on his record-breaking steal (#939), and his return to Oakland in ‘89, and although I have met him in person (can’t find the pictures, ready to beat my sister for misplacing them), I have nothing heartwarming to report in that regard.

I did see him tie Ty Cobb’s AL record for most steals in a season; that was pretty special because he was only in his second year so he had only begun to create his legacy.

As great as those early years were, seeing him in action during the 1989 ALCS and World Series (I was at the first two games of each series, the only ones the A’s had at home), is what I am most fond of. Rickey was where he belonged, back home, and on the game’s grandest stage, and he did not disappoint. In those four games (all wins), he went 7-for-12, walked five times, stole seven bases, and scored four runs. And his slide to break up a double play (which forced a throwing error) in Game 1 of the ALCS, scored two runs that gave the A’s a lead they would not relinquish. The boxscore simply states there was a forceout, an error, and that two runs scored.

But that was Rickey. He transcended the boxcore.

But there were a couple of stories that were awesome, such as when he called a GM and pitched his services, something like. “This is Rickey, calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball for you.”

And from the late, great Jim Murray – “Rickey Henderson’s strike zone is smaller than Hitler’s heart.”

After an awful 1979 season, the A’s were possibly moving before the season started. After spring training the equipment vans stopped near Las Vegas waiting for the word, west to Oakland, or east to Denver. It was Oakland. That night was new manager Billy Martin’s first game managing the A’s and it started out just like 1979. Down by 5 going into the 7th, it looked like we were sunk, but with two out all hell broke loose. The A’s rallied with four runs, and two on. Rickey steps in, not know for his power at this point, he blasts a three run shot to give the A’s the lead. The team poured out of the dugout as if they just won the World series.
  That single swing of the bat, in my opinion, changed the future of the ball club. It showed then that they could fight, although we lost in 12 that night, the team played some of the most exciting baseball seen in years, and in Aug that year the team was sold to the Haas family, keeping the team here.
   It was the A’s “Bobby Thompson” moment of sorts.

Rickey went in head first and just grabs the base all in the same move. I loved it.

939.

Which was to catch Carlton Fisk’s fly ball for the final out of Mike Warren’s no-hitter at the Coliseum in 1983.

I was a little worried when I asked people to keep it to things they’d seen in person but I figured there are enough people here who’d seen him play to have a few different examples because different things will stand out to everyone.

1985. I rode my bike to the game and watched through the slats in the fence out beyond the iceplant. First at bat of the game was Rickey in a Yankees uniform. I think you would call that irony.

My friends (Giants fans) and I were sitting in the front row just past third base at Scottsdale Stadium during a Spring Training game in ‘94, and Rickey comes along and starts signing autographs for anyone and everyone. Four girls sitting right behind us start screaming for Rickey and how much they love him. As Rickey’s standing in front of us, I shake his hand and say: “The girls are just nuts about you, Rickey.”

Rickey simply grins and says: “Ladies love Rickey’s hammies.”

Rickey’s the best.