Rickey Henderson, widely known as the greatest base stealer in MLB history and the greatest leadoff hitter, has died at the age of 65.
Henderson was a 10-time All-Star and spent most of his 25-year career with the Oakland Athletics.
Henderson, who would have turned 66 on Christmas Day, was reportedly battling pneumonia.
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Former Oakland Athletics star Rickey Henderson before the Athletics vs. St. Louis Cardinals game at the Coliseum on April 15, 2024 in Oakland, California. (Jane Tiska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
Henderson is also the all-time leader in points. He was named American League MVP in 1990 after leading the AL with a 1.016 OPS, 65 stolen bases, and 119 points scored.
He also played for the Yankees, Padres, Mets, Mariners, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Angels, and Dodgers.
Henderson's wife, Pamela, confirmed her husband's death in a statement.
“A legend on and off the field, Ricky was a devoted son, father, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and truly a humble soul. “Ricky lived his life with integrity and his love for baseball was paramount. Today, he is at peace with the Lord and cherishing his great moments and accomplishments,” Pamela said.
“For multiple generations of baseball fans, Rickey Henderson was the gold standard in base stealing and leadoff battering,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Ricky Henderson was one of the most accomplished and beloved players in Athletics history. ” he said.
“He also had an unparalleled impact on many other clubs during his quarter-century career. Ricky was instrumental in setting the tone at the top of the line-up with speed, power, entertainment and When we considered the new rules of the game in recent years, we had the era of Rickey Henderson in mind.
“Ricky commanded universal respect, admiration, and awe from sports fans. On behalf of Major League Baseball, we extend our deepest condolences to Ricky's family, friends, former teammates, A's fans, and baseball fans around the world.” expresses the meaning of
Henderson won two World Series, one with the Athletics in 1989 and the other four years later with Toronto.
Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson spoke during the pregame ceremony against the San Francisco Giants at RingCentral Coliseum. (Darren Yamashita/USA Today Sports)
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On May 1, 1991, Henderson became MLB's all-time stolen base leader when he stole third base in Oakland. He finished with 1,406 career sacks, nearly 500 more than Lou Brock. Henderson also retired with 2,295 RBIs, 50 more than Ty Cobb. His 3,055 hits rank 27th all-time.
His 130 stolen bases in 1982 were the highest in the live-ball era. He and Vince Coleman are the only players since 1920 to steal at least 100 bases in three seasons. Henderson stole more than 50 bags in 13 seasons, the most ever.
Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics steals 938 bases, tying Lou Brock's record, on April 27, 1991, in a game against the California Angels in Oakland, California. (Richard Maxon/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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He debuted in 1979 and hung up his cleats in 2003, amassing 111.1 WAR in 25 seasons in MLB.
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