Baseball Corridor of Famer and stolen base king Rickey Henderson has handed away. He was 65. Henderson’s buddy and teammate Dave Winfield was amongst these to announce the tragic information, which was later confirmed by the New York Publish.
Henderson was born in Chicago on Christmas Day in 1958. Nevertheless, he spent a lot of his childhood in Oakland. The Athletics arrived within the metropolis not lengthy after Henderson, and as soon as he completed highschool, his hometown group known as his identify within the fourth spherical of the 1976 MLB draft. Three years after that, he arrived on the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum to make his main league debut.
Following an underwhelming rookie season, Henderson broke out with a celebrity efficiency in 1980. The 21-year-old outfielder confirmed off terrific bat-to-ball abilities and a pointy eye on the plate, rating third amongst certified batters in stroll price and OBP. After all, he put that OBP to good use, main the majors with 100 stolen bases. It was the primary of seven instances he would lead the majors in steals. He additionally made his first of 10 All-Star groups that summer time and completed tenth in MVP voting that fall. On reflection, nevertheless, he deserved to complete a lot greater. In line with each FanGraphs and Baseball Reference, the one AL participant with a better WAR that season was MVP George Brett.
Henderson was even higher in his third season, the strike-shortened 1981 marketing campaign. He led the majors in runs scored and led the AL in hits and stolen bases. On the finish of the 12 months, he gained a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. Nevertheless, he was nonetheless, arguably, missed in MVP voting. He completed an in depth second behind Brewers nearer Rollie Fingers, however fashionable stats like fWAR and bWAR recommend he was the best participant within the American League that season. Certainly, this was typically the story of Henderson’s profession. He was persistently glorious 12 months in and 12 months out, and though he obtained no scarcity of reward and acclaim, he was nonetheless someway missed. He made 10 All-Star groups and gained three Silver Sluggers, one Gold Glove, and one MVP. But, all that may not have been sufficient to correctly acknowledge his greatness.
Henderson turned a star in his early twenties. He remained productive on the sphere into his forties. Over his 15 greatest seasons from 1980-94, he was virtually undeniably the very best participant in baseball. Whether or not you have a look at runs scored, stolen bases, fWAR, or bWAR, no different participant was wherever near as productive. Together with his mixture of pace, defensive vary, contact abilities, plate self-discipline, and ultimately above-average energy, he might influence a ballgame in all types of how. He’s greatest remembered because the all-time and modern-era single-season stolen base chief, however he additionally holds the all-time MLB data for runs, unintentional walks, and leadoff house runs.
Along with these profession accolades, Henderson was a transformational participant within the postseason. A two-time World Collection champion who hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy for each Oakland in 1989 and Toronto in 1993, his 11 stolen bases through the 1989 postseason is tied with Kenny Lofton for probably the most steals by a participant in a single postseason, and his 33 profession steals within the playoffs have been probably the most by a participant in historical past till Lofton broke that report through the 2007 ALCS.
Along with the havoc Henderson brought about on the basepaths, he was a prolific hitter when the lights have been brightest with a .284/.389/.441 slash line in 60 postseason video games. Spectacular as that work within the playoffs is, Henderson’s work throughout his 14 profession World Collection video games boggles the thoughts: he hit .339/.448/.607 with extra walks than strikeouts whereas going seven-for-nine on the basepaths. These unimaginable numbers translate to a 194 wRC+ that leaves him sandwiched between Babe Ruth (195) and Lou Gehrig (194) on the profession leaderboard for wRC+ within the World Collection amongst gamers who made no less than 60 journeys to the plate through the Fall Basic.
Whereas Henderson was the best participant of the ’80s and early ’90s, the legend of the sport stored his profession going properly previous the age the place most gamers cling up the spikes. After his age-35 season in Oakland, Henderson went on to play in an extra 1,001 video games within the majors whereas bouncing between the A’s, Padres, Angels, Mets, Mariners, Padres, Crimson Sox, and Dodgers. These remaining 9 years of Henderson’s profession have been naturally not on the extent of his seemingly superhuman peak in Oakland the Bronx, however he remained a productive participant by way of the tip of his main league profession. From 1995 by way of 2003, Henderson hit .254/.390/.369 with a 111 wRC+ whereas swiping 289 luggage, making him properly above common each on the plate and on the basepaths. Even throughout his 30-game stint with the Dodgers on the age of 44, Henderson produced above replacement-level worth based on each Fangraphs (0.1 fWAR) and Baseball Reference (0.2 bWAR).
Henderson continued taking part in in Unbiased Leagues even after he performed his remaining main league recreation as posted an .897 OPS within the Atlantic League and an .856 OPS within the Golden League earlier than calling it a profession in 2005 on the age of 46. The love of the sport that brought about him to proceed taking part in in indy ball following the tip of his huge league profession additionally led him to go away the door open to returning to a serious league discipline even after his taking part in days have been behind him. He maintained an curiosity in suiting up for a serious league group once more after being employed by the Mets as a hitting teacher in 2006 and famously instructed following his first-ballot induction into the Corridor of Fame again in 2009 that even on the age of fifty he could lead on the league in stolen bases.
It’s that coronary heart and love of the sport that endeared Henderson to his teammates, coaches, and all these across the recreation who interacted with him whereas making him beloved by thousands and thousands of followers world wide. Henderson’s otherworldly expertise and keenness for the sport led him to gather 3,055 hits, steal 1,406 bases, rating 2,295 runs, swat 873 extra-base hits, and handle a profession .401 on-base share in his 3,081 video games as a serious league participant. MLBTR extends our condolences to Henderson’s household, pals, and teammates as we be a part of the remainder of the baseball world in mourning his passing.
