Rickey Henderson, a 10-time All-Star and the all-time stolen base leader, died on Friday after a bout with pneumonia, multiple outlets reported. He was 65.
Henderson played 25 seasons in the major leagues, stealing at least 100 bases on three occasions, including 130 steals in 1982 to break Lou Brock’s modern-day record for a single season. He finished with 1,406 steals to shatter Brock’s all-time mark of 938.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of my husband, Rickey Henderson. A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul,” Pamela Henderson said in a statement. “Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount. Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”
Far more than a stolen-base threat, Henderson hit 297 home runs with 1,115 RBIs. His 81 leadoff home runs are a major league record.
“For multiple generations of baseball fans, Rickey Henderson was the gold standard of base stealing and leadoff hitting,” Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Rickey was one of the most accomplished and beloved Athletics of all-time. He also made an impact with many other clubs during a quarter-century career like no other. Rickey epitomized speed, power and entertainment in setting the tone at the top of the lineup. When we considered new rules for the game in recent years, we had the era of Rickey Henderson in mind.
