MLB Hall of Famer and “Man of Steal” Ricky Henderson has died at the age of 65 after a bout with pneumonia, according to reports.
A source with knowledge informed TMZ Sports that Henderson died Friday in the Oakland area. Henderson had briefly received treatment for the disease at a local hospital, the source reports.
While Henderson was one of the more well-traveled MLB Hall of Famers, having played for nine teams throughout his 25-year career, the speedster first entered the majors in 1979 as a member of the Oakland A’s, and much of his fame grew from there.
Henderson set the MLB stolen bases record at 1,406. It’s a record that will likely live on well into the future, considering that no other player has amassed even 1,000 stolen bases.
Stolen bases weren’t Henderson’s only specialty. He’s also a member of the 3,000-hit club (3,055), scored 2,295 runs, had 297 home runs, and a lifetime batting average of .279.
X users shared heartfelt tributes and their favorite Ricky Henderson moments following news of his death:
Henderson’s enshrinement into baseball immortality came in 2009 when the 10-time All-Star was inducted into Cooperstown. Of his 25 years, Henderson spent 14 in Oakland, five with the Yankees, three with the Padres, two with the Mets, and one year each with the Mariners, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Angels, and Dodgers.