Maybe he could go in in a RedSox cap? Those 72 games in '02 have to count for something?blueline said:
2009 MLB Hall of Fame ... who gets in????
- Thread starter blueline
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Just found this on Rickey. Some of his greatest moments.
1) Rickey… on referring to himself in the third person:
“Listen, people are always saying, ‘Rickey says Rickey.’ But it’s been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I’m ticked off, saying, ‘Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?’ They say, ‘Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don’t you just say, ‘I?’ But I never did. I always said, ‘Rickey,’ and it became something for people to joke about.”
2) In the early 1980s, the Oakland A’s accounting department was freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1 million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.
3) In 1996, Henderson’s first season with San Diego, he boarded the team bus and was looking for a seat. Steve Finley said, “You have tenure, sit wherever you want.” Henderson looked at Finley and said, “Ten years? Ricky’s been playing at least 16, 17 years.”
4) This one might be my second favorite. This wasn’t too long ago, I think it was the year he ended up playing with the Red Sox. Anyway, he called San Diego GM Kevin Towers and left the following message: “This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”
5) This one happened in Seattle. Rickey struck out and as the next batter was walking past him, he heard Henderson say, “Don’t worry, Rickey, you’re still the best.”
6) Rickey once asked a teammate how long it would take him to drive to the Dominican Republic.
7) Moments after breaking Lou Brock’s stolen base record, Henderson told the crowd – with Brock mere feet next to him – “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time.”
8) Henderson once fell asleep on an ice pack and got frostbite – which forced him to miss three games — in mid-August.
9) A reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti’s estimate that 50 percent of Major League players were taking steroids was accurate. His response was, “Well, Rickey’s not one of them, so that’s 49 percent right there.”
10) Henderson broke Ty Cobb’s career record for runs scored with a home run. After taking his usual 45 seconds or so around the bases, Rickey slid into home plate.
11) On being Nolan Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout: “It gave me no chance. He (Ryan) just blew it by me. But it’s an honor. I’ll have another paragraph in all the baseball books. I’m already in the books three or four times.”
12) San Diego GM Kevin Towers was trying to contact Rickey at a nearby hotel. He knew Henderson always used fake names to avoid the press, fans, etc. He was trying to think like Rickey and after several attempts; he was able to get Henderson on the phone.
Rickey had checked in under Richard Pryor.
13) I didn’t believe this one at first. However, I emailed a few contacts within the Sox organization and they claim it actually happened. This is priceless, it really is.
The morning after the Sox finished off the sweep against St. Louis last October, Henderson called someone in the organization looking for tickets to Game 6 at Fenway Park.
14) The Mets were staying in a hotel less than a mile from Cinergy Field in Cincinnati. While some players walked, most took the team bus. A few minutes after they arrived — again it was less than a mile – the last players off the bus noticed a stretched limo that had just pulled up.
Of course, Rickey emerged from the back seat.
15) A reporter once asked Rickey if he talked to himself, “Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?”
16) OK, I know everyone has been waiting for it. Alas, according to both parties involved, it’s not true. I wish it were. Heck, both Rickey Henderson and John Olerud have said they wish it were true. But it just didn’t happen.
The story went that a few weeks into Henderson’s stint with the Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend goes that Henderson said, “Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the same thing.”
Legend also goes that Olerud said, “That was me, Rickey.”
Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.
17) Rickey was asked if he had the Garth Brooks album with Friends in Low Places and Henderson said, “Rickey doesn’t have albums. Rickey has CDs.”
18) During a contract holdout with Oakland in the early 1990s, Henderson said, “If they want to pay me like Mike Gallego, I’ll play like Gallego.”
19) In the late 1980s, the Yankees sent Henderson a six-figure bonus check. After a few months passed, an internal audit revealed the check had not been cashed. Current Yankees GM Brian Cashman – then a low-level nobody with the organization – called Rickey and asked if there was a problem with the check. Henderson said, “I’m just waiting for the money market rates to go up.”
20) In June 1999, when Henderson was playing with the Mets, he saw reporters running around the clubhouse before a game. He asked a teammate what was going on and he was told that Tom Robson, the team’s hitting coach, had just been fired. Henderson said, “Who’s he?”
21) This is my all-time favorite. Rickey was pulled over by a San Diego police officer for speeding. As the officer was approaching Rickey’s car, the window went down a few inches and a folded $100 bill emerged. The officer let Rickey and his money head home without a ticket.
22) When he was on the Yankees in the mid-1980s, Henderson told teammates that his condo had such a great view that he could see, “The Entire State Building.”
23) During one of his stays with Oakland, Henderson’s locker was next to Billy Beane’s. After making the team out of spring training, Beane was sent to the minors after a few months. Upon his return, about six weeks later, Henderson looked at Beane and said, “Hey, man, where have you been? Haven’t seen you in awhile.”
24) To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, “Ricky’s the best,” for several minutes.
25) In the last week of his lone season with the Red Sox, Chairman Tom Werner asked Henderson what he would like for his ‘going-away’ gift. Henderson said he wasn’t going anywhere, but he would like owner John Henry’s Mercedes. Werner said it would be tough to get the same make and model in less than a week and Henderson said, “No, I want his car.” Turns out the Sox got Henderson a Red Thunderbird and when he saw it on the field before the last game of the season, Rickey said, “Whose ugly car is on the field?”
1) Rickey… on referring to himself in the third person:
“Listen, people are always saying, ‘Rickey says Rickey.’ But it’s been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I’m ticked off, saying, ‘Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?’ They say, ‘Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don’t you just say, ‘I?’ But I never did. I always said, ‘Rickey,’ and it became something for people to joke about.”
2) In the early 1980s, the Oakland A’s accounting department was freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1 million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.
3) In 1996, Henderson’s first season with San Diego, he boarded the team bus and was looking for a seat. Steve Finley said, “You have tenure, sit wherever you want.” Henderson looked at Finley and said, “Ten years? Ricky’s been playing at least 16, 17 years.”
4) This one might be my second favorite. This wasn’t too long ago, I think it was the year he ended up playing with the Red Sox. Anyway, he called San Diego GM Kevin Towers and left the following message: “This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”
5) This one happened in Seattle. Rickey struck out and as the next batter was walking past him, he heard Henderson say, “Don’t worry, Rickey, you’re still the best.”
6) Rickey once asked a teammate how long it would take him to drive to the Dominican Republic.
7) Moments after breaking Lou Brock’s stolen base record, Henderson told the crowd – with Brock mere feet next to him – “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time.”
8) Henderson once fell asleep on an ice pack and got frostbite – which forced him to miss three games — in mid-August.
9) A reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti’s estimate that 50 percent of Major League players were taking steroids was accurate. His response was, “Well, Rickey’s not one of them, so that’s 49 percent right there.”
10) Henderson broke Ty Cobb’s career record for runs scored with a home run. After taking his usual 45 seconds or so around the bases, Rickey slid into home plate.
11) On being Nolan Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout: “It gave me no chance. He (Ryan) just blew it by me. But it’s an honor. I’ll have another paragraph in all the baseball books. I’m already in the books three or four times.”
12) San Diego GM Kevin Towers was trying to contact Rickey at a nearby hotel. He knew Henderson always used fake names to avoid the press, fans, etc. He was trying to think like Rickey and after several attempts; he was able to get Henderson on the phone.
Rickey had checked in under Richard Pryor.
13) I didn’t believe this one at first. However, I emailed a few contacts within the Sox organization and they claim it actually happened. This is priceless, it really is.
The morning after the Sox finished off the sweep against St. Louis last October, Henderson called someone in the organization looking for tickets to Game 6 at Fenway Park.
14) The Mets were staying in a hotel less than a mile from Cinergy Field in Cincinnati. While some players walked, most took the team bus. A few minutes after they arrived — again it was less than a mile – the last players off the bus noticed a stretched limo that had just pulled up.
Of course, Rickey emerged from the back seat.
15) A reporter once asked Rickey if he talked to himself, “Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?”
16) OK, I know everyone has been waiting for it. Alas, according to both parties involved, it’s not true. I wish it were. Heck, both Rickey Henderson and John Olerud have said they wish it were true. But it just didn’t happen.
The story went that a few weeks into Henderson’s stint with the Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend goes that Henderson said, “Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the same thing.”
Legend also goes that Olerud said, “That was me, Rickey.”
Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.
17) Rickey was asked if he had the Garth Brooks album with Friends in Low Places and Henderson said, “Rickey doesn’t have albums. Rickey has CDs.”
18) During a contract holdout with Oakland in the early 1990s, Henderson said, “If they want to pay me like Mike Gallego, I’ll play like Gallego.”
19) In the late 1980s, the Yankees sent Henderson a six-figure bonus check. After a few months passed, an internal audit revealed the check had not been cashed. Current Yankees GM Brian Cashman – then a low-level nobody with the organization – called Rickey and asked if there was a problem with the check. Henderson said, “I’m just waiting for the money market rates to go up.”
20) In June 1999, when Henderson was playing with the Mets, he saw reporters running around the clubhouse before a game. He asked a teammate what was going on and he was told that Tom Robson, the team’s hitting coach, had just been fired. Henderson said, “Who’s he?”
21) This is my all-time favorite. Rickey was pulled over by a San Diego police officer for speeding. As the officer was approaching Rickey’s car, the window went down a few inches and a folded $100 bill emerged. The officer let Rickey and his money head home without a ticket.
22) When he was on the Yankees in the mid-1980s, Henderson told teammates that his condo had such a great view that he could see, “The Entire State Building.”
23) During one of his stays with Oakland, Henderson’s locker was next to Billy Beane’s. After making the team out of spring training, Beane was sent to the minors after a few months. Upon his return, about six weeks later, Henderson looked at Beane and said, “Hey, man, where have you been? Haven’t seen you in awhile.”
24) To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, “Ricky’s the best,” for several minutes.
25) In the last week of his lone season with the Red Sox, Chairman Tom Werner asked Henderson what he would like for his ‘going-away’ gift. Henderson said he wasn’t going anywhere, but he would like owner John Henry’s Mercedes. Werner said it would be tough to get the same make and model in less than a week and Henderson said, “No, I want his car.” Turns out the Sox got Henderson a Red Thunderbird and when he saw it on the field before the last game of the season, Rickey said, “Whose ugly car is on the field?”
Orr had his head downblueline said:Good point Shack. It amazes me that after all these years, Pat Quinn still can't admit his hit on Orr was dirty. Deny, deny, deny.
(blueline puts on hockey helmet with full cage and tightens chin strap)
When asked about it Orr just says " Well Pat's a big guy and I had my head down"
No mention of it being a dirty hit
That's the way Orr played the game, and the way it was played. Today they'd send a baboon out there to fight a gorilla. Unless you consider Cheevers a baboon?JohnLarue said:
- Jun 15, 2004
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I never really thought he meant to sound that way. I just think he mustered some words together and it came out sounding as cocky as it did.blueline said:I just heard the clip from the day Rickey swiped the base that broke the all-time record. I had forgotten Lou Brock was there listening to Rickey's famous words.
'Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing. But today, I'm the greatest of all time'
Nothing like being humble Rickey. Lou, you were okay, thanks for coming.
I can't wait for his induction speech. He was a character.
I don't think Rickey knew what was going to come out of his mouth until it was out, most of the time.Toronto Passions said:
- Jun 15, 2004
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bigdik said:I don't think Rickey knew what was going to come out of his mouth until it was out, most of the time.
When I was a kid I went to watch batting practice before a Jays game at the EX when Ricky was a Yank, and me and my friend asked Ricky for a ball, being that he had a bucket of balls......and he said "I can't do it guys....these are the Blue Jays balls." Then he stops in his footsteps....he chuckles to himself...looks at us again....and repeats "these are Blue Jays Balls, Blue Jays Balls, Blue Jays Balls, Blue Jays Balls." As he walks away laughing to himself and jokingly taunting other guys on the field.
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Was that the 10-0 game or the 7-0 game? I think it was the 10-0, game 1.blueline said:
I remember when things were finally settling down, Jim Dorey skates up behind Eddie Shack, gently taps him on the shoulder and when Shack turns around Dorey popped him right in the face. The brawling started all over again.
A separate Shack incident was when I saw the Bruins play the Flyers at Maple Leaf Gardens because the roof of the Spectrum had blown off so they had to reschedule Philly's home dates. Philly had a Jewish player, Larry Zeidel (sp?) and #23 was hurling racial slurs at him all night. Finally Zeidel had enough and he and Eddie went at it but they never dropped their gloves. Instead they just started carving eachother's face with their sticks. They were both bloody messes when it was over.
Of course that Bruin, Shack denied ever saying anything anti-Semitic.
I think it was game 1 as well.shack said:
I remember being at a game at MLG between the Leafs and Blues. I forget what happened but IIRC, Pierre Plante from St. Louis ended up chasing Shack all over the ice trying to get at him. Eventually I remember Shack scurrying off to the bench and the crowd going wild with laughter.
That I agree with wholeheartedly. The 28 idiots who didn't vote for him should a. have to admit it and b. have to explain themselves - and have a damn good reason why he wasn't on their ballort. Otherwise they should lose their voting privileges.red said:
It's too bad, because I still believe the Hall is a lesser place with Jim Rice in it - especially with him entering in the same class with one of the greatest players of all time.
Nothing personal (James Edward Rice and blueline), it's just that I don't think it should be the Hall of Very Good. And Jim Rice wasn't even the second best player on the ballot this year.
As I stated earlier, Joe Carter has nearly identical numbers - his batting average and on-base percentage were lower, but he stole bases, played decent defence, (including some CF early in his career) and was an integral part of two World Series champions. Yet he received 3.8% of the vote and was gone after one year on the ballot.
Dale Murphy, who like Rice, had a short effective career (again, nearly identical numbers with a lower batting average in a tougher hitter's ballpark) was a two-time MVP and a great defensive centrefielder. Yet he'll probably never get in.
Dave Parker, Alan Trammell, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire... I could make comparative cases for each and they would be the equal or greater than Rice.
The fact that it took 15 years for Jim Rice to get in shows that he wasn't deserving - kinda like he wasn't nearly as "feared" as the Red Sox Nation (and that includes the media cronies) would have anyone believe.
I give older guys some slack - for example, OBP for middle-of-the-lineup players wasn't as important as trying to hit for power and driving in runs; they were given a green light from their managers and given shit if they took too many pitches - when using statistical analysis for past generations. But there is NOTHING about Jim Rice that screams "Cooperstown Material" to me. And I know I'm not alone.
RUN RICKEY, RUN!
Ok, I admit a bias. I, like blueline, am a member of RSN, and that's probably why I put Rice at the top of the bubble. I'm not sure he should be in, but I'm also not sure he shouldn't, but.Captain Fantastic said:
Joe Carter? .259 BA, .770 OPS? And NOT a good defensive player.
Dale Murphy? .265 BA, .815 OPS? At least he was for a time considered the best player in baseball. Tougher hitters ballpark though? You do realize FCS was known as "The Launching Pad"?
Andre Dawson? .279 BA, .805 OPS? And IMO a HOFer because of everything else he brought to the table.
Really now, Are you saying you'd put Joe Carter in ahead of Rice? I'm not certain Rice belongs. I am, and the writers are, certain Joe Carter doesn't.
bigdik said:
Early in his career, Joe Carter was considered a "plus" defensive player. Good range for a corner outfielder (as mentioned, he played CF in Cleveland) and a good arm. As he got older and heavier... not so much.Captain Fantastic said:
Fenway's Park Factor was still always consistently higher than "The Launching Pad", a hitters park, but one which oddly fluctuated quite a bit, year-to-year...
I think Murph was every bit the hitter Rice was - league and park factors included - and was a far better fielder. But like Rice, his career was too short and I don't get an "historical" sense about either of them.
