Baseball World Reacts to Rickey Henderson's Shocking Death

Teammates, friends, and fellow Baseball Hall of Famers reacted in mourning Saturday to the shocking news of Rickey Henderson's death at age 65.

More news: Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson Dies at 65

Henderson stole a record 1,406 bases in his career, delighting fans in Oakland, New York, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, Seattle, Boston, and Los Angeles along the way. By the time he played his final game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003, Henderson was also baseball's all-time leader in runs scored with 2,295. In 2017, the A's named the Oakland Coliseum field after him.

Henderson's larger-than-life personality and showmanship endeared him to fans. He often referred to himself in the third person in interview and left a series of apocryphal anecdotes that matched his gaudy statistics.

"Ricky Henderson was a dream to hit behind as a teammate and a nightmare for a catcher as an opponent," Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza, who played with Henderson on the New York Mets, wrote on Twitter/X. "He was one of the most generous, hysterical and gracious human beings.. He will sorely missed..Prayers for his soul and comfort for his family..#MLB #HOF"

"Rickey Henderson was an incredible man," former A's pitcher Jerry Blevins wrote on his Twitter/X account. "A legend who was so much more approachable than his image would have you think. From playing cards in the clubhouse to picking his Hall of Fame mind about holding runners, Rickey would share his wealth of knowledge with ease. RIP Rickey."

"I'm heartbroken at the news about the legend Rickey Henderson. To be able to be taught by someone I idolized as a kid, it meant so much that he took time to teach so many of us," former A's outfielder Josh Reddick wrote on Twitter/X. "The best part was no matter what Rickey had to teach you or tell you, Rickey was gone do what Rickey wanted to do. And that always included a Rickey story from his playing days. Thank you Rickey."

"Waking up & hearing of the passing of a boyhood hero of mine and so many kids of our generation," wrote Jerry Hairston Jr. "Getting a chance to play against & get to know Ricky was a dream come true. The greatest leadoff hitter that ever lived. Devastating news."

"Sad day for our Hall of Fame family with the passing of Rickey Henderson one of the greatest to ever play the game you'll be dearly missed Brother RIP Rickey," wrote Hall of Famer Wade Boggs on Twitter/X.

Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, also a special advisor to the executive director of the MLB Players Association, wrote on his Instagram account: "I still cannot believe I've lost one of my favorite teammates and great friend Rickey Henderson. Rest in peace."

Contemporary broadcasters — many of whom watched Henderson establish baseball's all-time stolen bases record growing up — were also among those to chime in with their memories Saturday.

"Just gutting news," FanDuel Sports Network and Apple TV+ broadcaster Wayne Randazzo wrote on his Twitter/X account. "A truly all-time great. Terribly sad for the game and for Oakland."

"Imagine being so magnetic that a league has spent decades creating rules to try & get everyone to play like you," wrote Mike Ferrin of MLB Network on SiriusXM. "That was Rickey Henderson."

According to TMZ, Henderson had been battling pneumonia briefly before succumbing to the disease.

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