Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Nelson Henley Hendersonis an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseballfor nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed "The Man of Steal", he is widely regarded as baseball's most reliable leadoff hitter and baserunner. He holds the major league records for career stolen bases, runs, unintentional walks and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth25 December 1958
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
Our theory was get Eck in the game. You knew the game was over.
I love playing this game and every spring training feels like the first.
Eventually, I will get into coaching. I'm sure I'll be in the game doing something.
The only thing I wish I could figure out is how I got misunderstood regarding the type of person I really am and what I accomplished ... Just because I believed in what I was doing on the field and dedicated myself to playing the game, does that mean I'm cocky? Does that mean I'm arrogant? People who played against me called me cocky, but my teammates didn't. I brought attention, fear.
Just because I believed in what I was doing on the field and dedicated myself to playing the game, does that mean I'm cocky? Does that mean I'm arrogant?
It's always exciting that you can rub elbows with some of the greatest players who have ever played the game, and just being around the "family" again from baseball.
You never had the opportunity to play with some of the great ballplayers, but being that close around them, and being in the same category, was a great feeling, to feel that vibe of all the best players who played the game.
I love the game and I wanted to continue playing. It came to a time that I had to stop.
I don't think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.
My impact on the game was going out there and making things happen.
A good friend of mine took me out and had me hit off a tee. He made me understand what was my strike zone and - with my speed - the importance of making contact. So I give him a lot of credit for changing my game and making me the player I became. He showed me how to work on me and my game, and not worry about patterning myself after someone else and focusing on what they were capable of doing rather than what I was capable of doing.
I have always had fun playing the game of baseball because I loved it so much.
If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game.
People recognize me - but if you've been in the public eye as long as I have and people don't recognize you, I feel bad about myself.