The Feast of Henderson the Prolific Thief

December 25: A big deal. The day Rickey Henderson was born. Let us feast.

Henderson the Prolific Thief

Life: Rickey Henderson, according to Rickey Henderson, was the greatest. He truly believed that. And he was one of them. His career 113.9 WAR ranks 17th all-time among position players. We remember Henderson for his prowess on the basepaths, but it’s important to remember how often he got there, and how often he ran once he arrived. Henderson finished with an on-base percentage higher than Pete Rose, Joe DiMaggio, Cal Ripken, Joe Morgan, Honus Wagner, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays. He could do a little bit of it all, but one thing better than any man before him, or since.

Spiritual Exercise: A couple of weeks ago, on Twitter, I read a quote from Rickey Henderson, from April 28, 1987, about Texas Rangers pitcher Ed Correa, who threw 7.1 innings of no-hit baseball that afternoon, as Henderson’s New York Yankees fell 3-1 to the Rangers: “He didn’t have anything.” Henderson went 0-3, with a walk. He stole two bases. Rickey Henderson never, ever doubted himself. Ask yourself: Are you the greatest? Perhaps it’s time you started believing you are.

A Prayer for Rickey Henderson

Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson!
One thousand,
Four hundred
And six
Stolen bases.
“Thou shalt not steal”
Never applied to baseball.

H/T: @mighty_flynn. Image credit: USA Today.