“If my uniform doesn’t get dirty, I haven’t done anything in the baseball game.”- Rickey Henderson. Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases, Rickey Henderson died on December 20th, 2024, five days before his birthday, at 65. Henderson was recognized for his speed and dominance on the field. He was known as the “Man of Steal.” He was famous for his speed and record-breaking stolen bases. An important figure in Black history, shaping baseball beyond the contributions of Black players who came before him.
Henderson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 25 years, studies show the average MLB player only plays for 5.6 years. He played for nine teams over the course of his career, but he is most remembered for his time with the Oakland Athletics. He spent 14 seasons with the athletics where he broke records and won a championship.
Henderson understood his athleticism early on, born in the back of a car on the way to the hospital, he later said “I was already fast I couldn’t wait.” He played baseball, basketball, football and briefly ran track in high school. He received many scholarship offers to play football but decided against it because his mother told him that football players have shorter careers. At one point he was amongst only 57 other players who batted right and threw left, in an interview he said, “All of my friends were right-handed and swung from the right side, so I thought that’s the way it was supposed to be done.”
Henderson has two records in baseball history that have yet to be broken. He stole 1,406 bases and he scored 2,295 runs. In 1990, he won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and in 2009, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame which was during his first year of eligibility. In 2017, the Oakland Athletics dedicated their field to him. He was known for referring to himself in third person, while playing one time he struck out and another player said they heard him saying, “Don’t worry, Rickey you’re still the best.”
When people talk about Black history in baseball, they often focus on Jackie Robinson and sometimes Satchel Paige too. While both of those stories are important, Henderson’s career proves that Black athletes continue to increase the standard and thrive. Henderson’s life and career are a reminder that Black history in sports is full of stories like his. Henderson was not just another player on the roster, but a symbol of excellence and hard work.
Rickey Henderson will always be remembered as the “Man of Steal”, a player who could had great speed and skill. However, his legacy goes beyond baseball. He showed the world what Black athletes could achieve, in a sport where they were discriminated against for a long time. Henderson’s impact will be felt for generations. As he is remembered, his records should not only be celebrated but his role in shaping baseball and inspiring others to believe in themselves.
[Photo: MLB]
