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Rickey Henderson: The great players mourn the loss of the MLB leader in all-time steals

Posted on by Taylor Reeves
Rickey Henderson: The great players mourn the loss of the MLB leader in all-time steals

OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 5: Rickey Henderson addresses the crowd during a pre-game ceremony inducting the inaugural members of the Oakland Athletics Hall of Fame before the game between the Athletics and the New York Yankees on September 5, 2018 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Yankees 8-2. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

Rickey Henderson was the platonic ideal of a leadoff hitter, not to mention beloved as a person. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

The MLB world lost its leader in stolen bases on Saturday with the death of Rickey Henderson, one of baseball’s biggest stars of the 1980s and 1990s.

Henderson will always be remembered as the man who stole 1,406 bases, a mark that could be considered one of the truly unbreakable MLB records. The active player closest to that mark is Starling Marte with 354, about a quarter of Henderson’s total.

However, Henderson was so much more than just a demon on the basepaths. He had power, with 297 home runs in his career. He had plate discipline and retired as the all-time MLB leader in walks with 2,190 (only Barry Bonds has surpassed that mark). He had Gold Glove defense and won two World Series rings. And he had a larger-than-life personality, yet was as generous as any star:

The A’s praised every part of what made Henderson great as they announced his death:

Rickey Henderson is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. His accomplishments on the field speak for themselves and his records will forever be at the forefront of baseball history. He was undoubtedly the most legendary player in Oakland history and left an indelible mark on generations of A’s fans during his 14 seasons wearing the green and gold.

To those who knew him personally, Rickey was much more than a franchise icon and a Baseball Hall of Famer. He was a friend and mentor to every player, coach and staff member who visited the Oakland Coliseum or played a game on the field that bore his name.

We are shocked and heartbroken by his death. His loss will be felt not only by A’s fans, but by baseball fans around the world. The entire A’s organization extends its sincere condolences to Rickey’s family and loved ones at this time.

When a league loses a player like that, his teammates feel it. Even before news of Henderson’s death was confirmed, tributes poured in from Henderson’s former teammates, opponents and coaches in the major leagues, not to mention all the players who idolized him.

Dave Winfield, Henderson’s Hall of Fame teammate on the New York Yankees, was the first to do so:

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