Rickey Henderson Officially Retires...

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 10:55 AM PST

Well I'm sure most of you have heard the news that the Mets have hired Rickey Henderson to coach at spring training for ten days this spring. He'll also help out for a week during the regular season. According to a friend of mine who is close to Rickey, he was offered a full time gig, but felt loyalty to Omar and Willie (whose son played with Rickey in Newark in 2004), to join the Mets. While I wish that he could have retired as an A's player, it is also sad to see that the end of an era has finally happened. Part of me knows however that if given the chance, Rickey would join the local American Legion League in June just for a chance to play again.

Here is the story:

http://tinylink.com/?x0ZKrcacn6

Cheers
Mark

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Full time gig?

For clarification, what full time gig did your friend say he was offered - playing, coaching...?

"Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?" - George Costanza

by Awesomus on Feb 10, 2006 10:57 AM PST reply actions

From ESPN

Here is the story on ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2326048

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 2:20 PM PST up reply actions

Story from MLB

Here is the story from MLB...like I said, if there is an American Legion League game in June, Rickey might just lace them up!

http://tinylink.com/?RLRR2AS9lQ

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 2:38 PM PST up reply actions

Great Video!

If you get a chance to check out the MLB story, there is a great video with great clips from Rickey's career and a three minute piece on Rickey breaking the all time stolen base record.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 2:46 PM PST up reply actions

Rickey Henderson, Officially Retired..

He was offered a full time coaching gig in the majors, but really didn't want to be on the road that much this year. Apparently after last season, and towards the end of his days with the Dawgs he had pretty much decided that it was going to be the end of the line. He wasn't going to get an invite to spring training, which is all he was looking for at that time.

If you look at his numbers from last year, you can see that they weren't all that great considering the level of competition that he was facing.

I think he finally figured out it was time to go.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 11:02 AM PST reply actions

Silver Lining

At least the countdown to his HOF induction can officially begin.

by peanut gallery on Feb 10, 2006 11:02 AM PST reply actions

HOF

Actually, it didn't stop. Since he hasn't played for a MLB team since 2003, he is slated to be on the 2009 ballot, despite playing in an independent league the last two seasons.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 11:11 AM PST reply actions

That's great

Didn't know that. Can't wait for the day.

by peanut gallery on Feb 10, 2006 12:35 PM PST up reply actions

i hope the a's don't wait

to retire his number until he's in the HoF.
do it this year, and give us bobbleheads!

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 10, 2006 11:20 AM PST reply actions

But what number will they retire?

Haren wear #24 and Thomas wears #35...

I'm only old enough to remember Rickey as #24, so I am not sure whether he'll get 24 or 35 retired. Perhaps one of the AN elders can shed some light for us whippersnappers.

"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe

by EastCoastA on Feb 10, 2006 11:40 AM PST up reply actions

Numbers....

Copied from http://www.baseball-fever.com/archive/index.php/t-8645.html

Rickey's number was no. 35, which he wore in Oakland during his first stint there 1979-84.

When he was traded to the Yankees, no. 35 was unavailable, because it was being worn by Phil Niekro. Rickey then took no. 24, which seemed appropriate, because that number is associated with Willie Mays, and Rickey had demonstrated that he was a dominant player of that calibre.

However, even after Niekro left the Yankees, Rickey retained no. 24. Furthermore, even after the Yankees traded him back to Oakland he continued to wear it -- Bob Welch had it with the A's at that time. Rickey has worn no. 24 for all his subsequent stints with Oakland, including in years when no. 35 was available.

In fact, from that point on, Rickey wore no. 24 at almost every stop in his career, among the few exceptions being for Toronto in 1993, when he wore 11.

But, Rickey's 2000 season, which was split between the Mets and Seattle, was interesting. Rickey had come to the Mets in 1999, and wore no. 24. This was controversial, because, while no. 24 had never been officially retired by the team, it had never been worn after Willie Mays retired in 1973.

When Rickey joined Seattle, no. 24 was also not officially retired, but it had been worn up until the previous season by Griffey. So, Rickey went back to no. 35 for the first time since 1984 and his first stint with the A's.

Rickey also wore no. 35 for the Red Sox in 2002, since Manny Ramirez wears that number. In 2003, however, Rickey is back to no. 24 for the Newark Bears.

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Feb 10, 2006 11:52 AM PST up reply actions

#35

Here is a little known fact. When Ricky came up June 1979, he wore #35 with no name on his jersey. I was there that day, saw him during batting practice wondering who that was. We had to wait until the line up was read by Roy Steele. He doubled in his first at bat.Alas we were swept in a double header by Texas that day. But for some reason I saved my ticket stub, and still have it.

by billyball1981 on Feb 10, 2006 12:12 PM PST up reply actions

I was there too.

His double was a flare down the right field line and he took second off of a surprised right fielder. He was then later thrown out at home in that inning by the same right fielder while trying to tag up on a medium-short fly ball to right center. That's how I remember it, anyway.

"Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move." - Satchel Paige

by McFood on Feb 10, 2006 12:27 PM PST up reply actions

Nice Memory..

This is from Retrosheet.org:

ATHLETICS 1ST: Henderson doubled to right; Debut game for Rickey Henderson; Chalk singled to right [Henderson to third]; Putnam dropped a foul fly hit by Gross; Gross made an out to second; Newman hit into a double play [Henderson out at home (right to catcher)]; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Rangers 0,
Athletics 0.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 12:31 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks for the confirmation

I can't always trust my memory anymore!

"Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move." - Satchel Paige

by McFood on Feb 10, 2006 12:47 PM PST up reply actions

me too

I was there for Rickey;'s debut as well. I think he wore a diff number that first day. I jotted it on my scorecard. I saved my ticket stub as well.

The attendance was not high. 7000 maybe? Can someone check?

Amazing that three of us are still around and on this board.

"It's better to live rich than die rich" -- The Fat Lady

by geogrman on Feb 10, 2006 1:08 PM PST up reply actions

Attendance

It was a paltry 4572.

by billyball1981 on Feb 11, 2006 12:40 PM PST up reply actions

It was actaully Ron Hassey

and not Bob Welch. Rickey wore #22 for his first game or two back with teh A's until he set up a deal to buy the number from Hassey. I don't recall what he gave him, but I remember it was the first time I had heard of such a thing. We've come a long way since then...Clinton Portis has had a lawsuit against him for the last year for failure to pay the amount he agreed to pay for the number he now wears.

by RunRickeyRun on Feb 10, 2006 12:47 PM PST up reply actions

number swapping

it was Bob Welch that wore the #35 preventing him from going back to #35. but #24 was also taken, but by Hassey; and he made a deal to get that number from him. if i'm not mistaken, i think Hassey then changed to #27; but i think it was Billy Beane's number at the time, and did Beane then change to #11?

Nick's an outstanding defensive first baseman...He's going to want to talk and he'll drive people nuts. They won't want to get to first base if he's there-Beane

by F171615 on Feb 10, 2006 2:33 PM PST up reply actions

Retire both

Cause he's "The Greatest EVER!!"

"If you throw at someone's head, it's very dangerous, because in the head is the brain." -- Pudge Rodriguez

by niallmack on Feb 10, 2006 12:00 PM PST reply actions

I like the cut of your jib.

I'd come to Oakland for a Rickey number retirement day. For sure.

by Ozzz on Feb 10, 2006 12:11 PM PST up reply actions

What's a jib?

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Feb 10, 2006 1:27 PM PST up reply actions

it's a sail

the triangular one at the front of the boat.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 1:30 PM PST up reply actions

Haha thanks

I was doing a simpsons bit though.

Homer: Is the poop deck really what I think it is?
Capt.: I like the cut of your jib.
Homer: What's a jib?
Capt.: Haha, promote that man.

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Feb 10, 2006 1:33 PM PST up reply actions

When I asked my dad if he regretted having me

the best he could come up with was, "I was always proud...that you weren't a short man." I think that speaks volumes about how sharp I am.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 1:49 PM PST up reply actions

come on

they should retire a jersey with no number and just says "Ricky" on the back

"What I'm trying to do is set our pitching up for five years," said Beane

by Satchmo22 on Feb 10, 2006 12:18 PM PST reply actions

Rickey

grrrrrrr

"What I'm trying to do is set our pitching up for five years," said Beane

by Satchmo22 on Feb 10, 2006 12:19 PM PST up reply actions

Rickey's Number

"When Rickey joined Seattle, no. 24 was also not officially retired, but it had been worn up until the previous season by Griffey."

What is interesting about this, is that the reason Griffey wore #24, was after his favorite player...Rickey Henderson.

Personally, I'd like the A's to retire 35, since that is the number he wore when he broke in with the A's. While 24 has for a lot of fans more of a connection with Rickey with the A's from 89 on, I like the old school 35.

Speaking of games that I saw Rickey, living out here in Milwaukee, I was lucky enough to see Rickey tie Brock's record and then smash it the following night. Despite Billy Martin's best intentions of having Rickey break the record in Oakland, I'm forever grateful to Durwood Merrill who called Rickey out after Fred Stanley was "picked off" second to open up the base for Rickey late in the game vs. the Tigers. If I remember correctly, Durwood had a comment to the press that he could have been safe by an hour and he still would have called him out.

Classic.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 12:19 PM PST reply actions

Great game

Was there on a Junior High field trip. The top of the next inning with Rickey back in LF, two women in the bleachers - just a section to the right of mine - showed their appreciation for his feat by taking off their tops. Even after security arrived they refused to put them back on and were escorted out of the coliseum topless. Innocense lost. What a game!

"Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?" - George Costanza

by Awesomus on Feb 10, 2006 12:38 PM PST up reply actions

Beautiful

Now I know what I missed growing up as a kid in Milwaukee. :)

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 12:41 PM PST up reply actions

Correction

I got a little excited and misread your post. The game I was at was in 1991 when he broke the all-time record in Oakland not the single season record in '82. I was only 4 in '82.

"Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?" - George Costanza

by Awesomus on Feb 10, 2006 1:25 PM PST up reply actions

Record Season

Here's a link to all 130 stolen bases in 1982:

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats22.shtml

Alot of former and soon-to-be A's on the list of pitchers (you'd think they would include catchers too):
Moose Haas
Dennis Eckersley
Rick Honeycutt
Vida Blue
Mike Moore
Storm Davis

"Do you ever get down on your knees and thank God you know me and have access to my dementia?" - George Costanza

by Awesomus on Feb 10, 2006 1:38 PM PST up reply actions

That's great/too bad/great/too bad

I can't wait to go to his induction in the Hall.

I'm bummed that I won't be able to see him play in Chico this summer.

I'm glad that we can now just remember how great of a player he was.

It's a shame that he'll never again lace 'em up for the Green and Gold.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 12:46 PM PST reply actions

I saw Rickey 6 times this last

year with the Surfdawgs and it was a pleasure each time. I've posted a few of these before, but I think it's appropriate again.

On a side note, i went to a game up in Anaheim thi spast year and I was the national before the game (a bar right by the stadium) and heard some guys talking about an A's fan that got a soda thrown at him the year prior and he was wearing a Rickey jersey. I turned around to reveal the #24 and they went beserk. They actually bought me a couple of drinks explaining that not all Angels fans were like that.

by RunRickeyRun on Feb 10, 2006 12:55 PM PST reply actions

Awesome shots!

Great photos!! If you have others, I'd really be interested in taking a look at them. I've got a lot of items from Rickey over the years and have been looking for more photos of his days with SD. I wasn't able to get out there this year, after seeing him in Newark in 2003 & 04. Please shoot me an e-mail.

Thanks
Mark

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 1:06 PM PST up reply actions

Here's the ones I took

http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/6/28/21947/8443

view them quick, though, the bandwidth will probably be exceeded pretty quickly.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 1:14 PM PST up reply actions

photos

BEAUTIFUL! I love the photo with Rickey, I was lucky to get one as well when I was out in Newark back in 2003, he couldn't have been nicer, and he signed forever.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 1:27 PM PST up reply actions

Found a couple

Too bad they're with Boston! :)

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 1:57 PM PST up reply actions

Excellent shots...

but you know, something isn't quite right about calling that place "Tony Gwynn STadium." Henderson was a superior player, and Gwynn never played there, Rickey did.

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 10, 2006 1:20 PM PST up reply actions

Gwynn did play at SDSU

and is a coach of the team. He's by far the most famous alumn from San Diego State, along with myself (RunRickeyRun stadium does have a ring to it), Armen Kateyen and Ralph Rubio (San Diego reference).

by RunRickeyRun on Feb 10, 2006 4:40 PM PST up reply actions

my fave ...

... is the shot of Rickey off first. The first baseman is obviously standing there quivering, thinking, "Holy shit! That's Rickey Henderson!"

Pet the soft fur on his back while you're cuddling him and be sure to "feed" him his banana when he gets hungry! @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 10, 2006 1:40 PM PST up reply actions

I've got short videos from my digi cam

of Rickey messing with the pitcher. One at bat, the pitcher through over to first 15+ times and Rickey was laughing at him, tipping his cap, throwing dirt, leaning towards second...it was probably my best Rickey memory and I've been watching him since the early 80s.

by RunRickeyRun on Feb 10, 2006 4:44 PM PST up reply actions

Rickey was, is, will always be-

"the greatest"

by bigelephant on Feb 10, 2006 12:56 PM PST reply actions

That dugout shot

Is a little weird...

"If you throw at someone's head, it's very dangerous, because in the head is the brain." -- Pudge Rodriguez

by niallmack on Feb 10, 2006 1:14 PM PST reply actions

Wait a second!!!!!

The article does not say he retires. The GCL season doesn't start until June. He could coach for them in ST and still play.

I'm not saying it's not true - I don't know - but this article does not at all confirm it.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 1:21 PM PST reply actions

True...

That is true, but from what my friend has told me, that it is over. He's looking to do a few card shows this summer, and then hopefully land a full time gig next season as a coach. He just wasn't ready to do it this year.

But, knowing Rickey, if he gets an urge to play in June, he'll be lacing them up somewhere!

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 1:29 PM PST up reply actions

So, when you say "officially"

you mean, according to a guy who knows a guy (you being the first guy) ...

; )

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 4:32 PM PST up reply actions

Actually...

I wish I was the source, but I'm afraid I'll have to rely on my friend...who is.

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 4:48 PM PST up reply actions

yeah, that's what I meant

the first guy is the guy who knows a guy ...

first in the sentance, not first in the timeline.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 4:57 PM PST up reply actions

Or it could be

the guy who's uncle heard of a guy who cut his hair, who has a sister who knows this other guy...

Either way, my source knows Rickey personally and does business with him, so he's got a good finger on the pulse...

by Rickey35 on Feb 10, 2006 5:15 PM PST up reply actions

Rickey Henderson is my all time favorite Athletic

and my all time favorite ball player. That is all.

Kendall Haiku by FormerHuntsvilleStar, " Ball in hand, a leap,--- a veteran catcher blocks--- and secures a win"

by Athletics fan and runner on Feb 10, 2006 1:23 PM PST reply actions

i got his autograph

on a piece of binder paper at a warriors game in like 1980 or so. My dad had warriors tickets way back then and I saw Ricky at a bunch of games.

btw... the oakland museum story that someone posted a little while back was outstanding.

Oakland, you know I go way back. -- Too Short

by mendelbob on Feb 10, 2006 1:49 PM PST reply actions

You liked my story?

About how I was at the exhibit at the same time as Rickey and didn't see him at all ... but was pleased that as my time there went on, the area I was in got noticeably less crowded.

If you like that you should check out Saint's.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 10, 2006 1:57 PM PST up reply actions

me too

i got a chance to get Rickey's autograph at a Warriors game one time too. i hate to ask players for autographs in public, b/c i don't want to bother them; but come on now, this is Rickey - my favorite athlete from any sport ever! i let him know how thankful i was for him to give me the time for the autograph, and he was quite pleasant. i was 11 years old at the time, and was amazed that he actually took the time to pleasantly exchange a few words with me.

Nick's an outstanding defensive first baseman...He's going to want to talk and he'll drive people nuts. They won't want to get to first base if he's there-Beane

by F171615 on Feb 10, 2006 2:43 PM PST up reply actions