Rickey Henderson, the greatest base stealer in Major League Baseball history and one of the game’s most enduring players, has died, Major League Baseball confirmed Saturday. He was 65.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred called Henderson the “gold standard of base stealing and leadoff hitting” in a statement Saturday that expressed the league’s condolences.
“Rickey epitomized speed, power and entertainment in setting the tone at the top of the lineup.” The Athletics, who next season will play in Sacramento after moving from Oakland, said Henderson was “undoubtedly the most legendary player in Oakland history.”
A star high school athlete in Oakland, California, Henderson was drafted in 1976 by the A’s and made his MLB debut three years later, at just 20 years old. After 10 All-Star appearances, World Series championships with Oakland and Toronto, and a career nearly beyond compare, his final MLB game came in 2003, at age 44.
“Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount,” his daughters and wife, Pamela Henderson, said in a statement posted to X by the Athletics. “Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”
Nicknamed the “Man of Steal” and known for often referring to himself in the third person, Henderson ranks first all time in both stolen bases, with 1,406, and runs scored, with 2,295. His gift of speed and anticipation on the base paths was immediately apparent when, in his first full season in 1980, Henderson stole 100 bases to break Lou Brock’s MLB single-season record. In 1982, he stole 130 bases, which remains the single-season record of the modern era.
“Rickey set a standard for power, speed and dynamic play that can never be duplicated,” Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, said in a statement. “He revolutionized expectations at the top of the order.”
Eleven years later, after he broke Brock’s career record, Henderson stood on the field in Oakland and left no doubt about his place. “Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing,” Henderson said, holding a microphone. “But today, I am the greatest of all time.”
But Henderson was a feared leadoff hitter not only because of his speed, but also because of his patience at the plate to get on base. In 2001 while playing for San Diego — one of the nine teams he played for over a 25-year career — Henderson passed Babe Ruth as MLB’s all-time walks leader. He now sits second, behind Barry Bonds, but Henderson remains the leader in unintentional walks drawn, with 2,129.
After leading MLB in runs, stolen bases and on-base percentage in 1990, and tying his career high with 28 home runs, Henderson was named the most valuable player of the American League.
Upon winning the honor, Henderson told reporters at the time that, in his opinion, he had played better in at least three other seasons.
Henderson was best-known for his four stints playing with the Athletics, something of a hometown team for Henderson, who was born in Chicago but spent high school in Oakland. A field near his high school, Oakland Tech, still bears Henderson’s name. The Athletics won the 1989 World Series with Henderson hitting .441 during the postseason, including nine walks.
Henderson is one of just 33 players with 3,000 hits. In 2002, one year after he joined that exclusive club, Henderson tried to work his way back to the majors through the minor leagues, first on a minor-league deal with Boston.
In 3,081 career games, Henderson racked up 13,346 plate appearances, marks that only Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski and Henry Aaron have exceeded in MLB history.
“There was only one Rickey Henderson in baseball,” George Steinbrenner, the former Yankees owner, once said, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame. “He was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time.”
In 2003, with MLB interest slim, he played for the independent-league Newark Bears. He eventually latched on with the Dodgers, his final MLB team.
Dave Winfield, a former teammate of Henderson’s, posted news of Henderson’s death on Instagram.
“I still cannot believe I’ve lost one of my favorite teammates and great friend Rickey Henderson. Rest in peace,” Winfield posted.