Rickey Henderson misplaced humility at times. There are legions of former teammates’ names he can’t remember. But he never forgot when he was born — Christmas Day — and where he came from.
Henderson made a point to attend the Oakland Athletics’ holiday party for underprivileged youth, even when he no longer played for the A’s. There was a carnival, gifts and Henderson, a Bay Area product, scooping ice cream with his left hand for nearly 1,500 kids.
It was Henderson who received baseball’s greatest treat Monday, elected to the Hall of Fame along with former Red Sox slugger Jim Rice. Henderson, fittingly, sped into Cooperstown, the all-time stolen base leader becoming the 44th player elected in his first year on the ballot by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Henderson said. “I have been nervous, waiting.”
Rice, in contrast, was quietly fuming. He gained entrance to the Hall in his final chance, despite not having played a full season since Ronald Reagan was president. Rice finished in the top five of the MVP voting six times and hit 382 home runs but didn’t enjoy a good relationship with the media, which many believe led to his painful delay in enshrinement.
“I don’t think I was difficult to deal with for writers. I think the writers were difficult to me,” Rice said. “I don’t know why it took so long. I am just happy I am in.”
Henderson was unintentionally funny throughout his career, the source of some of the game’s greatest anecdotes. Once, when asked about the view from his New York penthouse, Henderson marveled that he could see the “entire State Building.”
There was nothing comical about his play. He was with-out peer in stealing bases — his shoes from his record-setting, 130-swipe season are in Coop- erstown — leading off and providing a dynamic combination of power and speed.
“I loved his neon green batting gloves and how you never knew what he was going to do next,” said Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who grew up watching Henderson in Oakland. “He could steal three bases on (three pitches), take a walk or hit a first-pitch home run.”
Henderson collected his 3,000th hit against the Rockies in 2001. It happened quickly — a first-pitch bloop off John Thomson — like so many of his highlights.
“I will always remember how big his lead was on first base and how bad I tried to pick him off,” said former Rockie Jason Jennings, “and . . . he always ended up on second base.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
