Corridor of Famer Rickey Henderson, the best leadoff man and basestealer in historical past, has died, the league introduced Saturday. He was 65.

Historian Invoice James as soon as wrote that “in case you may cut up Rickey Henderson in two, you’d have two Corridor of Famers.” Henderson is within the interior circle of the interior circle of the Corridor of Fame, retiring with 3,055 hits and a document 1,406 stolen bases. He performed for 9 groups in 25 seasons, and that does not embody a number of years in unbiased leagues on the finish of his profession.

To rejoice the Man of Steal, listed here are 10 mind-blowing stats about Henderson’s Corridor of Fame profession.

1. He is the all-time stolen base king

Henderson is the all-time chief in stolen bases, and that undersells the accomplishment. He broke Lou Brock’s profession stolen base document on Might 1, 1991, and declared himself “the best of all-time.” He is not fallacious.

Henderson broke Brock’s profession stolen base document in his 1,615th profession sport. He then went on to play one other 1,466 video games. Right here is the all-time stolen base leaderboard:

1. Rickey Henderson: 1,406
2. Lou Brock: 938
3. Billy Hamilton: 914
4. Ty Cobb: 897
5. Tim Raines: 808

The hole between Henderson and Brock is 468 stolen bases, which is similar because the hole between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who ranks forty sixth all-time with 470 steals. Henderson’s whole is sort of precisely 50% greater than Brock’s, and the hole between the 2 is equal to a top-50 stolen base whole all-time. Henderson’s stolen base document is without doubt one of the most unbreakable in any sport.

2. He stole a marathon

At 90 ft per steal, Henderson’s 1,406 profession steals equal 125,540 ft of stolen bases. That’s 23.97 miles, or simply in need of a full 26-mile marathon. Henderson’s conditioning was out of this world good and, amongst different issues, he chalked it as much as operating 3-5 miles each different day. Add that to his stolen bases and the person ran greater than his justifiable share of marathons over time.

3. He led the league in steals in his first seven full seasons

After being drafted in 1976, Henderson made his MLB debut in June 1979, and hit .279 with 33 stolen bases in 89 video games as a rookie with the Athletics. Henderson performed his first full season in 1980 and led his league in stolen bases that yr, and in every of the subsequent six seasons as effectively. In a few years, the race was not shut:

A hamstring harm restricted Henderson to 95 video games and 41 steals in 1987, ending his streak of main his league in stolen bases. He acquired again on the horse the subsequent yr although and led the league in steals in 1988 (94), 1989 (77), 1990 (65), and 1991 (58). If not for that hamstring harm, Henderson seemingly would have led his league in stolen bases in every of his first 12 full seasons. 

Alas and alack, Henderson needed to accept main the league in 11 of his first dozen full seasons. All informed, he led the league in stolen bases 12 occasions, essentially the most in historical past. Corridor of Famer Max Carey is the one different participant to guide his league in steals a minimum of 10 occasions.

4. He is the one participant to steal 130 bases in a season

These 130 stolen bases in 1982 are the single-season document, 12 greater than any participant within the Trendy Period (since 1900). Brock held the earlier document with 118 steals in 1974. Henderson broke Brock’s document on Aug. 27, 1982.

Solely eight occasions within the Trendy Period (since 1900) has a participant stolen 100 bases in a season. Henderson did it thrice (1980, 1982, 1983). So did Vince Coleman (1985-87). Brock (1974) and Maury Wills (1962) are the opposite two members of the 100 steals in a season membership.

5. He led MLB in steals at age 39

With the A’s in 1998, Henderson stole an MLB-leading 66 bases, eight greater than another participant. That was his age-39 season. He additionally led baseball with 118 walks that season. Solely six occasions has a participant stolen even 30 bases at age 39 or older. Henderson did it three of the six occasions:

1. Rickey Henderson, 1998: 66 (age 39)
2. Davey Lopes, 1985: 47 (age 40)
3. Rickey Henderson, 1999: 37 (age 40)
4. Otis Nixon, 1998: 37 (age 39)
5. Rickey Henderson, 2000: 36 (age 41)
6. Kenny Lofton, 2006: 32 (age 39)

Henderson stole 109 bases in his 40s, essentially the most in historical past. The second most within the Trendy Period (since 1900) belongs to Lopes, who stole 74 bases in his 40s.

6. He as soon as stole 5 bases in a sport with zero at-bats

Solely 28 occasions in historical past has a participant stolen 5 or extra bases in a single sport. Henderson after all is answerable for one of many 28. He stole a career-high 5 bases on July 29, 1989. Amazingly, Henderson didn’t have an official at-bat within the sport. He had 4 plate appearances and walked 4 occasions, all in opposition to Corridor of Famer Randy Johnson. That is your commonplace 0 for 0 sport with 5 stolen bases. Henderson additionally scored 4 runs within the sport.

7. He is the profession chief in unintentional walks

Despite the fact that he was the sport’s best basestealing menace, opposing pitchers nonetheless had a tough time throwing Henderson strikes. He drew 2,190 walks in his profession, second most all-time behind Barry Bonds (2,558). Bonds, nonetheless, was deliberately walked a document 688 occasions. Henderson was deliberately walked solely 61 occasions. That makes Rickey the all-time chief in unintentional walks with 2,129. Bonds completed effectively behind him with 1,870 unintentional walks.

8. He reached base 25 occasions within the 1989 postseason

That is 25 occasions in solely 9 video games. Henderson had 15 hits, 9 walks, and one hit-by-pitch as he helped the A’s win the 1989 World Sequence. He went 6 for 15 (.400) with seven walks and nil strikeouts within the ALCS in opposition to the Blue Jays, which earned him ALCS MVP honors. To place this one other method, Henderson reached base 25 occasions within the 1989 postseason and made solely 19 outs for a tidy .568 on-base share. That’s the second-highest on-base share in a single postseason (min. 40  plate appearances) behind Bonds’ .581 mark in 2002.

9. He is the all-time chief in leadoff residence runs

Henderson is the best stolen base menace in baseball historical past. He was no slouch on the plate both. Henderson retired with 297 profession residence runs, which locations him one hundred and sixty fifth all-time. A document 81 occasions Henderson led off a sport with a house run. Right here is the profession leadoff residence runs leaderboard:

1. Rickey Henderson: 81
2. George Springer: 60
3. Alfonso Soriano: 54
4. Craig Biggio: 53
5. Mookie Betts: 52

On July 6, 1993, Henderson grew to become the second participant to hit a leadoff residence run in each video games of a doubleheader. Corridor of Famer Harry Hooper had beforehand accomplished it in 1913. Brady Anderson (1999) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2018) have since matched the feat.

Henderson hit his ultimate large league residence run on July 20, 2003. Naturally, it was a leadoff homer.

10. He hit a house run in 25 completely different seasons

Henderson performed a sport in 25 completely different large league seasons, tied with Corridor of Famer Eddie Collins for essentially the most within the Trendy Period (since 1990). And in all 25 seasons, Henderson hit a minimum of one residence run. He’s the one participant to go deep in 25 completely different seasons. Ty Cobb did it in 24 seasons, and several other gamers did it in 23 seasons, however Henderson is the all-time chief in seasons with a house run. Not unhealthy for the sport’s best basestealer, eh?