Baseball icon and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson died on Friday in his hometown of Oakland, at the age of 65.

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Chris Francis Sports Reporter

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Baseball icon and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson dies at 65

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Chris Francis Sports Reporter

By Chris Francis (Sports Reporter), Jack Henry (Video Editor), Ali Caldwell (Motion Graphic Designer)

Baseball icon and Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson died on Friday, Dec. 20, in his hometown of Oakland, California, at the age of 65. “One of one” was a phrase often used to describe Henderson, who shattered records and often upset baseball’s establishment with the way he played and the way he expressed himself.

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Henderson was widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever and the best leadoff hitter in history. The reactions, stories and superlatives from the rest of the sports world and beyond continue to pour in days after his death.

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A post shared by DAVE WINFIELD | Hall Of Fame (@davewinfieldhof)

On Instagram, Hall of Fame teammate Dave Winfield wrote, “I still cannot believe I’ve lost one of my favorite teammates and great friend Ricky Henderson, rest in peace.”

I’m very sad about the loss of my friend, teammate and fellow Hall of Famer. We were two Bay Area boys. I was proud to play with him. He was the greatest player I ever played with. I cherished our recent times together both in Cooperstown and at the Oakland Coliseum. My…
— Dennis Eckersley (@Eck43) December 22, 2024

“I’m very sad about the loss of my friend, teammate and fellow Hall of Famer,” Oakland A’s great Dennis Eckersley wrote in an X post. “We were two Bay Area boys. I was proud to play with him. He was the greatest player I ever played with.”

There will never be another Ricky Henderson. 💔

He played with such passion, flair, and joy. He was true force of nature on the field and an incredible teammate. Devastated to hear about his passing.

RIP Ricky pic.twitter.com/LFOoMSLGa2
— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) December 21, 2024

Alex Rodriquez, another former teammate, posted on X as well.

“There will never be another Ricky Henderson,” Rodriguez wrote. “He played with such passion, flair, and joy. He was true force of nature on the field and an incredible teammate. Devastated to hear about his passing.”

Another former Yankee and Hall of Famer, Don Mattingly, had the ultimate compliment.

“I’ve said this to a lot of people: This, for me, was the best player I ever played with, Mike Hill used to say we need guys that can flip the field, that can change the game. And Rickey was a true game changer in all aspects of it. Best player I ever played with or really ever seen,” Mattingly said.

Henderson played for nine teams in his 25 years in the majors and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. To Mattingly’s point, his numbers are off the charts.

All-time stolen base leader with 1406 stolen bases recorded.
Most stolen bases in a single season: 132.
Ten-time all-star.
Two-time World Series champ.
1990 American League MVP.
All-time runs scored leader.
Most lead-off home runs in history with 81.

Perhaps equal to Henderson’s dominance on the diamond was the flamboyant, outspoken way he played. He was a trash talker and show-boater decades before that style became normal. Henderson backed up his words with his play. Henderson sometimes referred to himself in the third person.

Former player Harold Reynolds told one of the best stories he has of Henderson.

“So, I win the stolen base title, one of the only times in the 80s Rickey didn’t win it, you can Google it, he was hurt that year.” Reynolds said. “So, I win with 60. After the season the phone rings, ‘Henderson here,’ because he always spoke in the third person. I said, ‘hey Rickey what’s up.’ He said, ’60 stolen bases, you ought to be ashamed,’ I said, ‘what?’ He said, ‘you ought to be ashamed. Rickey had 60 at the all-star break,’ and click, hung up!”

One of baseball’s great characters and entertainers, Henderson claimed to channel boxing great Muhammad Ali. When he broke Lou Brocks’ record with 939 steals, Henderson pulled the base out of the ground, held it over his head and yelled “I am the greatest!”

When the 2025 baseball season begins in late March, there will be league-wide tributes to Henderson, especially in Sacramento. Henderson’s A’s have relocated there while they await a new stadium in Las Vegas.

Tags: baseball, California, Death, Sports

[Chris]

ONE OF ONE” WAS A PHRASE OFTEN USED TO DESCRIBE BASEBALL’S RICKEY HENDERSON. THE HALL OF FAME ICON DIED ON SATURDAY AT THE AGE OF 65 IN HIS HOMETOWN OF OAKLAND AFTER BATTLING PNEUMONIA.

HENDERSON WAS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE GREATEST LEAD OFF HITTER IN HISTORY OF. THE REACTIONS, STORIES AND SUPERLATIVES FROM THE REST OF THE SPORTS WORLD AND BEYOND, HAVE YET TO STOP.

On Instgram DAVE WINFIELD wrote

“I still cannot believe I’ve lost one of my favorite teammates and great friend Ricky Henderson, rest in peace.”

OAKLAND A’S GREAT DENNIS ECKERSLY,

“I’m very sad about the loss of my friend, teammate and fellow Hall of Famer. We were two Bay Area boys. I was proud to play with him. He was the greatest player I ever played with.

AND ALEX RODRIGUEZ ADDED,

“There will never be another Ricky Henderson. He played with such passion, flair, and joy. He was true force of nature on the field and an incredible teammate. Devastated to hear about his passing.”

AND DON MATTINGLY HAD THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT.

“ I’ve said this to a lot of people, this for me was the best player I ever played with, Mike Hill used to say we need guys that can flip the field, that can change the game. And rickey was a true game changer in all aspects of it. Best player I ever played with or really ever seen.”

HENDERSON PLAYED FOR NINE TEAM IN HIS 25 YEARS IN THE MAJOR AND WAS A FIRST BALLOT HALL OF FAMER. TO MATTINGLY’S POINT, HIS NUMBERS ARE OFF THE CHARTS.

TOP OF THE LIST. THE ALL-TIME STOLEN BASE RECORD OF 1406, WHICH IS 468 MORE THAN LOU BROCK WHO HE PASSED IN 1991. HAS THE MOST STOLEN BASES IN ONE SEASON WITH 132

LED THE LEAGUE IN STOLEN BASES 12 TIMES, HE WAS A TEN TIME ALL STAR, A TWO TIME WORLD SERIES CHAMP, THE 1990 AL MVP, HE IS THE ALL-TIME RUNS SCORED LEADER AND HAS THE MOST LEAD OFF HOMERS IN HISTORY, WITH 81.

BUT PERHAPS EQUAL TO HENDERSON’S HIS DOMINANCE ON THE DIAMOND WAS THE FLAMBOYANT, OUTSPOKEN WAY HE PLAYED THE GAME. HE WAS A TRASH TALKER AND SHOW-BOATER DECADES BEFORE THAT STYLE BECAME THE NORM. AND HE BACKED IT UP.

DURING AND EVEN AFTER HIS PLAYING DAYS HENDERSON SOMETIMES REFERED TO HIMSELF IN THE THIRD PERSON. FORMER PLAYER HAROLD REYNOLDS TELLS ONE OF THE BEST STORIES.

“So I win the stolen base title, one of the only times in the 80’s rickey didn’t win it, you can zoogle it. He was hurt that year. So, I win with 60. After the season the phone rings, ‘Henderson here’ because he always spoke in the third person. I said, hey Rickey what’s up. He said, 60 stolen bases, you ought to be ashamed, I said what? He said, you ought to be ashamed. Rickey had 60 at the all-star break, and click, hung up!”

TRULY ONE OF BASEBALL’S GREAT CHARACTERS AND ENTERTAINERS. HENDERSON CLAIMED TO CHANNEL BOXING GREAT MUHAMMAD ALI WHEN HE PLAYED. WHEN HE BROKE LOU BROCKS RECORD WITH HIS 939^TH STEAL – HE PULLED THE BASE OUT OF THE GROUND, HELD IT OVER HIS HEAD AND YELLED “I AM THE GREATEST”

ALI WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD. AND YOU CAN BET WHEN THE 2025 BASEBALL SEASON BEGINS IN LATE MARCH THERE WILL BE LEAGUE WIDE TRIBUTES TO HENDERSON, ESPECIALLY IN SACRAMENTO WHERE HIS BELOVED A’S HAVE BEEN RELOCATED WHILE THEY AWAIT A NEW STADIUM IN LAS VEGAS.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS