Saturday, December 21, 2024

R.I.P. to One of the Greatest

Posted by Local Bargain Jerk at 4:50 PM

 

Rickey Henderson passes way too early at 65.  


I am so very sad.


14 comments:

TheWinWarblist said...

I loved giving him the business from the left field stands when he returned to The Stadium as an opposing player. Incredible player. Unique game.

December 21, 2024 at 5:30 PM
HoraceClarke66 said...

One of the all-time greats. Actually underrated most of his career, which is incredible.

And wonderfully crazy. I remember being out at Shea, watching him play left in the insane, "Walk-off single" game in 1999, against the Braves. It was a full house, Mets fans all pumped, and one guy yells something (mildly) pejorative at Rickey. He turns and looks back at the stands. How he could even hear it...

December 21, 2024 at 6:11 PM
AboveAverage said...

Sat directly in front of him and Dave Stewart at the last Yankees game in Oakland. Had the opportunity to make him laugh out loud during the game. Seemed like a jolly good fellow . . .

December 21, 2024 at 6:16 PM
BTR999 said...

No denying his greatness, gone way too soon.

December 21, 2024 at 7:36 PM
el duque said...

"The Snatch Catch."

December 21, 2024 at 10:36 PM
Kevin said...

Bill James has written articles saying that Henderson was one of THE GREATEST EVER, almost saying that he was the greatest. I loved him when he played with the Yankees (naturally I griped at things he couldn't or wouldn't do) and despised him when he played against us. But so, so talented. In his forties he looked like he'd live to see one hundred.....

December 21, 2024 at 11:37 PM
Stang said...

Loved him. Duque texted me to say "Rickey is dead" and it sounded like something Rickey would have said.

December 21, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Vampifella said...

RIP Rickey. I really adored the '87-'90 Yanks as an innocent teen who didn't really realize that his favorite team was so awful during those years. I was so enthralled with baseball cards and Rickey was plastered everywhere back then as a mega star to adore. I never did manage to get his Topps '80 Rookie.

It's hard to believe he was only a Yank for four and a half years though as it seemed a lifetime for me. Even after he went back to the A's after I had admired him so, especially for his goofy antics. The A's were such a cool team to like with Canseco, McGwire, Weiss, Ecks, etc. as well.

Honestly, I half expected him to still be playing baseball somewhere today stealing bases for some seniors league as he seemed to love baseball that much. I half expected him to outlive us all and not pass at a rather early age.

December 22, 2024 at 12:27 AM
HoraceClarke66 said...

Yeah, it is a shock, Vampi. And yes, Kevin, James had some stat about how Rickey had some incredible number of catches. Plus, breaking the stolen base record by like 500 bases? Man, what a talent! Incredible, how the Yanks had that core and could not build a team around it. Sort of like...now?

December 22, 2024 at 2:15 AM
Publius said...

All time leader in runs scored. Enough said.

December 22, 2024 at 2:31 AM
AboveAverage said...

well said

December 22, 2024 at 2:36 AM
Rufus T. Firefly said...

Please don't sit in front of me at the next meet up. I want to live past 65.

jk/ Amazing that you got to enjoy that last year. One of those talismen people have the opportunity to enjoy, but often don't appreciate.

December 22, 2024 at 3:12 AM
JM said...

Loved to hear Rickey Henderson talk about Rickey Henderson. Incredible he's gone so soon. I half expected him to stage a comeback, even in his 60s.

December 22, 2024 at 8:33 AM
The Hammer of God said...

They said he had thighs like tree trunks. And they really were! You could see those muscles through those tight pants. He must've done a lot of barbell squats. Those legs gave him that incredible acceleration. The first few steps and he seemed halfway to the next base.

And that low squatting batting stance. Shrunk his strike zone down to a pancake thin plate. Too bad nobody takes that kind of a low stance anymore. Of course, it's hard to get down that low and hit. And therein lies the reason for his greatness. He could hit whilst taking that extreme low stance.

R.I.P. Rickey Henderson. I couldn't stand you as an opposing player, especially with the A's. But I loved to watch you play when you were a Yankee.

December 22, 2024 at 2:26 PM

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