Baseball Hall of Famer, former Blue Jays Rickey Henderson dead at 65: reports

[Vinson]

He was young and fit ?!


Baseball Hall of Famer and former Toronto Blue Jays Rickey Henderson has died at the age of 65, according to multiple reports.

Henderson was a member of the Blue Jays during their 1993 World Series championship season.

Henderson was a 10-time All-Star, the American League’s MVP in 1990, and he retired as baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases.

He would have turned 66 on Christmas Day.

The cause of death has not been announced but unconfirmed reports indicate he had been hospitalized with pneumonia.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Ken Griffey Junior called him one of the greatest players of all time. That’s quite the accolade as I consider Ken Griffey Junior to be one of the greatest players of all time before the age of 30.

Philip

 

[K Douglas]

RIP Legend. Would have turned 66 on Christmas Day. Sad.

 

[Vinson]

Ken Griffey Junior called him one of the greatest players of all time. That’s quite the accolade as I consider Ken Griffey Junior to be one of the greatest players of all time before the age of 30.

Philip

Henderson could steal bases like there's no tomorrow. Griffey is great too.

 

[tml]

Amazing plyer on the field and an interesting personality off the field. He did not lack confidence. RIP.
Remember this.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Amazing plyer on the field and an interesting personality off the field. He did not lack confidence. RIP.
Remember this.

Ricky was full of this jive talking persona with such amazing rhythm in his step. When I was a kid, my friend and I tried to get him to throw us a pregame, warm-up baseball and he came over and had an entire conversation with us about how he couldn’t because they belong to the Blue Jays. lol

Philip

 

[thumper18474]

We were at a Jays game and Henderson was kibitzing back and forth with the fans...and I yelled out
"Hey Rick..how's it feel to be the only hotdog with extra mustard to be going into the HOF???
He looked right at me and laughed and tipped his hat..LOL

RIP

 

[The Oracle]

"Rickey Henderson was the bomb." - Don Mattingly

Nuff said!

 

[mandrill]

The sport will never see his like again. A true immortal legend.

No base in heaven is safe from now on.

 

[The Oracle]

x.com

x.com

Lots of love for Rick on line...

 

[redshank]

 

[redshank]

A great story I read years ago about Rickey occurred when he was on the Padres. Rickey was getting on the team bus and was walking to the back of the bus. Tony Gwynn yelled to Rickey that he got to sit in the front of the bus with Gwynn because they had tenure. Rickey replied with “Rickey got twenty year”

A true original

 

[unassuming]

 

[unassuming]

93 World Series, game 6 ,bottom of 9th, Jays down by one run. Phillies closer MItch Williams enters game, Henderson is the first batter and says to team mates, "He's gonna walk me on 4 pitches and we'ere gonna win the WS!"

 

[tml]

Seems appropriate he'd die the same year the Oakland A's did.

 

[Ref]

As a ball player he was a difference maker and would turn a lot of walks/singles into a double and/or triple with his prowess on the base paths. His lone stint with the Jays was productive and I remember just having him on the team instilled a sense of swagger and confidence on the team.

Not too sure if we will ever see someone with the ability to steal bases like he did in his prime (though Vince Coleman was right behind him). I do recall that there were a number of players who could steal a lot of bases, however with today's catchers and pitchers and coaching, it seems to be much harder.

Never really paid much attention to him outside of the game, but watching a few video tributes and former players talking about him, he was certainly a character.

 

[The Oracle]

Not too sure if we will ever see someone with the ability to steal bases like he did in his prime (though Vince Coleman was right behind him). I do recall that there were a number of players who could steal a lot of bases, however with today's catchers and pitchers and coaching, it seems to be much harder.

They'll just make second base bigger and bigger. Which I hate BTW.

I know I'm a traditionalist...

Ricky is a good reason why players that did steroids shouldn't be in the HOF.

Could you imagine the stats he would have put up on PED's?

As a Yankee fan I can comfortably say he's the best left fielder we ever had and it's not he close.

I guess the closest player ability wise to him was Tim Raines. That cement turf in Montreal couldn't have helped Tim's career any and then of course there was that substance problem....

 

[tml]

Not too sure if we will ever see someone with the ability to steal bases like he did in his prime (though Vince Coleman was right behind him). I do recall that there were a number of players who could steal a lot of bases, however with today's catchers and pitchers and coaching, it seems to be much harder.

The new rule that limits the number of throws a pitcher can make to hold a base runner on is a benefit to the base runner. Once a pitcher reaches the limit the base runner can take a huge lead off with no risk.