This really saddens me. Back when I played baseball in my high-school and college years, I didn't like him. He was brash, arrogant, cocky...being a Reds' fan, it thrilled me when the Reds swept the A's in the 1990 World Series. Henderson was one of the main players of that 1990 A's team, so that was really sweet for me as a Reds' fan to see him humbled a bit.
However, as I grew older and matured, I really gained a deep appreciation for him. Regardless of how I felt about his personality, I never could deny that he was a great player (maybe the best leadoff hitter ever). I really admired him for playing minor-league ball well into his 40s. His legacy was already cemented and he was financially set...he really seemed to have a deep love for baseball and I really appreciated him for that. He played for a long time and had a great career.
MLB has really lost a lot of popularity in the past 30+ years and Henderson was one of the players from the era when it was really entertaining to watch. His death is a sad reminder of that, unfortunately. Sorry to see this...RIP, Rickey Henderson. π₯
reply
share