Sad News, Rickey Henderson Passes

[Eric72]

Rest in peace, Rickey.

[Huck]

Wow. I had to check ESPN on that report and found nothing. I guess the crew at ESPN is caught up in the college football playoff. He always was a great signing guest. Gone to soon.

[DodgerMike22]

RIP Rickey

[clydepepper]

It amazes me that I never saw him mentioned when the subject was 'Greatest Living Player'.

While only an average defender, he was, IMO, one of the top 20 players of ALL-TIME. What an offensive weapon he was!

When I turn 69 in three weeks, I'll still think of Rickey always being in perfect shape...65 was too young...and I admit to being shocked that he left so soon.

Life remains fragile. RIP Rickey.


.

[nwobhm]

RIP Rickey

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

It amazes me that I never saw him mentioned when the subject was 'Greatest Living Player'.

Rickey was mentioned literally in the first two replies to the "Greatest Living Player" thread you started earlier this year after Willie passed, and mentioned numerous times thru out. One member even stated:

Originally Posted by packs

But my pick for greatest living player is Rickey Henderson. When people talked about Willie being the greatest living player, it was the combination of his 5 tools that gave him that title.

I don't think there's another living player with the five-tool talent of Rickey Henderson. Every generation there's another Mantle, Griffey, Trout, etc. but there will never be another Rickey Henderson. Lots of speed in the world but you still need four other elite skills to get to where he was.

He was definitely mentioned along with the likes of Bonds/Griffey/Ryan/Koufax/Pujols/Clemens/A-Rod/Ohtani/Judge

[Chesbro41]

I don't post a lot but here's my take on Rickey.
Rickey could have crushed it in any era.
Dead Ball. You got it. Base to base.
Power... if necessary.
OBP, sure why not.

Rickey coulda had the highest average if that's all Rickey wanted.
Rickey coulda hit the most home runs.
But scoring runs wins games.
So Rickey always tried to get home faster than anyone.

Wish Rickey would have spent a little more time with us before Rickey went home today. But that's Rickey being Rickey.

[Brent G.]

There will never be another Rickey. Incredible athletes like him, Tim Raines, and Vince Coleman rarely choose baseball these days. It's sad that the sport is largely dead in the black community.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Rickey was mentioned literally in the first two replies to the "Greatest Living Player" thread you started earlier this year after Willie passed, and mentioned numerous times thru out. One member even stated:



He was definitely mentioned along with the likes of Bonds/Griffey/Ryan/Koufax/Pujols/Clemens/A-Rod/Ohtani/Judge

At the 2015 All Star Game, MLB honored the Franchise Four, the greatest living players, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Johnny Bench. I agree that they were all better than Henderson. Koufax and Bench are still alive.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by rats60

At the 2015 All Star Game, MLB honored the Franchise Four, the greatest living players, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Johnny Bench. I agree that they were all better than Henderson. Koufax and Bench are still alive.

Agree.

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by rats60

At the 2015 All Star Game, MLB honored the Franchise Four, the greatest living players, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Johnny Bench. I agree that they were all better than Henderson. Koufax and Bench are still alive.

My reply was simply to the poster saying Rickey wasn't mentioned in the "Greatest Living Player" thread, when he clearly was mentioned. I wasn't making a case that Rickey was better than anybody.

[Kidnapped18]

Rickey was one of my favorite ballplayers of all time!
Greatest lead off hitter, stolen base king and he played left field for my A's during the '80s
I had to have his rookie card in the '80s and I still have the same card today.

RIP

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

It amazes me that I never saw him mentioned when the subject was 'Greatest Living Player'.

While only an average defender, he was, IMO, one of the top 20 players of ALL-TIME. What an offensive weapon he was!

When I turn 69 in three weeks, I'll still think of Rickey always being in perfect shape...65 was too young...and I admit to being shocked that he left so soon.

Life remains fragile. RIP Rickey.


.

There was a poll on this site right after Mays died in which we picked the greatest living player and more than 400 people voted. Henderson finished sixth in that poll, though one right ahead of him was Pete Rose, who passed between Mays and Henderson.

I noted in my comment for that poll that I did an informal survey among 14 people I know outside of the board (including myself in that count) and Bonds and Henderson were the only two people who got votes. Pujols and Maddux were both named as honorable mentions twice, but only Bonds and Henderson got votes.

I would say we could do another vote, but it would be a waste because Bonds won by a huge landslide the first time. No one else even got half as many votes as him.

[BRoberts]

Joe DiMaggio continues to insist he be referred to as baseball's greatest living player.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by BRoberts

Joe DiMaggio continues to insist he be referred to as baseball's greatest living player.

When MLB chose their all-time team in 1969, Joe DiMaggio was chosen as the greatest living player. I don't agree, but anyone else who would have had that honor bestowed on them, would have kept referring to it also.

[V117collector]

No way, that's sad news! RIP to one of the greats...