Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson was the greatest leadoff hitter and base-stealer in MLB history, setting career records for stolen bases and runs.

Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson was born on December 25, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois, and spent most of his childhood in Oakland, California, where he developed the explosive speed and aggressive baserunning instincts that would define his career. He debuted with his hometown Oakland Athletics in 1979, quickly establishing himself as the most dynamic leadoff hitter and base stealer the sport had ever seen. Henderson redefined the leadoff position, combining rare power for a player of his role with unmatched speed; he broke Lou Brock's single-season stolen base record in 1982 with 130 steals, and went on to surpass Brock's career mark in 1991, finishing with an all-time record 1,406 stolen bases — nearly 300 more than the next player on the list. He famously declared himself, upon breaking the career record, "the greatest of all time," a claim well supported by his statistics. Henderson also holds MLB's all-time record for runs scored, with 2,295, and won the 1990 American League MVP award while playing for Oakland. Known for his flamboyant personality and longevity, he played for nine different major league teams across a 25-year career that stretched from 1979 to 2003, continuing to compete at a high level well into his forties. Henderson earned the nickname "Man of Steal" and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009 with 94.8% of the vote. He died on December 20, 2024, at age 65, five days short of his 66th birthday, remembered as one of the most electrifying and singular personalities in the sport's history.

Speed-focused leadoff hitter with exceptional base stealing ability

Greatest leadoff hitter and base stealer in baseball history

• MLB all-time stolen base leader (1,406)
• 2x World Series champion (1989, 1993)
• AL MVP (1990)
• 10x All-Star
• Gold Glove (1981)
• Hall of Fame 2009