The news of Rickey Henderson’s death stunned the sports world on Saturday, and there is now some more information regarding what happened to the Hall of Famer.
TMZ Sports reports that Henderson died on Friday in the Oakland area after a bout with pneumonia. He had been hospitalized and receiving treatment prior to his death, which came just days before what would have been his 66th birthday (on Christmas). They were the second outlet to report that Henderson had died of pneumonia on Friday.
Henderson, known as the “Man of Steal,” is recognized for being one of the greatest MLB players in history. He was a 10-time All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger, Gold Glove winner, AL MVP, and ALCS MVP. He is the career leader in runs scored (2,295) and stolen bases (1,406). He is regarded as the best leadoff hitter of all time, as he possessed an unmatched combination of power, patience, and speed. Henderson led the league in walks three times and had a career .401 on-base percentage. He also slugged 297 career home runs.
Henderson is best known for his 14 seasons with the Oakland A’s and his five seasons with the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, which came five years after his final MLB season. Henderson’s former teammate, Dave Winfield, was among the first to discuss Henderson’s death in a post online.
