Oakland legend, Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson has died at the age of 65
Dec 21, 2024
(KRON) – Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest baseball players to ever live, died at age 65. Henderson is Major League Baseball’s all-time stolen base leader and is considered by many to be the greatest player in A’s franchise history.
While he was born in Chicago, Henderson is an Oakland native who graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1976.
He was drafted by the A’s that year and made it to the major leagues in 1979. He won the 1989 World Series with the A’s.
Henderson’s career accolades include 10 MLB All-Star Game appearances, three Silver Slugger awards, one Gold Glove award and the 1990 American League MVP.
His best years were with the A’s, but Henderson played for 10 MLB teams in his career. He played until 2003 when he was 44 years old.
Henderson is well-known for his prowess as a leadoff hitter, where he was adept at getting on base, hitting for power, and most notably stealing bases. His 1,406 steals are 468 more than any other player, and he also holds the modern-era record for stolen bases in a season with 130 in 1982.
Henderson joins Willie Mays, Vida Blue and Orlando Cepeda as Bay Area baseball legends to die in the past two years
Born on Christmas Day of 1958, Henderson was days shy of his 66th birthday.