Ricky Henderson in The Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Rickey Henderson, you are one of the greatest players to ever play the Game of baseball. The flair and excitement that you brought to the game of baseball set you head and shoulders about all the rest. From the first year watching you and playing in the same lineup I knew you were a special player. One of the things that you find out about players while you play with them or against them is how confident they are. Rickey Henderson operated with the spirit of a champion, no one could break his confidence. You know how good a guy is when the question is asked... would you pay to watch them play? Being in the same lineup with Rickey, I would have paid to watch him perform that's how good he was.

Rickey Henderson by himself changed the way the game was played. Because of him pitchers went from a high leg kick to a slide step to home to stop the running game of most teams. The stop watch became a major part of the game and all teams demanded their pitchers deliver the ball to home plate under 2.3 seconds. Each year Rickey did more to become the best player on the field.

One off season Rickey, myself and a couple or other player worked out at a batting cage in Antioch, CA that was the winter that he and I learned how to hit as inside fastball without rolling off of the pitch. I hit 24 homeruns for the A's and Rickey Hit 24 homeruns for the Yankees. He was able to do it over and over again. Born on Christmas morning Rickey Henderson was truly blessed with an ability to play the game of baseball. Everyone that had a chance to watch him play was treated with a hall of fame performance. Rickey Henderson it's your time to take a bow.