Rickey Henderson Biography

Rickey Henderson, born December 25, 1958, played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 2003 for nine teams, including multiple stints with the Oakland Athletics. Rickey Henderson is recognized as baseball's premier leadoff hitter and baserunner due to his speed and offensive contributions. Henderson holds the single-season stolen base record with 130 in 1982 and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, achieving this feat three times between 1980 and 1983. He remains the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland Athletics and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988 to 2011. Henderson was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1990 and served as lead-off hitter for World Series champions in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics and in 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was a 12-time stolen base champion and led the league in runs scored on five occasions during his career. Before his MLB debut, Henderson spent the 1978 season with the Jersey City A's in the Eastern League, a minor league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.