Rickey Henderson, a 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champ, one-time MVP, Hall of Famer and overall legend of the game, passed away on Friday at age 65.
The Athletics announced his passing on social media.
The Chicago native compiled 3,055 hits, 297 home runs, 1115 RBI, 2,295 runs and 1,406 stolen bases over his 25-year career. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown on his first ballot in 2009.
“The Man of Steal” was the singular fastest force on the diamond over his long career. His 1,406 stolen bases are far and above anyone else to pick up the baseball bat, with Lou Brock a distant second at 938. He also has the most runs scored all time, 50 ahead of fellow Cooperstown resident Ty Cobb.
More than simply his speed on the basepaths, Henderson had a knack for getting on base, finishing with a career .279 batting average and .401 on-base percentage.
His otherworldly stolen base numbers were also helped by his ridiculously long career, with his 25 seasons in the majors split over four decades. He is one of 31 players to play over four decades.
He started his storied career in the Bay Area, suiting up in 1979 for the Oakland Athletics, a team still trying to recapture their dynasty from the early-70s. Though they returned to the playoffs in 1981, with Henderso finishing second in AL MVP voting in only his third season, the A’s stumbled in the years to come, missing the post-season six times.
Ahead of the 1995 season he was dealt to the New York Yankees in a blockbuster move and finished as an MVP finalist for the second time after batting .314 with 24 home runs and 80 stolen bases.
But you couldn’t keep him out of the Bay for long, as in 1989 he was traded back to the Athletics in a mid-season deal for the suddenly World Series contending squad. He finally reached the mountaintop that year, helping the A’s sweep their Bay Area rivals the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
It got even better from that point on, as Henderson, at 31 years old, was finally named the best player in the American League in 1990, winning his first and only MVP award after putting up .325/.439/.577 batting splits with 28 home runs and a league-leading 65 stolen bases.
The Athletics made it to their third-straight World Series that season but were swept by the Cincinnati Reds.
Henderson bounced around MLB in the latter half of his career, with stops playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers at age 44 in the 2003 season.
He won a second World Series with the Blue Jays in 1993 during his half-season stint in the North.
Despite playing for nine teams throughout his storied career, he always seems to come back to Oakland, having played for the team in four separate stints.