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Rickey Henderson stories
cravetopps
Posts: 1,134
Some funny Rickey Henderson stories in light of his recent hire as the
Mets 1st Base Coach.
The following stories come from a blog post.
1) Rickey... on referring to himself in the third person:
"Listen, people are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been
blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm
ticked off, saying, 'Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?' They
say, 'Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don't you just
say, 'I?' But I never did. I always said, 'Rickey,' and it became
something for people to joke about."
2) In the early 1980s, the Oakland A's accounting department was
freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it
was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1
million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he
framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.
3) In 1996, Henderson's first season with San Diego, he boarded the team
bus and was looking for a seat. Steve Finley said, "You have tenure, sit
wherever you want." Henderson looked at Finley and said, "Ten years?
Ricky's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
4) This one might be my second favorite. This wasn't too long ago, I
think it was the year he ended up playing with the Red Sox. Anyway, he
called San Diego GM Kevin Towers and left the following message: "This
is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball."
5) This one happened in Seattle. Rickey struck out and as the next
batter was walking past him, he heard Henderson say, "Don't worry,
Rickey, you're still the best."
6) Rickey once asked a teammate how long it would take him to drive to
the Dominican Republic.
7) Moments after breaking Lou Brock's stolen base record, Henderson told
the crowd - with Brock mere feet next to him - "Lou Brock was a great
base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time."
8) Henderson once fell asleep on an ice pack and got frostbite - which
forced him to miss three games - in mid-August.
9) A reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti's estimate that 50 percent
of Major League players were taking steroids was accurate. His response
was, "Well, Rickey's not one of them, so that's 49 percent right there."
10) Henderson broke Ty Cobb's career record for runs scored with a home
run. After taking his usual 45 seconds or so around the bases, Rickey
slid into home plate.
11) On being Nolan Ryan's 5,000th career strikeout: "It gave me no
chance. He (Ryan) just blew it by me. But it's an honor. I'll have
another paragraph in all the baseball books. I'm already in the books
three or four times."
12) San Diego GM Kevin Towers was trying to contact Rickey at a nearby
hotel. He knew Henderson always used fake names to avoid the press,
fans, etc. He was trying to think like Rickey and after several
attempts; he was able to get Henderson on the phone.
Rickey had checked in under Richard Pryor.
13) I didn't believe this one at first. However, I emailed a few
contacts within the Sox organization and they claim it actually
happened. This is priceless, it really is.
The morning after the Sox finished off the sweep against St. Louis last
October, Henderson called someone in the organization looking for
tickets to Game 6 at Fenway Park.
14) The Mets were staying in a hotel less than a mile from Cinergy Field
in Cincinnati. While some players walked, most took the team bus. A few
minutes after they arrived - again it was less than a mile - the last
players off the bus noticed a stretched limo that had just pulled up.
Of course, Rickey emerged from the back seat.
15) A reporter once asked Rickey if he talked to himself, "Do I talk to
myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I
never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?"
16) OK, I know everyone has been waiting for it. Alas, according to both
parties involved, it's not true. I wish it were. Heck, both Rickey
Henderson and John Olerud have said they wish it were true. But it just
didn't happen.
The story went that a few weeks into Henderson's stint with the
Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why
he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an
aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend
goes that Henderson said, "Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the
same thing."
Legend also goes that Olerud said, "That was me, Rickey."
Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.
17) Rickey was asked if he had the Garth Brooks album with Friends in
Low Places and Henderson said, "Rickey doesn't have albums. Rickey has
CDs."
18) During a contract holdout with Oakland in the early 1990s, Henderson
said, "If they want to pay me like Mike Gallego, I'll play like
Gallego."
19) In the late 1980s, the Yankees sent Henderson a six-figure bonus
check. After a few months passed, an internal audit revealed the check
had not been cashed. Current Yankees GM Brian Cashman - then a low-level
nobody with the organization - called Rickey and asked if there was a
problem with the check. Henderson said, "I'm just waiting for the money
market rates to go up."
20) In June 1999, when Henderson was playing with the Mets, he saw
reporters running around the clubhouse before a game. He asked a
teammate what was going on and he was told that Tom Robson, the team's
hitting coach, had just been fired. Henderson said, "Who's he?"
21) This is my all-time favorite. Rickey was pulled over by a San Diego
police officer for speeding. As the officer was approaching Rickey's
car, the window went down a few inches and a folded $100 bill emerged.
The officer let Rickey and his money head home without a ticket.
22) When he was on the Yankees in the mid-1980s, Henderson told
teammates that his condo had such a great view that he could see, "The
Entire State Building."
23) During one of his stays with Oakland, Henderson's locker was next to
Billy Beane's. After making the team out of spring training, Beane was
sent to the minors after a few months. Upon his return, about six weeks
later, Henderson looked at Beane and said, "Hey, man, where have you
been? Haven't seen you in awhile."
24) To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays,
Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room
mirror and says, "Ricky's the best," for several minutes.
25) In the last week of his lone season with the Red Sox, Chairman Tom
Werner asked Henderson what he would like for his 'going-away' gift.
Henderson said he wasn't going anywhere, but he would like owner John
Henry's Mercedes. Werner said it would be tough to get the same make and
model in less than a week and Henderson said, "No, I want his car."
Turns out the Sox got Henderson a Red Thunderbird and when he saw it on
the field before the last game of the season, Rickey said, "Whose ugly
car is on the field?"
Mets 1st Base Coach.
The following stories come from a blog post.
1) Rickey... on referring to himself in the third person:
"Listen, people are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been
blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm
ticked off, saying, 'Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?' They
say, 'Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don't you just
say, 'I?' But I never did. I always said, 'Rickey,' and it became
something for people to joke about."
2) In the early 1980s, the Oakland A's accounting department was
freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it
was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1
million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he
framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.
3) In 1996, Henderson's first season with San Diego, he boarded the team
bus and was looking for a seat. Steve Finley said, "You have tenure, sit
wherever you want." Henderson looked at Finley and said, "Ten years?
Ricky's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
4) This one might be my second favorite. This wasn't too long ago, I
think it was the year he ended up playing with the Red Sox. Anyway, he
called San Diego GM Kevin Towers and left the following message: "This
is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball."
5) This one happened in Seattle. Rickey struck out and as the next
batter was walking past him, he heard Henderson say, "Don't worry,
Rickey, you're still the best."
6) Rickey once asked a teammate how long it would take him to drive to
the Dominican Republic.
7) Moments after breaking Lou Brock's stolen base record, Henderson told
the crowd - with Brock mere feet next to him - "Lou Brock was a great
base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time."
8) Henderson once fell asleep on an ice pack and got frostbite - which
forced him to miss three games - in mid-August.
9) A reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti's estimate that 50 percent
of Major League players were taking steroids was accurate. His response
was, "Well, Rickey's not one of them, so that's 49 percent right there."
10) Henderson broke Ty Cobb's career record for runs scored with a home
run. After taking his usual 45 seconds or so around the bases, Rickey
slid into home plate.
11) On being Nolan Ryan's 5,000th career strikeout: "It gave me no
chance. He (Ryan) just blew it by me. But it's an honor. I'll have
another paragraph in all the baseball books. I'm already in the books
three or four times."
12) San Diego GM Kevin Towers was trying to contact Rickey at a nearby
hotel. He knew Henderson always used fake names to avoid the press,
fans, etc. He was trying to think like Rickey and after several
attempts; he was able to get Henderson on the phone.
Rickey had checked in under Richard Pryor.
13) I didn't believe this one at first. However, I emailed a few
contacts within the Sox organization and they claim it actually
happened. This is priceless, it really is.
The morning after the Sox finished off the sweep against St. Louis last
October, Henderson called someone in the organization looking for
tickets to Game 6 at Fenway Park.
14) The Mets were staying in a hotel less than a mile from Cinergy Field
in Cincinnati. While some players walked, most took the team bus. A few
minutes after they arrived - again it was less than a mile - the last
players off the bus noticed a stretched limo that had just pulled up.
Of course, Rickey emerged from the back seat.
15) A reporter once asked Rickey if he talked to himself, "Do I talk to
myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I
never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?"
16) OK, I know everyone has been waiting for it. Alas, according to both
parties involved, it's not true. I wish it were. Heck, both Rickey
Henderson and John Olerud have said they wish it were true. But it just
didn't happen.
The story went that a few weeks into Henderson's stint with the
Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why
he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an
aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend
goes that Henderson said, "Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the
same thing."
Legend also goes that Olerud said, "That was me, Rickey."
Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.
17) Rickey was asked if he had the Garth Brooks album with Friends in
Low Places and Henderson said, "Rickey doesn't have albums. Rickey has
CDs."
18) During a contract holdout with Oakland in the early 1990s, Henderson
said, "If they want to pay me like Mike Gallego, I'll play like
Gallego."
19) In the late 1980s, the Yankees sent Henderson a six-figure bonus
check. After a few months passed, an internal audit revealed the check
had not been cashed. Current Yankees GM Brian Cashman - then a low-level
nobody with the organization - called Rickey and asked if there was a
problem with the check. Henderson said, "I'm just waiting for the money
market rates to go up."
20) In June 1999, when Henderson was playing with the Mets, he saw
reporters running around the clubhouse before a game. He asked a
teammate what was going on and he was told that Tom Robson, the team's
hitting coach, had just been fired. Henderson said, "Who's he?"
21) This is my all-time favorite. Rickey was pulled over by a San Diego
police officer for speeding. As the officer was approaching Rickey's
car, the window went down a few inches and a folded $100 bill emerged.
The officer let Rickey and his money head home without a ticket.
22) When he was on the Yankees in the mid-1980s, Henderson told
teammates that his condo had such a great view that he could see, "The
Entire State Building."
23) During one of his stays with Oakland, Henderson's locker was next to
Billy Beane's. After making the team out of spring training, Beane was
sent to the minors after a few months. Upon his return, about six weeks
later, Henderson looked at Beane and said, "Hey, man, where have you
been? Haven't seen you in awhile."
24) To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays,
Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room
mirror and says, "Ricky's the best," for several minutes.
25) In the last week of his lone season with the Red Sox, Chairman Tom
Werner asked Henderson what he would like for his 'going-away' gift.
Henderson said he wasn't going anywhere, but he would like owner John
Henry's Mercedes. Werner said it would be tough to get the same make and
model in less than a week and Henderson said, "No, I want his car."
Turns out the Sox got Henderson a Red Thunderbird and when he saw it on
the field before the last game of the season, Rickey said, "Whose ugly
car is on the field?"
Mark B.
Seeking primarily PSA graded pre-war "type" cards
My PSA Registry Sets
34 Goudey, 75 Topps Mini, Hall of Fame Complete Set, 1985 Topps Tiffany, Hall of Fame Players Complete Set
Seeking primarily PSA graded pre-war "type" cards
My PSA Registry Sets
34 Goudey, 75 Topps Mini, Hall of Fame Complete Set, 1985 Topps Tiffany, Hall of Fame Players Complete Set
0
Comments
Collector of Pittsburgh Pirates cards for a slightly less stupid reason.
My Pirates Collection
Jimmys down, jimmy is going to get Kramer.
It's just Ricky being Ricky.
Great post
CDsNuts, 1/9/15
Erik
Besides, a drunk guy trying to kiss a TV reporter on national TV is way funnier than anything Rickey could hope to do.
My favorite baseball player of all-time is Rickey Henderson. I was once told a story by a major leaguer that Rickey autographed a bat for him and it read, "To Richie: Best of lucky. God bless you. Rickey Henderson. P.S. May God bless you." People have told me that Rickey holds a few major league records but, hey — once a guy writes "Best of lucky," I'm sold.
<< <i>rickey is my all-time favorite player.. >>
I know that
Bet you cant guess who's mine.
1994 Pro Line Live
TheDallasCowboyBackfieldProject
<< <i>
<< <i>rickey is my all-time favorite player.. >>
I know that
Bet you cant guess who's my favorite dancer. >>
emmitt of course!
1994 Pro Line Live
TheDallasCowboyBackfieldProject
Matt's hungry now so Matt's gonna go eat
1994 Pro Line Live
TheDallasCowboyBackfieldProject
randy is hungry too matt
randy is gonna order a pizza cause his wife cant boil water lol
altho ted williams was the headliner autograph guest, henderson was scheduled to appear one afternoon.
an older gentleman in line mentioned that he had (with him) an autographed babe ruth baseball that either he or his father had acquired some 50 or 60 years earlier.
as the man approached the front of the line, henderson asked to see the babe ruth ball.
the older guy graciously produced the ball, which rickey admired for about a half-second.
then, he nonchalantly & without any prompting, applies his autograph next to the babe's!
the old guy just about came unglued & rickey simply couldn't understand why the old-timer was SO upset...
this vignette has (to me) always perfectly epitomized henderson's perspective, self-image and complete lack of class!
randy
"Molon Labe"
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>24) To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays,
Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room
mirror and says, "Ricky's the best," for several minutes. >>
Maybe that is why I like Rickey so much. I do the exact same thing. And to be honest, I don't care if the other cashiers at Walmart don't like to see it.
Collector of Pittsburgh Pirates cards for a slightly less stupid reason.
My Pirates Collection