I remember meeting Rickey Henderson. Back in 1992, as a 15-year-old, starstruck, and baseball-obsessed kid, I was fortunate to have had a job as a batboy for the Toronto Blue Jays. By and large, the players were great people, very personable and friendly as they went about the enviable daily task of competing as big-league ballplayers.
Operating within that context was an elite group: superstars who, perhaps inadvertently, brought extra attention upon themselves. I remember Rickey Henderson as a player who might have projected the vibe of being flashy and arrogant but, to my delight, was one of the most personable and friendly players I came into contact with. Like Kirby Puckett, another superstar of that era, Rickey Henderson was a player who greeted everyone on the field upon arrival when his Oakland A’s were in town.
While smiling and circling the cage during batting practice, Rickey would say, “What’s up?” and give a friendly shove or fistbump to everyone from the visiting clubhouse staff.
Each and every player or game personnel that might have been standing or warming up in general proximity of the cage would receive a greeting of some sort, including me! He was the man, and as a player, he was like no other—a Hall of Famer who changed the game during his time.
Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock’s all-time stolen base record of 938 early in the 1991 season. This was at a time when Rickey was the reigning American League Most Valuable Player.
He would have so much more in the tank following the day he broke that record.
Formerly, the stolen base record had stood for 13 seasons before being broken by Rickey. His final total of 1406 stolen bases over an incredible 25 years in MLB will likely never be broken. The same can likely be said for Rickey’s single-season record of 130 steals, which he totaled in 1982.
By contrast, the MLB leader in stolen bases for the 2024 season was Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, with just over half of Rickey’s record total, at 67 bags.
Tallying 3000 hits is an automatic ticket to Cooperstown. However, this feat doesn’t tell the whole story of just what an offensive weapon Rickey Henderson was.
His career On-Base Percentage of .401 sits tied with Chipper Jones at 50th all-time. When you factor in that he was a leadoff hitter, and one that hit a record 81 home runs to start a game, it is clear just what kind of sparkplug Rickey Henderson was at the top of the lineup.
This is a stat that is sometimes not given due recognition. Runs scored are ultimately the requirement for winning a baseball game and, in turn, winning Championships. With that said, Rickey was the best of the best.
Rickey Henderson is sitting at the top of the list, ahead of Ty Cobb, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth, with a remarkable record total of 2,295 runs scored. Similar to his stolen base record, this one will be extremely difficult to match.
There are undoubtedly other statistical categories where Rickey Henderson defined excellence. These might include his 10 All-Star Game selections or his 111.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which currently sits 19th all-time.
My most fond memory of Rickey, though, was the style with which he played the game. His casual and non-conventional way of waving his outstretched right hand and smacking his hip after catching a routine fly ball is something that would drive any coach crazy.
The best, though, was his simple acknowledgment. He didn’t have to say hello and ask, “What’s up?” but he did, and that’s why he was the best. RIP Rickey Henderson
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