases. He did score 10 runs that October, including one as he was on base for Joe Carter's World Series-winning home run in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Following his time in Toronto, Henderson would move around often for the rest of his career, including two more stops in Oakland. He would play for the San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and finally with the Los Angeles Dodgers in his final MLB season in 2003.
After his time with the Dodgers, Henderson would play several years of independent ball while putting off retirement.
Eventually, Henderson did retire and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2009 class.
Henderson would allude to his "I'm the greatest of all time" line during his remarks after he broke Brock's all-time steals record. On stage in Cooperstown, he said his hero growing up was Muhammad Ali, who used the same line during his boxing career.
"That is something I always wanted to be," Henderson said. "And now that the Association has voted me into the Baseball Hall of Fame, my journey as a player is complete.
"I am now in the class of the greatest players of all time. And at this moment, I am very, very humble."
