Congratulations are in order….
Jan 13 2009
Yesterday, one of my favorite baseball players received his just desert. Rickey Henderson was elected to the MLB Hall of Fame with nearly unanimous 94.8% of the vote. Rickey was a true one-of-a-kind player. The greatest leadoff hitter to play the game, the greatest base stealer ever, and the all-time leader in runs scored.
I was trudging through the internet yesterday, and came across this little gem recapping some stories that have made the rounds through the years about Rickey being Rickey. Reading through the stories brought to mind two of my own experiences. The first one took place at an A’s fan fest back in 1984. It was a massive autograph session attended by all the players down on the infield of the Oakland Coliseum. My dad and I were making our rounds in an attempt to gain a full team autographed baseball, yet at the start one player was absent, Rickey. Well about 20 minutes into it, they cleared out right field and off in the distance you could hear the sound of a helicopter. It lands and out comes Henderson, making a star’s grand entrance. He proceeds to get surrounded by eager fans, signs probably 100 or so autographs and vanishes into the tunnel behind home plate. It was definitely an impressive site for a 10 year old to witness.
The second memory comes from Rickey’s record smashing season of 1982, when he was burning around the bases in pursuit of Lou Brock’s then-record for most stolen bases in a single season . My dad made it a point of attempting to have us in the park to witness the record-breaking swipe. As we’d been season ticket holders, and considering it was summer vacation for me, we traded off some late season tickets against duds in an attempt to get as many games possible around the time Rickey was within 5 or 6 steals of Brock’s record. On August 24, we were in the park to see the A’s take on the Tigers, and heading into the game Henderson was just 4 steals away from tying Brock. We were both hoping this would be the game, considering the A’s were heading out of town for a road trip the following day.
As was usually the case with Henderson, he didn’t disappoint. He came up to the plate in the bottom of the first and immediately walked (one of seven walks that the Tigers pitcher would issue to the A’s that day). Henderson promptly steals second base with the #2 batter, Wayne Gross at bat (#116 of the season, 2 away from tying Brock). Gross ends up walking, bringing Dwayne Murphy to the plate with Henderson on second and Gross on first. There’s promptly a double steal resulting in both men being safe and giving Henderson his 117th steal of the season, leaving him within one of tying history. At this point, being only the first inning, my dad and I were already excited knowing that we had the chance to witness an all-time baseball record fall that day.
In the bottom of the second, Henderson makes his way back up to the plate. We’re now overflowing with excitement because we know that this means there’s a great chance of him seeing a lot of chances that day of getting on-base for more steals considering he was on at-bat #2 so early. Unfortunately this one wouldn’t pan out as well as Henderson flied out. He wouldn’t get his next chance until the 5th inning, which would also result in a fly-ball out. Our hopes were revived in a big way in the bottom of the 8th, however. Henderson singled, but there was a man on base in front of him, Fred Stanley. A bit disappointed because Rickey was stuck behind a guy who had 11 career steals in his 14 seasons, we figured that our chances were done for. Done for that is, until Stanley attempted to steal third and was promptly thrown out (his only attempt of the ’82 season), practically leaving Henderson a sign on second base that said “Come on down”. It was at this moment that we both thought this was it. This was the moment where you’re watching history.
As you’re probably guessing by now, “come on down” is just what Henderson did. Fingers dangling above the dirt, in his famous pre-steal stance, Henderson broke for second. The throw came down from the catcher a bit high and the crowd roared in celebration, knowing that Henderson had made it in just under the tag. Then it came. “OUT”, said the second base umpire Rocky Roe, and for a millisecond there was silence in the Coliseum. Only for a millisecond though, as that silence was broken by damn near every one of the 17,000 fans in attendance screaming the “BULLSHIT” chant at the top of their lungs. Even my dad joined in. It was amazing. I’d heard bullshit chants before, but never so loud from a just half-full stadium, and never with such a tone of pure collective disgust.
We had great seats, just to the left of third base, maybe 10 rows up, so we had a great view of the play in question. There was, and to this day is, no doubt in my mind that Henderson was safe. Barely, but safe none the less. Trammell was still lowering that glove and Henderson’s hands had jammed into the bag. Seeing the replays on the news later that evening, further confirmed it for me.
The A’s would depart the next day for Milwaukee, and Henderson would tie the record with a steal on the 26th of August, and break it a day later in typical Rickey fashion: a line score of 0 for 1, 3 walks, 2 runs, and 4 steals.
Having seen things like 3 World Series, an All-Star Game, McGwire’s first major league at-bat, Griffey Jr’s first major-league at-bat, Roger Clemens getting ejected from a 1990 ALCS game he was pitching….while still on the mound, and dozens of other baseball “events” in my life, the day that Henderson was robbed of tying that record, is probably the most memorable event I’ve been in attendance for.
Obviously, I have to extend congratulations to Henderson’s fellow Hall inductee Jim Rice. Fifteen years on the ballot, in his final year of eligibility before heading to the old-timers committee, and he finally got the call. So congratulations guys, great endings to great careers.
Now maybe Henderson will finally and officially announce his retirement as a player.
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