Rickey Henderson
Man of Steal
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 the greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner in the history of baseball. 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.
Quick Facts
- A's tenure
- 1979–1984, 1989–1993, 1994–1995, 1998
- All-star selections
- 10
- Notable a's achievement
- 1989 World Series champion
Lore & Background
Henderson was born on December 25, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois in the back seat of an Oldsmobile on the way to the hospital. He learned to bat right-handed although he was a naturally left-handed thrower. He graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1976, where he played baseball, basketball, and football and was an All-American running back. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 1976 MLB draft. He made his major league debut with Oakland on June 24, 1979. He was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1990, and he was twice the lead-off hitter for World Series champions: the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays.
Reader's Guide
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 nearly 50% higher than the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock. Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland Athletics. He was a 12-time stolen base champion and led the league in runs five times. He earned his only Gold Glove Award in 1981.
Did You Know?
- Henderson was named after singer-actor Ricky Nelson.
- He once joked about being born fast: 'I was already fast. I couldn't wait.'
- Statistician Bill James said of Henderson: 'If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall of Famers.'
- Henderson adopted an exaggerated crouch as his batting stance, inspired by Dodger leadoff hitter Rudy Law.
More in Legendary Players
Elsewhere in Oakland Athletics
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