Source: David Madison / Getty
The sports world has lost a legend. Former MLB player Rickey Henderson has passed away at the age of 65.
He died Friday, according to his family, who shared the news through the Oakland A’s, who spoke on his honorable attributes as a man that made him even more of a joy on the baseball field.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of my husband, Rickey Henderson. A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul. Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount,” his family’s statement reads. “Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”
Statement from the Henderson Family:
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of my husband, Rickey Henderson. A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul. Rickey lived his life with…
— Athletics (@Athletics) December 21, 2024
Henderson was one to watch immediately upon entering the league in 1979, becoming an all-star in 1980, which is the same year his lore for stealing bases began. He stole 130 bases that season, beating Lou Brock’s record of 118, which has still not been topped.
From there, he continued to show off his penchant for stealing bases, recording a career total of 1,406, a major league record.
He was first drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 1976 draft. For that first season, he stayed with the Boise A’s, Modesto A’s, Jersey City A’s, and Ogden A’s before eventually getting the call-up to join the Oakland A’s in 1979, where he stayed until 1984. But while there, he made history in 1983 when he notched 100 runs/100 stolen bases/100 walks for three seasons while no other player has been able to do it even once.
From there, he took his talents to the New York Yankees until 1989, where he landed in third place for MVP voting but managed to win the Silver Slugger Award and became the first player in MLB history to reach 80 stolen bases and 20 home runs.
Before he knew it, he was on the back half of his career, returning to Oakland for a few seasons, then had stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, New York Mets, and Seattle Mariners, between returning to Oakland several more times.
Henderson never officially retired from the MLB but played his last game on Sept. 19, 2003.
See how the sports world is celebrating the legend below.
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