Baseball lost one of its greatest representatives this Saturday, after the member of the Hall of Fame of Cooperstown, Rickey Henderson, has died, his family and the A’s, the organization with which he spent most of his career, said in a statement.
Henderson, who is recognized as the greatest leadoff hitter of all time and holds the record for stolen bases in the majors, was 65 years old.
“For multiple generations of baseball fans, Rickey Henderson was the gold standard of stolen bases and leadoff hits,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a bulletin. “Rickey was one of the most decorated and beloved A’s players of all time. He also made a huge impact with many other clubs during a career like no other in a quarter century,” he added.
An enviable showcase
The North American, who also remains the absolute leader in runs scored and home runs to open a game, played in total for nine teams during his 25-year career, in which he won the American League MVP award in 1990, 10 selections to the All-Star Game, two World Series titles, three Silver Bats, a Gold Glove and the Most Valuable Player award of the Championship Series of the young circuit in 1989.
“Rickey Henderson is one of the greatest baseball players of all time,” the A’s noted. “His achievements on the field speak for themselves and his records will always stand high in the history of baseball. Without a doubt he was the most legendary player in baseball history. Oakland and made an indelible mark on generations of A’s fans during his 14 seasons in the green and gold uniform.”
