Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original
In the argument for who the greatest baseball player of all time is, there always seems to be one name missing. Rickey Henderson. The all-time leader in Stolen Bases and Runs scored, over 3,000 Hits, and the single season Stolen Base record is somehow excluded from the discussion. The difference between Henderson’s 1,406 Stolen Bases and second place, Lou Brock’s 938, would rank as the 47th most career Stolen Bases. His complete domination on the bases is unlike anything ever seen in baseball. Howard Bryant explores the Man of Steal on and off the diamond in Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original.
There will never be another Rickey Henderson. His abilities on the diamond are unlike anyone before him, and almost certainly anyone after him. After getting on base, often thanks to his expert eye on the strike zone, everyone knew he was going to steal. Literally everyone from the parking attendant, hot dog vendor, scoreboard operator, pitcher, and catcher. It was a matter of time before Henderson took off. When he was in flight it was a thing of beauty. A walk would quickly turn into a Double or Triple. He disrupted the game and forced the defense to focus on him and not the batter.
Henderson’s career coincided with the flourishing of free agency. He always focused on receiving the salary he was worth. This rubbed many people the wrong way, but Rickey did not care. He knew his worth and wanted the dollars to prove it. His lengthy career saw Henderson go from Rookie phenom to a perceived arrogant super star to the wise veteran. He was all of these things and more. His singular focus on assaulting the record books took him to Cooperstown. Along the way, Rickey never forgot his Oakland roots. Despite playing away from Oakland for more than a decade, Henderson always returned home. A proud product of Oakland to a star in the Bronx under immense pressure of the media and George Steinbrenner then returning home and becoming a journeyman willing to help any team make a deep run in the Postseason. Rickey Henderson’s baseball life had more lives than a cat.
Longevity is a sign that a player is healthy, has a dominant skill, or is able to reinvent themselves. Rickey Henderson did all three. He was hounded by accusations that he only played when he wanted, but Henderson knew when his body needed rest. Henderson’s dominant skills were his speed on the bases, his eagle eye for the strike zone, and later the power in his bat. Pitchers had to throw him a strike or he would not swing. If they threw him a strike he had the power to send the baseball into the seats. Rickey Henderson was a problem. He was a combination of speed and power that only exists in video games. He always found a way to impact the game and remain in the game after his contemporaries retired. Henderson’s talents on the diamond were as undeniable as his motivation and persistence. Time is undefeated, but its fight against Rickey was one of its toughest battles.
Howard Bryant tells a more complete story of Rickey Henderson in Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original. Separating the man from the myth and legend is no easy task. Few athletes have been as puzzling and electrifying as Rickey Henderson. Accepting that there can be truth in every story and then figuring out what is and is not the truth takes time and patience. Bryant’s writing takes readers on a journey through Henderson’s quarter century racing around a diamond. He examines Henderson’s legacy, and the ugliness that race has played in the creation and continuation of the myths about Rickey. He is a one of a kind athlete. Howard Bryant’s skillful writing captures Rickey Henderson perfectly. Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original is a beautifully written book. It receives an 8, a Home Run.
DJ