Senator Boxer Honors Rickey Henderson   

Friday, June 19, 2009  

Dear Friend:

I recently honored baseball great Rickey Henderson’s upcoming induction into the Hall of Fame with a statement that appeared in the Congressional Record. You can find my statement below, and I am pleased to share it with you.


CONGRATULATING RICKEY HENDERSON ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

MRS. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rickey Henderson on his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 2009.  During a remarkable 25-year career, Rickey Henderson’s keen batting eye and unique combination of speed and power earned him the recognition as one of the greatest leadoff hitters in the game’s long and storied history.

Born on Christmas day in 1958, Rickey Henderson and his family moved to Oakland California when he was two years old.  He was a standout athlete at Oakland Technical High School, where he excelled at basketball, baseball and football.  Though his exploits on the gridiron as an All-American running back earned him dozens of scholarship offers, Rickey chose to pursue a professional baseball career and follow his dream to don the green and gold of his hometown Oakland Athletics.

Rickey Henderson made his major league debut on June 24, 1979.  Over the course of the next 25 seasons, he would compile one of the most impressive resumes in baseball history.  In a game which defines greatness by statistics, Rickey Henderson’s name can be found at or near the top of some of the more hallowed records in baseball history.  The 10-time All Star retired as the all-time leader in career walks and holds the career records for runs scored and stolen bases as well as the single-season stolen base record.  The 8 stolen bases that he amassed during his Most Valuable Player performance in the 1989 American League Championship Series remains the record for most stolen bases in a single postseason series.  A year after spearheading the Oakland A’s 1989 World Series title, Rickey was named the American League Most Valuable Player in 1990.

Rickey Henderson’s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame will see him join Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson as a legend of the game who honed his skills and love for America’s pastime during his formative years in Oakland.  During three separate stints with his hometown team, Rickey established a bond with generations of loyal Oakland A’s fans that remains as strong today as when Rickey stole 130 bases in 1982.  Speaking after his election into the Hall of Fame, he said that, “in my eyes, I wanted to see the fans in Oakland enjoy the game as much as I enjoyed it…playing in front of friends and family there gave me a little bit more of a boost.  It helped me out in my career, and I was proud to go out there and represent the Oakland area."  Judging from his achievements on the field and his devotion to the fans, it is clear to see why Rickey Henderson is one of the most beloved sports figures in the Bay Area and a worthy exemplar of the rich history of major league baseball in Oakland.    

As his teammates and fans would attest, Rickey Henderson is a deserving inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Throughout his career in baseball, Rickey has consistently achieved excellence on the field and conducted himself with integrity and character off the field.

I congratulate Rickey Henderson on his induction in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Sincerely,