The Athletics announced on Wednesday afternoon that a celebration of life for the late Rickey Henderson will take place at the Oakland Arena on Feb. 1 from 1-3 p.m.
The event is open to the public. Ticket registration begins on Jan. 20.
Henderson, the greatest Oakland A’s player of all time, died at 65 due to complications from pneumonia in December only days away from his 66th birthday.
A graduate of Oakland Tech High School, Henderson played 14 of his 25 major-league seasons in Oakland across four different stints. Henderson, widely considered the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, is baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases (1,406), runs scored (2,295) and non-intentional walks (2,129). He also owns the single-season record for stolen bases (130).
Henderson’s resumé includes the 1990 AL MVP, a Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers, 10 All-Star appearances and two championships — one with the A’s in 1989 and one with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. In 2009, Henderson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2018, Henderson was part of the team’s inaugural Hall of Fame class, which also included Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Charlie Finley, Catfish Hunter and Dave Stewart.
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“My favorite hero was Muhammad Ali,” Henderson said during his induction speech. “He said one time, quote, I am the greatest, end of quote. That was something I always wanted to be, and now that the (Baseball Writers’ Association of America) has voted me into the Baseball Hall of Fame, my journey as a player is complete. I am now in the class of the greatest players of all time, and at this moment, I am very, very humbled.”
Henderson’s death came just months after the A’s played their final game in Oakland before moving to Sacramento. Henderson appeared at every game of the A’s final home stand against the New York Yankees, his old team, and the Texas Rangers, often taking time to sign autographs and take photos. He even caught a first pitch thrown by daughter Adrianna before the A’s game against the Yankees during the final homestand. At the team’s final game as the “Oakland A’s” at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Henderson wore a split jersey — one side representing the A’s and the other side representing the Mariners, another team that Henderson played for.
“Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul,” Pamela Henderson, Rickey’s wife, said in a statement following Henderson’s death. “Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount. Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”
Henderson played for nine different franchises during his career, but always had a home with the A’s in Oakland. In 2017, the playing surface at the Coliseum was dedicated as Rickey Henderson Field.
“Growing up in Oakland as a kid, playing in the parks around the ballpark, I had no idea that this chance would ever come,” he told reporters at the dedication ceremony.
Henderson and fellow Oakland star Dave Stewart threw out simultaneous ceremonial first pitches before the A’s final game at the Coliseum on Sept. 26.
