MLB Player Rickey Henderson Passed Away December 20, 2024, Five Days Shy of His 65th Birthday
A Life of Stolen Bases and Stolen Hearts
Oakland Athletics professional baseball player Rickey Henderson recently passed away on December 20, 2024, just five days shy of his sixty-fifth birthday. The Chicago, Illinois native, known for his 25 seasons in the Major League Baseball (MLB) association across nine teams, holds the single season record for stolen bases and is the only player to steal 100 bases in a season across three different years: 1980, 1982, and 1983.
The Man Behind the Legend
His wife and high school sweetheart Pamela sent an official statement: “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of my husband, Rickey Henderson…A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul. Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount. Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”
Henderson was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) by the American League in 1990. Initially drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 1976, he played in the minor leagues before making his major league debut in 1979. Most of his baseball career was spent with the Oakland team. Writer Michael Rosenwald, in his 2024 article for The New York Times article, writes, “At 5-foot-10, Henderson was smaller than many big leaguers, but he overcame his size with a combination of horse power, a savant-like ability to exploit deficiencies in pitchers, and an extreme bravado that many players viewed as cockiness.”
A Legacy That Changed the Game Forever
Across his 25 year career, Henderson became known for his wide range skill at delivering powerhouse game performances, making it to the World Series in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Long revered in the same league as other minority baseball legends such as Jackie Robinson, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Derek Jeter,Henderson will be remembered as a trail-blazing athlete that helped transform the game of baseball.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, in a statement to CNN, said, ““For multiple generations of baseball fans, Rickey Henderson was the gold standard of base stealing and leadoff hitting… Rickey epitomized speed, power and entertainment in setting the tone at the top of the lineup. When we considered new rules for the game in recent years, we had the era of Rickey Henderson in mind.”
