All-time stolen base leader Rickey Henderson dies at 65

Field Level Media|published: Sat 21st December, 16:08 2024

Aug 6, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; Retired baseball player Rickey Henderson before the induction of players for the Class of 2023 of the Oakland Athletics Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held before the start of the game between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Rickey Henderson, a 10-time All-Star and the all-time stolen base leader, died on Friday after a bout with pneumonia, multiple outlets reported. He was 65.

Henderson played 25 seasons in the major leagues, stealing at least 100 bases on three occasions, including 130 steals in 1982 to break Lou Brock's modern-day record for a single season. He finished with 1,406 steals to shatter Brock's all-time mark of 938.

Far more than a stolen-base threat, Henderson hit 297 home runs with 1,115 RBIs. His 81 leadoff home runs are a major league record.

An Oakland, Calif., native, Henderson was drafted in the fourth round in 1976 by his hometown Athletics. He made his major league debut in 1979 and was an All-Star for the first time in 1980.

Traded to the New York Yankees before the 1995 season, Henderson returned to the A's in 1989 and also spent time with the San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Henderson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009 after winning World Series titles in 1989 (A's) and 1993 (Blue Jays), while earning the American League Championship Series MVP in 1989 and a Gold Glove Award in 1981.

He would have turned 66 on Christmas Day.

--Field Level Media

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