HENDERSON AND RICE - HALL OF FAME BOUND

Roman Around ^ | 12 January 2009 | Andrew Roman

[andrew roman]

Rickey Henderson is on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame. If ever the phrase “no brainer” is applicable, it is here. Besides being the only player in the history of the game to hit four digits in career stolen bases (1406), he sits atop the all-time list of runs scored (2295), ahead of names you may have heard before: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. He has over 3,000 career hits – generally considered an automatic ticket to Cooperstown, is second all-time in walks (2190), was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1990, appeared in ten all-star games, and played for two world championship teams.

Personally, Rickey Henderson was never a favorite of mine. I never rooted for him, nor did I ever get particularly excited watching him play. I don’t think it had anything to do with his self-absorbed narcissistic nature, or his arrogance. He just never “did it” for me. This isn’t to disparage him in any way, because if anyone is deserving of being a first-ballot hall-of-famer, it is Henderson.

[Jaime2099]

I agree 100%, great to hear it!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If there’s one thing I like about baseball, it’s that their Hall of Fame is pretty strict. You got to be the best of the best. In fact, I consider Cooperstown the most prestigious of the 4 sports Halls.

[End Times Sentinel]

Ricky Hendorson’s career statistics are absolutely staggering and are second only to his unbridled douchebaggery.

[aquila48]

Only guy I saw who could turn a single into a homer!

[fhayek]

He was both the best lead-off man in history, and the greatest base stealer of all time. How do you like THAT combination. Off course, his (ahem) odd personality earned him thirteen stops on his major league career.

[hinckley buzzard]

I remember "Risky" Henderson well. Jim Rice--meh. Whatever.

[andrew roman]

That is the truest statement I’ve heard today. REMARKABLE statistics. Idiot DELUXE.

[grey_whiskers]

IIRC, when Henderson broke Lou Brock's stolen base record, he said something to the effect of, "Lou Brock did a lot, but now I'm the greatest of all time."

It was sweet justice that it happened the same day that Nolan Ryan threw his seventh no-hitter.

Cheers!

[CriticalJ]

I always liked Henderson. He was a strange one though.

He always overshadowed some pretty good lead off men. Tim Raines wasn’t bad. Vince Coleman either.

[WOBBLY BOB]

And he’ll tell us how great he is in the 3rd person.

[OBXWanderer]

He was both the best lead-off man in history, and the greatest base stealer of all time.

Absolutely one of the best barroom trivia questions ever. "Who broke up more no hitters than any other player in Major League history???

Rickey Henderson

(Not sure it is fact, but I have won many a beer with that one)