born december american retired professional baseball left fielder played major_league_baseball mlb teams including original team nicknamed man steal widely regarded baseball reliable hitter holds major league records career stolen bases runs walks home runs time major league game time american_league star ranked sport time home run hitters time leader base balls inducted ballot appearance henderson holds single season record stolen bases player history steal bases season having times career steals higher previous record henderson time stolen base leader oakland previously held franchise record league base different seasons henderson named valuable player hitter world series champions oakland toronto blue time stolen base champion henderson led league runs times year career elevated henderson categories including career bats games outfield total chances high base percentage power hitting stolen base run totals dynamic players era known passion playing baseball eccentric personality entertained fans asked thought henderson future hall replied split hall early years henderson born chicago illinois named named singer actor christmas day chicago seat way hospital henderson later joked fast couldn wait years old father left home family moved oakland california seven father died automobile accident years leaving home mother married junior year high school family adopted henderson surname child learning play baseball oakland henderson developed ability bat right handed naturally left handed rare combination baseball players especially non pitchers entire history major_league_baseball season position players known batted right thrown left henderson easily successful player henderson later said friends right handed swung right thought way supposed henderson graduated played baseball basketball football american running pair yard rushing seasons ran track stay team schedule conflicted baseball henderson received dozen scholarship offers play football despite childhood dream play turned scholarships advice mother argued football players shorter careers henderson married high school sweetheart children angela minor leagues henderson drafted fourth round major_league_baseball draft spent season minor league career games henderson batted hit home runs triples henderson spent following season batted games record setting season henderson nearly broke league record team stolen bases finished season stolen bases shy league record tied single season player record stolen bases henderson beat record stealing bases awarded given valuable player henderson spent season minor league season ended played winter season mexican pacific league played games team won championship henderson started season pacific coast league games batting average stole bases major leagues henderson major league debut oakland june getting hits bats stolen base batted stolen bases games henderson 3rd modern era player steal bases season preceded steals broke franchise record set new american_league record surpassing set batted hits tied 9th scored runs 4th drew walks 2nd base 3rd led reaching base times winter henderson played stolen bases broke league record henderson valuable player candidate year later season shortened players strike hit fourth led league hits runs steals henderson 3rd base percentage tied 2nd triples 4th walks 8th total bases 2nd times reaching base figure oakland manager aggressive philosophy received media attention finishing second mvp voting henderson fielding season earned gold glove award later known catches flick glove incoming fly balls whip arm making catch henderson broke major league single season record stealing bases total approached stole bases star break player stolen bases entire season henderson stole henderson steals american_league teams season led walks 4th runs 3rd base henderson adopted exaggerated batting stance reduced strike zone sacrificing power sportswriter described henderson strike zone smaller hitler heart described approach sports_illustrated found real low plate ball better knew threw pitcher found weight foot turn swing low don strike zone walking gets mad year angels got frustrated umpire calling balls strikes anybody stood shouted stand hit like man guess people henderson mlb history 3rd runs stolen bases bases balls season modern player post led stolen bases walks finishing 4th scoring runs 2nd base tied 9th triples 5th times base reaching times final season stint oakland henderson started develop power stroke hitting home runs leading league stolen bases finishing 2nd runs scored 3rd base season traded new_york_yankees muscular frame developed henderson continued improve hitter increasing power hitting ability eventually led record home runs lead game career hit home runs different seasons high new_york_yankees december henderson traded new_york_yankees players season yankees led league runs scored stolen bases fourth batting average walks base percentage 7th slugging 3rd hit home runs won silver award voting mvp award runs scored player runs scored games played henderson player major league history reach stolen bases home runs season matched feat reds remain players major league history club led runs scored stolen bases second year row seventh walks extra base hits hitting home runs led games rbis average season standards criticism new_york media covered henderson yankees owner issued press release claiming manager wanted trade henderson playing henderson best base percentage point career fifth stolen bases hit home runs despite playing games season henderson lead steals seattle led league steals tells story getting phone henderson season phone rings henderson hey going think calling goes stolen bases ought ashamed break click hung henderson led steals runs scored fifth seventh walks hitting new_york half seasons henderson set yankees franchise record stolen bases previous high held henderson total surpassed played games yankee henderson second stint following mid season trade oakland henderson game greatest players memorable half season steals runs scored led postseason walks year hitter record steals games named mvp hit scoring runs delivering home runs runs batted rbi seven walks slugging percentage leading game sweep san_francisco_giants franchise world series title henderson hit slugging average including triples homer stealing bases august victim henderson took odd delight occurrence saying haven struck year later henderson finished second league batting average mark losing final day season henderson remarkably consistent season batting average falling game year reaching safely hit walk games led league runs stolen bases base percentage 2nd slugging 4th walks extra base hits 6th home runs total bases rbi henderson won mvp award helped oakland pennant performed world series batting slugging home run steals games swept cincinnati_reds henderson broke baseball noted records stole base career total compiled mainly henderson having outstanding season traded trade deadline games oakland batting 2nd home runs rbis scored runs stolen bases drew walks base percentage slugging july athletics traded henderson playoff bound performed hitting games probably fact fractured bone hand early team hit pitch contributed stolen bases runs scored hitting continued post season batting world series henderson involved final play world series year fashion known scored series ending home run winning second world series ring toronto signed free agent oakland december stint henderson finished league walks steals base percentage average marked sixth final season better average san_diego_padres henderson signed san_diego_padres offseason respectable year finishing national_league walks steals runs august henderson traded anaheim angels brief stint angel uneventful batting rest baseball year angels fourth stint january henderson signed free agent athletics fourth time played franchise season led stolen bases walks scoring runs new_york_mets year later henderson signed free agent new_york_mets batted steals seventh base percentage ninth year row henderson voted national_league comeback player year wore number officially retired regularly worn player retirement nonetheless henderson uneasy fit following loss new_york press card game henderson players substituted lineup reportedly left playoff game concluded henderson released quickly signed free agent second game henderson hit home run player hit home run different decades fourth despite late start henderson finished fourth stolen bases second stint san_diego_padres free agent march henderson returned season broke major league career records reached additional major career milestone broke record career walks record career runs record career games left field final day season collected career hit double pitcher final game legend major league game henderson originally wanted sit occasion insisted henderson play scoring game run henderson removed lineup having hits second time major_league history pair teammates career hits speaker previously played games age substantial major league season henderson finished year stolen bases ninth marked 23rd consecutive season steals base active stole fewer bases year old henderson boston_red_sox february henderson signed free agent boston_red_sox age oldest player play center field major league history replaced games april july henderson arrival marked statistical years june debut end season stolen bases new team steals henderson boston franchise finally passed henderson april henderson oldest player american_league los_angeles_dodgers season began henderson team time career played independent hoping chance major league organization media attention los_angeles_dodgers signed star break named league star game mvp retirement season majors henderson discussed reputation hanging lengthy baseball career day set record talk talk home run hitter haven broken time records hit matters continue playing accomplish lot think people look fantastic career instead thinks people want quit henderson played major league game september hit pitch plate appearance came score run increasingly unlikely return major league action status continued publicly debated official retirement professional baseball leaving dodgers henderson started second consecutive season newark bears spring games twice walks strikeouts stole bases caught twice henderson signed independent league inaugural season henderson helped team league championship games walks striking times steals caught twice final professional season henderson accept end major league career insisting capable playing major leagues nbc espn reported henderson announced delayed official retirement december agent denied report following day february accepted position hitting instructor leaving door open returning player july henderson discussed offer received rejoin season 31st professional baseball suggested weeks later august claimed sort weird playing decided year adding retire heart love game right going wait happens san_francisco_chronicle reported oakland general manager considering adding henderson roster game september provided integrity roster season henderson retire oakland player month later henderson appeared reject saying day don want day want play man don want spot want deserve don rid release belong don pay minimum donate penny charity anybody don goodbye want day want bad let know athletics retired henderson august henderson finally conceded official retirement july haven submitted retirement papers mlb think mlb papers retired added situation going win world series player left shoes contrary speculation henderson refusal officially retire delaying eligibility hall_of_fame induction 1970s year waiting period based major league service henderson elected hall fame vote appearance ballot press conference days election year old henderson told reporters believe today people crazy gave bats runners today ring phone come help love game 20th anniversary record breaking stolen base oakland held henderson insistence plastic dolls modification told little dirt sure looks like playing game years final game henderson reiterated desire return sit look game things ain going right think let uniform chance coaching new_york_mets hired henderson special instructor primarily work hitters teach base stealing henderson impact noticeable hitter want game henderson said blood helping success feels good july promoted henderson special instructor base coach replacing hitting coach henderson retained coach henderson periodically special instructor athletics spring training camps worked base stealing notably outfield drills image personality sports_illustrated wrote certain figures american history passed realm cultural mythology reality longer contain stories exist narrow margin fact fiction henderson known referring person unconfirmed story reports seeing standing naked mirror game practicing swing declaring best best according season henderson called general manager left message kevin calling behalf wants play baseball henderson denied happened february interview mike mike morning discussed unusual saying people saying says blown way proportion says doesn needs uses remind like stupid henderson use person occasion defended position contract dispute asking want henderson proud million signing bonus framed instead losing months interest following argument pitcher henderson stated needs grow little bit ain kid broke game crawling hands knees old probably unconfirmed stories henderson teammate variously reported offered seat bus saying henderson tenure henderson supposedly replied years talking got years widely reported story began joke visiting player playing seattle henderson said commented baseman practice wearing batting helmet playing defense noting teammate toronto thing reported replied men previous season world champion blue news outlets originally reported story fact wrote modern day faster henderson resigned persona lot stuff said created comedy guess want judge character legacy henderson stole base pass sport time stolen base leader henderson speech right breaking record similar standard victory award speech thanked god mother people helped baseball idol henderson decided use words greatest time words taken support notion henderson selfish arrogant years later henderson revealed gone planned remarks ahead time problem fact helped write going day day speech later told reporters spoke heart henderson friendly relationship meeting pronounced young heir record saying gon break henderson mixed feelings comments soon said ruined everybody thought worst thing words day continue accomplished game end july hall fame induction henderson alluded earlier speech saying closing like favorite hero said time quote greatest end quote wanted association voted journey player complete class greatest players time moment pause humble thank asked believes passage time improve reputation henderson said talk baseball eliminate baseball truth telling truth isn want didn numbers teams didn win lot games people don want don don don says henderson stolen bases career short game second prolific henderson stole base surpassing record established years earlier japan prime henderson virtual monopoly stolen base title american_league led league steals season missed season injury allowing second baseman win title henderson league leading season stretch steals oldest steals leader baseball history henderson owns record times caught stealing incomplete historical unknown actual career leader henderson overall success rate highest history ranks players career attempts july henderson stole bases left handed career high shy single game major league record unusually henderson game walks henderson steal games career august game series brewers game series versus yankees henderson stolen bases games baltimore_orioles baseman described confusion felt particular game henderson leading base signalling fingers henderson quickly stole second base understood gesture longtime scout remembered havoc caused henderson lot study found impossible throw started found impossible throw guys second seconds pitcher catcher combination baseball throw tag second seconds actually runner continuous regular like thrown proven wrote time favorite statistics walked times career leading inning think absolutely pitcher want avoid walking lead inning walked seven ninety times lead inning walked times leading inning hall walked entire careers simply imagine baseball henderson september henderson discussed base stealing technique length sports_illustrated wanted know dive base getting knees ass thinking head versus feet wondering save body head worried pounding shoulders hands feet worry knees legs felt running important legs started going head got low ground technique plane asleep plane bounced landed bounced flight pilot plane went smooth asked pilot said land plane smooth plane elevated lowest position smooth sliding dive running straight long distance ground closer ground time hitting dirt smooth fast hit dirt wasn like mark like throw rock water hit ground didn tag matter ball beat close plays way think closer said don know words fortunate spend time icons game years able played imagine like saying played general manager said daily fans saying sign calls anybody special players come san_diego henderson manager late 1980s oakland said rises occasion big moment better anybody seen coach said run plate teammate mitchell page said wasn saw understood baseball run man don care score great won like pitching coach said henderson careful knock don want careful got small strike zone afford walk half problem gets base trouble sportswriter wrote baseball designed sort game player supposed dominate past quarter century henderson come closest dominating baseball game way basketball game july sportswriter wrote henderson accomplishments stole bases scored runs played years body brain tell pitcher muscles going home throwing understood conditioning isn strength flexibility history game understood baseball entirely game discipline discipline work endless counts way discipline understand job base discipline understand season important game career important season maybe bit credit boring like apple pie tradition better things way fun broke stolen base record proclaimed greatest course saying true career henderson ranks fourth time career games played tenth bats second hits runs scored stolen bases record career walks broken henderson second holds record home runs lead game new_york_yankees tied second season henderson surpassed career record secondary bases total bases compiled extra base hits walks stolen bases times hit pitch led games time major league game henderson time home run hitters wrote inch find hall taken don records important records henderson steals broke postseason record single series record postseason stolen bases broken 34th career steal accomplished total postseason games compared henderson henderson american_league player steal bases single season time stolen base leader oakland breaking career records runs scored walks henderson ranked number list greatest baseball players nominee sporting news updated list henderson number january henderson elected year ballot receiving vote 13th highest percentage major league history asked choose best player history henderson declined saying guys different things don know mastered offered chance assess placement game said haven mastered rbi little things probably mastered records achievements values career runs scored mark score win records awards honors
Rickey Henderson