Rickey Henderson, the Man of Steal
Image Source: AP Photo, Eric Risber
Image Subject: Rickey Henderson #24 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates after stealing third base against the New York Yankees during a Major League Baseball game May 1, 1991 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The stolen base was 939 for Henderson breaking the record of 938 held by former St. Louis Cardinal Lou Brock.
Fun Fact: Rickey Henderson was known as the Man of Steal and remains Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases, with an astonishing 1,406 career steals—a record that will likely never be broken.
What makes Henderson’s achievement even more remarkable is that he accomplished it without the advantages introduced by MLB rule changes in 2023, which were specifically designed to favor base stealers. Those changes include:
· a 20-second pitch timer,
· limiting pitchers to just two pickoff attempts per batter, and
· larger bases, increased from 15 inches square to 18 inches square.
Rickey Henderson needed none of this additional help to establish his record. His success was the result of instinct, preparation, and an unmatched understanding of pitchers and timing.
Though unrelated to Henderson, I can’t resist sharing my favorite quip about base stealing. Sportswriter Bugs Baer once described an unsuccessful stolen-base attempt by Phillies player Ping Bodie by saying, “There was larceny in his heart, but his feet were honest.”
Painting Detail: Printed on 8” x 10” canvas and painted using Schmincke Mussini and Marshall’s oil paints. Finer details, like insignia detail, was made using Prismacolor pencils.
Acknowledgement: Baseball Hall of Fame website.