The Hall of Fame speedster, Rickey Henderson, who set a yet-to-be-matched stolen base record and revolutionized baseball’s leadoff position, dies at the age of 65.
The news of his death was announced on Saturday by the Oakland Athletics while they expressed their heartbreak but did not include the cause of his death in their statement.
Rickey Henderson, who is usually known as the “Man of Steal,” had a wonderful career that spanned 25 years and won many awards that include two World Series titles, a Gold Glove, an MVP award, and 10 All-Star selections.
No player matched his records in base stealing, amassing a record 1,406 steals, which is 468 above Lou Brock’s record, who he surpassed in 1991. The day he surpassed Lou Brock, he officially declared himself, “Today I am the greatest of all time.”
Among the records that he holds are career runs scored (2,295) and leadoff home runs (81); he also ranked among those in the all-time leaders in walks, games played, and plate appearances.
His legacy till today is yet to be beaten; he was a unique and dynamic player during his career. His death marks the third of Bay Area baseball legends this year after Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda.